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Recommended: What is the basis for Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men

The American dream is the most famous dream that everyone is chasing. Many people try to reach for this dream but many do not achieve it. The novel Of Mice and Men is written by John Steinbeck during the 1930's. The novel details the struggles of many characters as they chase the American Dream. The American dream was different for every person. Many people's American dream was for them to own their own home, to have a good job, and be their own boss. Candy, the elderly cleaner, was a worker at the ranch that had lost his hand when he was working in the field and thus, he was not viewed as important as the other workers on the ranch. Crooks is the stable buck at the ranch and he is African American so therefore, he is looked down upon by the other workers. Curley's wife is the only woman that lives on the ranch and her American Dream is to be a movie actress, but she fails at this because her mom doesn't allow her to leave and she ends up marrying Curley. Lennie travels with George and he has a learning difference. All the minority groups in this book have an American dream. Each group tries their hardest to achieve their dream but at the end they are not able to accomplish it.

Candy was in the minority group of older people and his American dream is to have job security. Candy wants job security in his life because he is becoming older in age. Candy then says, "They'll can me purty soon. Jus' as soon as I can't sweep out no bunkhouse" (60). Candy feels like he is viewed as less of a worker because he lost his hand. Candy asks to join George and Lennie's American dream because they can give him job security and it will allow him to be his own boss. When Candy's dream is crushed because Lennie kills Curley's wife, Candy blames...

... middle of paper ...

... her own American Dream but she was not able to achieve it.

Lennie represented the group of people that have learning difficulties. He had the same American Dream as George. George represents how everyone has potential. George shows this when he says, " I was only foolin', George. I don't want not ketchup. I wouldn't eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me" (12). This quote shows that Lennie really does have potential when he tries to make George feel better. Lennie is also does not reach his American Dream of owning rabbits and of living on a farm with George. The reason to this is best described by this quote, "Never you mind. (107)" These are the lines spoken by George once he killed Lennie. Lennie represented the people that have learning difference in this book. Even though he was close to achieving his American Dream he was not able to achieve it.

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