What if the idea that so many throughout history spent their lives attempting to achieve was in reality nothing more than that: an idea? The American Dream is an important driving factor for workers looking for their ideal life as the dream says that working hard will be rewarded with success and prosperity. However, John Steinbeck has something different to say about this dream. In his novella Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie work hard for their dream to own a farm and fight against the obstacles that come their way; but, their dream fails in the end after Lennie’s death. Throughout the story, Steinbeck shows the harsh reality of the so-called “American Dream.” Lennie and George both had the American Dream in mind while working towards the wonderful farm they aspired to own; but, like others, their dream was ultimately crushed in the end. Steinbeck utilizes his characters to portray the hardships and troubles that many people go through to try to reach the “American Dream” only to fail in the end.
To demonstrate this idea, Steinbeck utilizes symbolism of George and Lennie’s dream of the farm and the characters they meet. While the farm acts as the driving factor of the whole story, it remains hidden; never to be seen or described other than by George talking. Furthermore, George describes the farm to Lennie as the perfect place as it has everything that they would want or need. “‘Well,’ said George, ‘we’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work, and we’ll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof—Nuts!’” (Steinbeck 14-15). The fact that the farm is never seen and only dreamt of symbolizes that the farm is merely a dream and will remain just a dream to George and Lennie. The idea that George and Lennie create everything they would want in the farm symbolizes that the farm is a dream that they manipulate at will. Their farm is perfected and unrealistic. Telgen writes in her analysis of the story, “Their [George and Lennie’s] plan is doomed because human fellowship cannot survive in their world and also because their image of the farm is overly idealized. … In fact, their dream of contentment in the modern world is impractical and does not accurately reflect the human condition” (Telgen). This leads to the farm becoming less realistic and more like a dream. But the dream is merely a dream and it stays a dream as their plan collapses and ultimately fails. Additionally, symbolism is also used with the characters that George and Lennie encounter on their journey. Several characters in the story exist just to create problems for George and Lennie. One of these characters is the bus driver. “‘We could just as well of rode clear to the ranch if that bastard bus driver knew what he was talkin’ about…. I bet it was more than four miles. Damn hot day’” (Steinbeck 4). The bus driver dropped George and Lennie off at least 4 miles away from the ranch they were headed for, forcing them to walk the rest and arrive late to their job. Similarly, Curley’s attack against Lennie nearly got George and Lennie kicked off the ranch and injured Lennie. With Curley later becoming the leader of the search party to find and kill Lennie after his manslaughter, Curley is made into a problem that George and Lennie needed to overcome to continue the journey. Both these characters and others symbolize the hardships and problems that are constantly a part of the struggle to reach the American Dream that those who seek it must overcome. Steinbeck’s symbolism of the characters and the farm both demonstrate the difficulties and unlikely ness of achieving the American Dream.
Steinbeck also implements foreshadowing into his novella to hint at the fates of not only George and Lennie but that of the many who attempt to reach the American Dream. There are two instances of foreshadowing that prove this point and they both predict the failure of George and Lennie’s dream. The first example is of George telling Lennie to return to the brushes if trouble arises. “‘Well, look Lennie— if jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush’” (Steinbeck 15). This request foreshadows that something will happen that would cause Lennie to have to return and hide. This event would be after Lennie’s killing and shortly after he arrives to the brush, he is killed alongside with his and George’s dream to own the farm. The second occurance of foreshadowing is Candy talking to George about his own dog’s death. “‘I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog’” (Steinbeck 61). Candy is referring to letting Carlson shoot his dog; a decision he regrets. To George, Lennie is basically a pet that he has to care for. Candy telling George he should have put his own pet down himself foreshadows George putting his “pet”, Lennie, down himself and not letting Curley get the final blow. Both these instances foreshadow the death of Lennie and the end of George and Lennie’s dream. Steinbeck wants to portray that this demise of their dream, their American Dream, is a common occurrence throughout seekers of the American Dream. So many have their dream crushed, banished to forever remaining a dream; unattainable yet longed for nonetheless. The foreshadowing used displays the ultimate loss of the dream that many reach for.
Additionally, Steinbeck uses characterization to show the aggressive and upset nature of the lonely men of the ranch. These lonely men work as obstacles that George and Lennie must pass. “George said. ‘I seen the guys that go around the ranches alone. They ain’t no good….Slim agreed. ‘They get so they don’t want to talk to nobody’” (Steinbeck 41). In the quote, George says that “They get wantin’ to fight all the time.” The men who travel alone are characterized as lonely and aggressive, which are the kind of people to create problems for George and Lennie or anyone trying to pass their journey. One of these people could be considered to be Curley. Curley is characterized as an aggressive little guy who picks on the big guys. “‘Curley’s like alot of little guys. He hates big guys….You seen guys like that, ain’t you? Always scrappy?’” (Steinbeck 26). Since Lennie is characterized as a big guy himself, Curley is clearly an issue for George and Lennie. Curley, the bus driver, and other characters are characterized as problems for George and Lennie, showing the troubles that come along with trying to reach the American Dream that make it as difficult as it is.
Steinbeck reveals the truth about the beloved idea of the American Dream: that it is just a dream. By using symbolism, foreshadowing, and characterization, Steinbeck is able to portray that the American Dream is only an idea and not actually attainable for most. Throughout American history, the idea of the American Dream has driven many looking for a better life to work hard and try to achieve their dreams. However, Steinbeck’s commentary on the American Dream says that the goal that those people worked all their lives for wasn’t attainable; it was only false hope.