Disillusionment And Dreams In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, two men called George and Lennie traveled across the country and worked at different ranches. George often helped Lennie from getting into troubles, and they were tightly bound. As ranch-hands, they and the other workers had their own dreams, but as the story continues, they realized their weakness and it is impossible to make their dreams come true. The most prominent theme in Of Mice and Men is “Disillusionment and dreams”. In the novel, people often talked about their dreams. George and Lennie had a same dream, which was to get their own land and live there someday. In chapter 3, George told about the house to Lennie, and said, “We’d jus’ live there. We’d belong there. … we’d have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.” (Steinbeck, 57). George and Lennie had a perfect vision of their land, from the rabbits that Lennie wanted them so badly, down to a cream that is so thick that you need to cut it with a knife and take it out with a spoon. …show more content…
And every time when George told this, his voice got deeper and grew warmer, while Lennie got so excited as like it was the most exciting thing in the world; It was the most peaceful time for them. However, this “dream” was not a “plan” until Candy offered to pay a part of the land. It was more like a fantasy that brought a comforting repose to them, who were cynical and realistic. Crooks, a black man who was a stable buck, and who pointed out to the impossibility of George and Lennie’s dream, also had his own dream. In chapter 4, Crooks explained his loneliness to Lennie. “S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that?” (Steinbeck, 72). Crooks had been so beaten down by loneliness and prejudicial treatment that he was now suspicious of any kindness he receives. But even so, he still had a dream to be accepted by others and to belong somewhere—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunk house or to play cards with the other men—like George and Lennie. The main reason why he felt ostracized was because of his race. As an only black person on the ranch, even though he was born in California, he still always felt like an outsider. In this chapter, for the first time, maybe ever, Crooks felt like an equal to white men, even perhaps superior with them. But his little dream was soon shattered by Curley’s wife. White women’s few words were enough to remind him where he truly belonged in this time frame. Curley’s wife, who always insulted people and who everyone hated, appeared that she was also experiencing loneliness and could have chosen a better life. When George and other workers went to a horse tenement, she told her dream to Lennie. “Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live. I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself.” She said darkly, “Maybe I will yet.”” (Steinbeck, 88). Just like all ranch-hands had their dreams of owning their own farm, Curley's wife had a dream too. She said that