How Does Candy Affect The American Dream

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The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is written primarily about two men who go from job to job collecting their pay to try and achieve their dream of buying land. While at a job, they encounter an elderly and handicapped worker named Candy and his equally old and handicapped dog. While they discuss their flawed lives, it is made known that something is wrong with society and The American Dream. As a result of Candy’s character being old and handicapped it makes his dream unachievable. Candy fears of being disposed because of his disabilities. Steinbeck utilizes Candy’s character in order to reveal the discrimination of the elderly and handicapped which demonstrates the flawed nature of the American Dream. There are people who believe that once a person is old they are no longer perceived as a value and are considered worthless. Not only is being old a problem in society, but being old and handicapped only worsens the views people have on them and lowers their place in society. Old people are unable to do the job of young and strong people. In the world of manual labor people who are unable to do the work they are asked are most likely fired or are just a …show more content…

People need to have someone who they can go to when they need something or just to keep them company. Since Candy had no family he had his dog. He had his dog since it was a puppy and he went everywhere with it and he probably considered it as his family because he had no one else. Once his dog was shot by Carlson he had no one else by his side. “I oughtta of shot that dog myself, George. I should’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (pg 61). Candy considered his dog as his family and he regrets not shooting it himself because he feels terrible for letting someone who wasn’t close to his dog shoot it. He believes that he should’ve been the one to do

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