Hopes, Dreams & Reality

George and Lennie's Dream

Steinbeck presents hopes and dreams as one of the key themes in Of Mice and Men. George and Lennie frequently discuss their dream to have their own farm.

The power of the dream

George and Lennie's dream is such a powerful source of hope that Candy and Crooks both get drawn into it.
Whether they believe in the dream or not, it provides them with a fantasy which allows them to escape the harsh realities of life on the ranch: “I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some.” (Candy, Section 3).

The attraction of self-sufficiency

As Crooks is quick to point out, George and Lennie’s dream of self-sufficiency and freedom is the American Dream of many impoverished ranch workers: “Every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it.” (Crooks, Section 4).

Lennie's love of the dream

For Lennie, who struggles to understand many things in the novel, the dream is more like a favourite childhood story, and hearing George talk about it makes him feel calm: "Come on, George. Tell me. Please, George. Like you done before." (Lennie, Section 1).

Death of the dream

When Lennie kills Curley’s wife at the end, George admits that the dream is dead too.
He even suggests that it was never a realistic possibility in the first place: “I think I knowed we’d never do her.” (George, Section 5).

Curley's Wife's Dream

Steinbeck presents hopes and dreams as one of the key themes in Of Mice and Men. Curley's wife dreamt of going to Hollywood and becoming a movie star.

The broken dream of Hollywood

Curley’s wife talks about how she was on her way to Hollywood stardom: “He says he was gonna put me in the movies.” (Curley’s wife, Section 5).
However, Curley's wife suspects her mother hid a letter which meant she couldn’t fulfill her dream: "I never got that letter … I always thought my ol' lady stole it.” (Curley’s wife, Section 5).

Marrying Curley

Curley's wife laments the fact that things went so badly wrong with her dream of being a star, and now she has ended up married to Curley, who she doesn’t like: “I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella.” (Curley’s wife, Section 5).

An unrealistic dream

Curley’s wife’s dream seems unrealistic and, in a way, pathetic.
Steinbeck could be suggesting that she hangs on to this unrealistic dream simply as a way of escaping from the misery that surrounds her on the ranch: “Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes- all them nice clothes like they wear.” (Curley’s wife, Section 5)

1Context & Overview

1.1Context & Overview

1.1.1The Great Depression

1.1.2Racism

1.1.3The American Dream

1.1.4Of Mice & Men

1.2John Steinbeck

1.2.1John Steinbeck's Life

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Overview

2Plot

2.1Section 1 - Analysis

2.1.1Section 1 - Plot

2.1.2Section 1 - Overview

2.2Section 2 - Analysis

2.2.1Section 2 - Plot

2.2.2Section 2 - Overview

2.3Section 3 - Analysis

2.3.1Section 3 - Plot

2.3.2Section 3 - Overview

2.3.3End of Topic Test - Sections 1-3

2.4Section 4 - Analysis

2.4.1Section 4 - Plot

2.4.2Section 4 - Overview

2.5Section 5 - Analysis

2.5.1Section 5 - Plot

2.5.2Section 5 - Overview

2.6Section 6 - Analysis

2.6.1Section 6 - Plot

2.6.2Section 6 - Overview

2.6.3End of Topic Test - Sections 4-6

3Key Characters

3.1Main Characters

3.1.1George

3.1.2Lennie - Strength

3.1.3Lennie - Innocence & Dependence

3.1.4Slim

3.1.5Curley

3.1.6Curley's Wife - Flirtatious

3.1.7Curley's Wife - Lonely & Heartbroken

3.1.8Crooks

3.1.9Candy

3.1.10End of Topic Test - George & Lennie

3.1.11End of Topic Test - Slim, Curley & Curley's Wife

3.2Minor Characters

3.2.1Minor Characters

3.2.2End of Topic Test - Crooks, Candy & Others

4Themes

4.1Key Themes

4.1.1Hopes, Dreams & Reality

4.1.2Racial Prejudice

4.1.3Loneliness & Companionship

4.1.4The Weak & Strong

4.1.5Women

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes

5Authorial Method

5.1Writing Techniques

5.1.1Dialogue

5.1.2Imagery

5.1.3Light

5.1.4Sound

5.1.5Symbolism

5.1.6Structure

5.1.7End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

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