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The Dream of Lennie and George - "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

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The Dream of Lennie and George - "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
In "Of Mice and Men", Steinbeck shows every character's desire for some kind of achievement in life as an example of the American dream and how unattainable it really is for them. The American Dream is one of liberty, untarnished happiness and self-reliance. At the beginning of the novel George and Lennie immediately bond together building a close friendship that teaches them both new things. Crooks is willing to work for nothing, just to gain the independence for a life outside the stables and to leave his lonely little room. Candy is a beautiful, talented girl sick of the farm life and she's willing to do anything in the world to attain the American dream. The starting of wanting to achieve the American dream begins as soon as we get to know Lennie and George.

George and Lennie, based their relationship over their dream. The dream was to 'Someday, get the jack together..have a little house and a couple of acres...." (p.14) This displays George's belief that one day, their dream will come true, if they saved up their money. Also, Lennie says that they should get many different coloured rabbits... George agrees saying "Sure we will... Red and green and blue rabbits. Millions of 'em" (p.16) These ideas show that the dream was unrealistic and thus unattainable. George and Lennie have a strong passion, and we can almost relate to them when George mentions, "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to...With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack jus' because we got no place to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us. Cause I got
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