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Of Mice And Men Theme Essay

Decent Essays

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men deals with several important themes. The most important of the themes dealt with throughout the novel being the “American dream.” Steinbeck represents this theme through the hardship of the lives of two migrant workers, George and Lennie. This is the most important in the novel because it is the whole basis of why George and Lennie live the life of migrant workers. It also is important to the novel because it gives the readers something to hope for, and George and Lennie as well. The most important reason why this theme is crucial to the novel is because at least one point in the story every character imagines a different and better life. The entire storyline of Steinbeck’s novel is based off of George and …show more content…

The hope that this dream gives is most relevant in the character of Lennie. Lennie is mentally retarded, and is not capable of taking care of himself. George has take care of Lennie, and mostly keep him from getting the two in trouble. George uses this “American dream” the two have to put a sort of false hope in Lennie that life the two have will get better. Now even George at one point in the novel realizes this dream will not come true for the two men, but he does not want to let Lennie realize George’s lost hope. At one point in the novel George brings up the two’s future, and how they will not have to worry about others because they have a future. George says, ‘“ With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us”’(Steinbeck 14). This quote shows that the two want to escape this life they are living, and do not care what happens to the others around as long as they fulfill the dream they have. The “American dream” also gives the readers hope for Lennie and George that the two have will change for the good. The reader’s wish to see George and Lennie fulfill the goal they have, but as the novel continues they realize that this dream will not come true for the

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