Of Mice and Men

The Great Depression, a ten year period, was the worst economic drought in American history. Taking place in the 1930’s, this event left hundreds of thousands homeless, later to be migrant workers traveling long distances for any job they could lay their hands on. Some were successful at this and started over, but others were not. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, he sets his story in mid-state, lush, green California where plants and animal thrive, but migrant workers do not. In this novella, George and Lennie struggle to create a new life as migrant workers hoping to achieve their American Dream of owning a ranch in California. At George and Lennie’s new home, which is a dumpy bunkhouse, they must live alongside other migrant workers. While there, they discover the loneliness lurking around them. The loneliness not only digests the men of the bunkhouse, but eats away at everyone living on the land. The greatness of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men lies in his exploration of the loneliness of the migrant workers and those who live among them, specifically Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife, which renders them unable to achieve the American Dream.

Candy, the swamper of the ranch, whose responsibilities are limited to sweeping and mopping the buildings, is a tragically lonely character. One reason that Candy is so lonely is due to his handicap, which is his amputated hand. With only one hand, it is hard to do a lot of chores, and Candy cannot do what the other workers can, which makes life even harder. Not seeing them all day because he is not allowed in the field with the other men due to his disability, creates a lonely environment for him. His job is to clean alone with no one to talk to. Also, because of his lack of human frie...

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...the loneliness of the migrant workers and those who live among them renders them unable to achieve the American Dream. All of the migrant workers always move from job to job. This results in no family or friends. No friendships have left a void in these people’s lives, leaving them without any drive or support. This weighs down the migrant workers making the American Dream nearly impossible for these very lowly people. Candy is pitied, always alone. Crooks is the only black man on the ranch separated by segregation and his disability. And finally, Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch needing attention. All without hope, or spirit to reach their dream. It has always been believed that the American Dream has been open to everyone who are willing to work hard for it, but ironically, even though they are not working hard enough to acquiring the American Dream.