The American dream is protected by the Declaration of Independence (US 1776) as an inalienable right to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” In John Steinbeck’s realistic novel Of Mice and Men, he represents just how elusive the American dream truly is. The novel takes place near Salinas, California, on a ranch during the great depression. The two protagonists of the novel are George and Lennie. George and Lennie’s dream is to own a farm one day and “live off the fatta’ the lan,” (Steinbeck 14). However, their dream eventually is crushed. At one point or another, every character walks the proverbial boulevard of broken dreams. The use of symbolism and allusion in Of Mice and Men represent the unattainability of the American dream.
Steinbeck uses Lennie and George’s vision for their future as a symbol of the American dream. Throughout the novel, George and Lennie hold on to the idea of owning a farm one day. Lennie only ever seems to remember that he gets to tend the rabbits on the farm, which is originally mentioned in the first chapter when George and Lennie are speaking with each other.”’I remember about the rabbits, George.’‘The hell with the rabbits. That’s all you can ever remember is them rabbits[said George]’”(4-5). Lennie is really only interested in him and George’s plan because of the bunnies. These bunnies are what give Lennie false hope into believing that him and George’s dream is going to happen. It is false hope because Lennie is wishing for untarnished happiness. The American dream is a wish for untarnished happiness as it is hope for something to happen that gives complete freedom from everything that is melancholy. Steinbeck is using the symbol of the rabbits to demonstrate that it gives Lennie unrealistic hope to attain their dream. Throughout the novel, George and Lennie hold onto the dream of owning a farm one day. It is first mentioned in chapter one.“‘Someday we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and-’ ‘An’ live off the fatta the lan,’ Lennie shouted”(14). Lennie and George have a common vision in mind, which is to live on a farm together one day. Steinbeck is using this vision to symbolize the American dream. George and Lennie’s dream is the American dream because they are wishing for an immaculate path to happiness. However, the plan that Lennie and George lay out is unrealistic. Their dream is more wishful thinking. George and Lennie imagine having their own house where they can raise crops and animals. This is unrealistic because ranch workers were lower class during the great depression and didn’t have very much money. Lennie and George’s dream is too insurmountable to reach, due to their economic instability. In conclusion, Steinbeck uses the symbols of Lennie tending the rabbits and Lennie and George’s dream farm to exhibit that the American Dream is an unrealistic dream.
Throughout the novel, Steinbeck uses several allusions. One allusion that stands out is the title itself, Of Mice and Men. The title alludes to a poem by Robert Burns entitled “To a Mouse.” In the poem Burn states that: “The best laid schemes of mice and men / Often go awry, / And leave us nothing but grief and pain, / For promised joy!” (lines 39-42). The poem is illustrating that even the best laid out plans go amiss. In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George’s dream goes up in flames when Lennie inadvertently kills Curley’s wife, , relating back to the poem that Steinbeck is alluding to. Since the goal Lennie and George envision is similar to the American dream, Steinbeck is asserting that the American dream is unrealistic, and that it is unrealistic because people who thrive for the American dream often have their dreams go astray for one reason or another. Steinbeck also alludes to the bible to demonstrate that the American dream is elusive. In chapter five, Lennie inadvertently kills Curley’s wife after being told by George to never speak with her. At the beginning of chapter six, Steinbeck alludes to the bible by creating a garden of eden like setting to represent that Lennie has succumbed to temptation. “The deep green pool of the Salinas River was still late in the afternoon / by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen. A water snake had glided smoothly up the pool twisting its periscope head from side to side”(99). In the bible, God puts Adam and Eve in a miraculous place called the garden of eden. Adam and Eve are told they can eat everything from everywhere with one caveat; They may not eat fruit from only one tree. Ultimately, Eve is deceived by a snake and eats the forbidden fruit(Genesis 2-3). In Of Mice and Men George tells Lennie to never speak with Curley’s wife, however Curley’s wife deceives Lennie into touching her hair. Then Lennie accidentally grabs onto her hair too strong and ends up twisting her neck, thus killing her. In the bible, the serpent in the garden of eden is used to symbolize satan and how satan hoodwinks others. In Of Mice and Men, the serpent is used to represent satan in the form of Curley’s wife because her deceiving Lennie demolished Lennie and George’s dream. Steinbeck is using the allusion to Adam and Eve to validate that the American dream is an unrealistic dream. He’s also manifesting that dreams can end for one reason or another, especially the American dream. In this instance, George and Lennie’s plan of owning a farm is being annihilated due to Lennie succumbing to temptation. Overall, Steinbeck uses allusions to convey that the american dream is insubstantial.
In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck takes a realistic approach to the American dream by demonstrating that it’s utterly impractical. Steinbeck uses the symbol of George and Lennie’s dream farm to represent that George and Lennie have an unattainable vision; Additionally, he uses the symbol of the rabbits that Lennie wants to tend to establish that the American dream is unrealistic because it’s a wish for impeccable happiness and freedom. He also alludes to the poem “To a Mouse” to portray that even the best laid out plans, usually end up going awry. Steinbeck alludes to the bible as well to point out that the American dream is often obliterated for various reasons. Today, the American dream still remains elusive. The American dream has also persisted to be unfair. Those who have privilege or have a great education or family connections have a greater possibility of achieving the American dream. However, those uneducated or living in poverty often end up with a low-paying job and living in poverty their whole life. One of the exceptions to this is Oprah Winfrey, who went from being poor to being a famous talk show host who has earned billions. Despite all of this, hope remains for a merely impossible dream.