The American Dream

Does being American mean that you’re an American citizen, or does it mean that you have the same rights and decisions as someone who is a successful American citizen? These decisions include choices you make in order to better yourself in life, whether it has to do with your choice in career, or what you want to do in life. Making decisions, and having choices comes with freedom, as a person, and that reflects on being an American everywhere in the world, even though you’ve never been in America. To be an American means that you have the freedom, and rights to do what you want, be who you are, and be/ become who you want. This right of having the freedom to do what you want, can be elaborated by someone’s life chances.

Many people have come to America for adventure, opportunity, freedom, and the chance to experience the particular qualities of the American landscape. The American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen, including immigrants and residents, should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. America somewhat provides access to the American dream, it is more so the citizen who provides access to the dream for themselves. Even though they encountered many trials and tribulations, with persistence, people such as Langston Hughes in “I Too Sing America and Anzia Yezierska in “America and I” they were able to achieve their individual American Dream.

One night when George goes out with the other men he leaves Lennie alone to play with his pup when he wanders into Crook’s room. Even though the majority of the time Crooks plays mind games with Lennie he ends up expressing his dream of equality. At this time period black people are still heavily discriminated against which effects how others treat him and how he accepts others. "'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me." (Steinbeck ___). Even though Crooks is just like all the other men on the farm he is still viewed in a negative way because of his skin colour. Afterwards, Crooks begins to describe his child hood discrimination does not exist and giving him a sense of

If there was a favorable circumstance under which one could endeavour all their hopes and visions, wouldn’t one pursue it? The American Dream was introduced as an interpretation to cause the people of America in the early twentieth century to work tougher. The American Dream is the opportunity to reach the goals one sets for themselves. It is about having your dream job and life one has always fantasized about. The dream is also about having freedom and equality. In the novel, “Of Mice & Men”, John Steinbeck uses symbols and motifs such as the vicious slaughtering of virtuous animals, Crooks’ rubbish bunkhouse and Lennie and George’s deception of an ideal farm to exhibit the perception that materialistic success results in happiness is a major flaw in our thinking about the American dream, and it is this thinking which makes the dream unattainable for many.

People living during the great depression had dreams but on seemed to be the most popular but with their own twist to their dream. The American dream is in the Declaration of Independence stating “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. This dream is called the American Dream. The American dream is a set of standards in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success that can be achieved through hard work and determination. Steinbeck uses the American dream to give each character a goal to work toward to. Each character had their own American Dream. Owning some land so you could live independently, to tend the rabbits or to be playing cards with the other guys.

He gets his freedom, and he gets to ruin himself, and own a few acers. Lastly, to Candy, the dream is for him to be able to work the garden, and to live in a relaxed environment because he thinks that soon, the boss will let him go. A quote from the story to show how much Lenny likes hearing their American Dream is , and to show how important the American Dream means to him is “’Tell me like you done before.’ ‘Tell you what?’ ‘About the Rabbits’ George snapped ‘You ain’t gonna put nothing over me.’ Lennie pleaded ‘Come on George. Tell me. Please George. Like you done before’” (pg 13). This quote from the story shows how much Lennie believed in the dream. His mental disability made him act a lot younger than his actual age, he dreams a lot and can easily be tricked by what people say. He is very fragile and short tempered, like a young child can be. But also like a child, he believes in dreams, he still has the innocence and pureness, which causes him to have faith, and trust in the dream. A quote that shows that George is believes in the American Dream is “Maybe you’re gettin’ better. When we get a coupla acres I

The "American Dream" is an idea that has always been different throughouttime. It changes in diverse forms and in the end involves success. The "American Dream" was a phrase used by the American people and peoplewanting to become American. It was always the idea that you can become a success. This is true in a partial way, but the true "American Dream" is that with somework and determination anyone can build themselves up in the economic classsystem.

"The American Dream is that any man or woman, despite of his or her background, can change their circumstances and rise as high as they are willing to work” (Fabrizio Moreira). For many years, men and women struggled to achieve the idealistic life of living on independent terms. Many characters in Of Mice and Men work in order to pursue and achieve the American Dream that consisted of having their own house and income. Characters in the book may use that dream to help the overcome their life struggles and personal problems. Of Mice and Men tells the story of two friends, George and Lennie, who find themselves on a ranch in pursuit of their dreams. Unfortunately for them, circumstances beyond their control cost Lennie and George their dream and much more. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck portrays how dreams create a false sense of hope in order to cover up the realities of life through George, Curley’s wife, and Candy.

An American Dream, what is it? For Crooks it was to live a free life without being judged for the color of his skin, For Curley’s wife it was to make it big somewhere, and for lennie and George it was to

In “Of Mice and Men”, the American Dream was literally a miracle during a time where money and work was scarce. With “I hardly never seen two guys travel together… Never seem to give a damn about nobody.”, Slim sums up the nature of the people at the time, they were lone wolves and the dream was an impossible task to accomplish alone. Even so, the bond between Lennie and George gives the audience hope through the use of encouraging descriptions such as “We got a future. We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit-hutch and chickens.” However, this all comes falling down when they meet Curley’s wife. She recounted her dream of “Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes…coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me.” Repetition of the word “coulda” gave the reader a sense of what could’ve been if her dreams came true but instead her marriage has become lifeless. Curley’s wife showed that the American Dream apart from its beauty and hopes, was too fragile for reality during the Great Depression.

The "American Dream" is marked as unattainable in John Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men. This is mostly shown in the case of George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife. These characters all have admitted to thinking about the "American dream" concept, and the freedom to pursue happiness and their dreams.

George and Lennie’s dream might have never been obtainable due to Lennie’s undiagnosed mental problem along with the depression. To achieve the American dream is to be fully independent and own land. The first setback was the difficult and long task of not only finding, but keeping a job. This proved to be almost impossible for the pair due to Lennie’s track record. George stated, “Well he seen this girl in a red dress. Dumb bastard like he is, he wants to touch ever’thing he likes. Jus’ wants to feel it. So he reaches out to feel this red dress an’ the girl lets out a squawk , and the only thing he can think to do...and I heard all the yellin’, so I comes runnin’, an’ by that time Lennie’s so scared all he can think to do is jus’ hold on.” (Steinbeck) That was a setback in George and Lennie’s plan to achieve their dream. The duo made their way to the ranch with the work cards to find a job to

Over all the characters in the novel have dreams and goals they all wish to achieve but its almost like they just expect them to happen without them having to put in any work themselves. Both Lennie and George have dreams of their own they want to achieve but aren’t willing to put the hard work and effort in to achieve them. Like Lennie and George people today are still the same we all of goals we want to achieve but worry more about what’s coming

In conclusion, The American Dream left George lonely like he has never been with Lennie. Together, the two could have had anything, determination got in the way of that. Like mice, human kind has a tendency to chase after what is right in front of them, because it’s simply easier. Once the dream dust has settled, and we can see the truth, I think readers now know whether they want to continue working hard towards their dream, or start living in

George and Lennie follow the “American Dream” and their dream sets George apart from other people since his dream only involves himself and Lennie. Lennie sees their dream as having rabbits in the ranch but George sees it in a more sensible way. George sees their ranch as place where they can be themselves by being independent and secure. He also sees it as a place where they can be safe and responsible for