1. Princessofislam What is the importance of dreams in Of Mice
and Men? Of Mice and Men is set in Salinas, California in the 1930s
Great Depression. Life was hard and men could be cruel. Hope might
be the only escape from hard reality. This links to the American
Dream represented in George and Lennies dream of working hard and
getting their own land and farm, and control over their own lives.
But it was harder than ever to= achieve due to the tough economic
conditions of the Depression. After Lennies death, it might be
possible for George to realise his dream, but the emptiness at the
end of the novel shows that financial success is nothing when you
are lonely. So the dream is not just something to own, or possess,
but also something to share. Compassion and love, to Steinbeck as
outlined in his Nobel Prize speech are the most important things,
as is hope having a dream. Lennie and George have a fairly simple
dream: to own a small farm, and be their own bosses, which
contrasts with the large factory type farm they are on, where men
are treated like machines, which are frequently broken (Crooks and
Candy), and isolated from each other. George repeats his and
Lennies dream like a mantra: we got a future, suggesting that they
are different to the others. Future here is a metaphor for
something bright, and greater than what they have now like the
American Dream to live off the fatta the land. The phrase fat of
the land almost suggests a biblical promised land after the hard,
wilderness years. The function of the dream therefore is to help
them to endure hardship and not give in to despair. They want
control of their own lives: well just say the hell with goin to
work. This can make them seem naive however, as farmers have to
work whether they want to or not especially smallholders. When
George sets out the dream, he then says that he and Lennie are not
like those other guys. The dream sets George and Lennie apart from
the others; they make themselves special: in the inclusive we
against the exclusive those other guys. The juxtaposition of us and
them verbally bonds the protagonists together in contrast to the
other men even though they are all, George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy,
in the same situation. Still, George and Lennie separate themselves
from the others by using the third person to describe farm hands
as, the loneliest guys in the world. The superlative loneliest and
hyperbole in the world exaggerates the harshness of the world of
the Depression as shown in the novel. Sometimes it seems that
George owns the dream as he is the one who tells it to Lennie, like
a childs bedtime story, prayer or mantra, in keeping with his role
as parent/protector to his child-like companion. This is emphasised
by the simple, mantra-like structure, where Lennie keeps filling in
the gaps if George hesitates, and repeating short phrases after him
as if he knows it by heart, even though as George says
frustratedly, Lennie always forgets everything else. It is not
always certain if George believes the dream is possible or if he is
saying it to keep Lennie quiet. Sometimes, George seems sceptical,
saying they will have every colour rabbits including red and blue.
He is patronising to Lennie, saying good boy, keeping him safe from
his own stupidity. In these scenes the dream seems more of a spell
or placebo to keep the main characters safe than something that is
really possible. Other characters are very cynical about the dream.
The reader is made to question how realistic these dreams are.
Curleys wife dreams of when she threw away the chance to become
famous, but
2. Princessofislam we can see that her dream is a sham. Of
George and Lennies dream, Crooks says: every damn one of thems got
a little piece of land in his head. Crooks final judgement is that
never a God damn one of em ever gets it. The repetition of the
absolute never and ever, as well as the strong slang God damn
emphasises how desperate life is. However, it is not certain
whether Steinbeck shares Crooks negative view. Crooks is an extreme
character. His language is hyperbole very extreme and relentlessly
negative. Crooks phrase God damn suggests that God has abandoned
these men, in contrast to the biblical image of hope in George and
Lennies dream of living off the fatta the land. The biblical
imagery continues negatively when Crooks compares the dream of land
to being like Heaven the Christian idea of perfect bliss, not
considered a physical reality and which Crooks says is just as
impossible to get as a piece of land. Its hard for George to keep
Lennie out of trouble and keep them on track for their dream. But
when they tell Candy, it starts to seem as if it might be possible.
In an instant, Candys faith (and money) takes them close to the
ideal/dream becoming real. As the dream is shared, or heard by more
people, the more it seems that together they might make it come
true. Even the ultra-negative Crooks starts to believe But all the
time, Steinbeck has built up a foreboding feeling, that this world
is hard and horrible and nothing good can live in it. We feel that
the gentleness of Lennie and Georges friendship, and their shared
dream, will be crushed by the cruel world even by Lennies desire
for gentle, soft things. I like soft things Every time he kills an
animal mouse or puppy, Lennies biggest, darkest fear is that he
wont be allowed to tend the rabbits. The dream is so precious to
him that he wants it at any cost. Curleys wife is lonely and wants
someone to listen to her dream. [needs evidence/ quotation/
language analysis] When she finds Lennie in the barn, she lets him
stroke her hair. When she starts screaming, Lennie screams at her
to stop or George wont let me tend the rabbits. Shes so frightened
that she cant stop and Lennie accidentally kills her. In a way,
Lennies desire to keep the dream (by keeping Curleys wife quiet and
smothering her) is the thing that has destroyed it. The irony of
this makes it even more poignant. When Candy discovers what has
happened all he wants to know is that he and George can still get
the farm. [needs evidence/ quotation/ language analysis] He loses
sight of human decency the woman is dead and Lennie will soon die
too. Steinbeck makes us ask whether any dream of financial
prosperity should be more important than human life? Should we try
to get it at any cost? At the end, George tells Lennie the fairy
story of the dream again to make him happy at the moment he has to
kill the dream of togetherness by shooting him in the head. He
almost cant speak because he is so upset. [needs evidence/
quotation/ language analysis] Even though George could still have
the farm with Candy, he is deeply sad that he couldnt keep Lennie
alive. Because the dream isnt worth much when he doesnt have his
old friend to share it with. Lennie loved the dream more than
anyone and he never gets it. I want to watch the movie in peace as
I cant because there are teachers and students wondering around.
And they wil look at ma laptop innit. Cant watch the rest of the
movie till Thursday.
