Of Mice and Men. Themes-The American Dream

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Dreams 3

When George goes into a full description of the dream farm, its Eden-like qualities become even more apparent. All the food they want will be right there, with minimal effort. As Lennie says:

"We could live offa the fatta the lan'." Chapter 3, pg. 57.

When George talks about their farm, he twice describes it in terms of things he loved in childhood: "I could build a smoke house like the one gran'pa had ." Chapter 3, pg. 57.

George yearns for his future to reflect the beauty of his childhood. "An' we'd keep a few pigeons to go flyin' around the win'mill like they done when I was a kid."

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Dreams 4

The ideal world presented by Crooks also reflects childhood. His father had a chicken ranch full of white chickens, a berry patch, and alfalfa. He and his brothers would sit and watch the chickens.

Companionship and plentiful food are both parts of Crooks' dream.

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Dreams 5

Curley's wife has a dream that although different in detail from the other's dreams, is still very similar in its general desires.

She wants companionship so much that she will try to talk to people who don't want to talk to her, like all the men on the ranch.

Unsatisfied by her surly husband, she constantly lurks around the barn, trying to engage the workers in conversation.

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The second part of her dream parallels the men's desire for their own land. She wanted to be an actress in Hollywood. She imagines how great it would be to stay in nice hotels, own lots of beautiful clothes, and have people want to take her photograph.

Both attention and financial security would have been hers. Like the men she desires friendship, and also material comforts, though the specifics of her dream differ from theirs.

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Dreams 6

When George tells Lennie to look across the river and imagine their farm, he lets Lennie die with the hope that they will attain their dream, and attain it soon.

George, who must kill Lennie, is not allowed such comfort. He must go on living knowing the failure of their dream, as well as deal with the guilt of having killed his best friend.

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The Futility of the American Dream (*In the context of the novel!!)

George and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm, which would enable them to sustain themselves, and, most important, offer them protection from an inhospitable world, represents a prototypically American ideal.