The American Dream

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.

The American dream is a subjective idea that can mean money and fame for some or just the idea of freedom to others. What we believe is our path to reach this dream determines whether or not we are blinded by corporations’ image of the “American Dream”. Corporation’s main goal is to subtly coerce consumers into believing in the corporate world’s idea of the “American Dream”. They accomplish this by placing consumer’s into general categories which depicts how they will consume and place them in a cycle of false-consciousness which ultimately leads to the circulation of money within the rich and the stunting of the poor’s “hope” and possibility to obtain a better life. The barrier that stops low class citizens from advancing creates a “new primitive” society in which everyone blindly participates in the “norm” and becomes stuck in time.

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” (brainyquote.com/quotes/albert_schweitzer). Service and compassion are American qualities that are vital to a person’s inalienable right to pursue happiness as set out in the Constitution. Yet when society lacks these basic behaviors, the American Dream is unattainable. John Steinbeck’s classic novel, Of Mice and Men, incorporates various characters which create sympathy in readers, characters such as Lennie, Curley’s wife, and Crooks.

Throughout the novella “Of Mice and Men,” by John Steinbeck, a number of themes are developed such as the American dream, friendship, and loneliness. The American dream is developed especially well all through the novella. Right from the start, the reader gets a feeling that the American dream will play a large role in the plot of this story when George and Lennie are being chased, “‘I remember the rabbits, George.’” (4), then developed a little as George tells Lennie about the rabbits “‘With us it ain’t like that. We got a future.’” (14). The theme of the american dream is forgotten towards the middle of the book as other themes are developed, but is picked up later after Lennie kills his mutt on accident and tells Curley’s wife; “‘Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes…’” (89). The American dream finally ends for George and Lennie in the end, “‘And i get to tendd the rabbits.’ … And George raised the gun and steadies it … He pulled the trigger.” (105-106).

Does learning the English Language affect one’s chances at attaining the “American Dream”? In my opinion, I believe that English is a gateway to achieving the American Dream. English is one of the most dominant language in the world. According to the Babel Magazine, it is the third most spoken language by number of native speaker and probably the most commonly spoken language. English language greatly influenced in every field of study and our daily basis that it is inevitable for people to ignore it. By becoming proficient in English, one’s is a step closer to achieving American Dream.

For decades, the idea of homeownership has become synonymous with that of the American Dream. In order to encourage Americans to pursue this dream, the United States federal government has created a bevy of programs that subsidize homeownership, including mortgage loan insurance provided through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), government sponsored enterprises such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) that increase the money available for lending, and the home mortgage interest deduction.

The American Dream is the number one goal in America. It is believed that anybody in America can become famous or successful, own a large house and fancy cars, and have equal freedom and justice. The biggest wrecker to this Dream is consumerism. Consumerism creates a dyadic relationship between buyers and business owners. Business owners use advertisements, strategic planning, and focus on a particular audience in order to get closer to the American Dream. This causes the buyers to be pushed even further from the American Dream, and simultaneously the business owners get even closer.

Discrimination against a person based on their race is one of the main causes in preventing one from having a fair opportunity to achieve the American Dream. Philip Deutsch writes “blacks are twice as likely to be poor compared to other races, and eight times as likely to be imprisoned. Only 75 percent of blacks have received post-high school education, compared to 85 percent of whites. Not surprisingly, blacks on average also make less money than whites” (“The American Dream is Still”). These facts, shocking but true, go to prove the point that a persons race affects what opportunities they may have and what things they will be able to achieve. Blacks are, genetically, equivalent to whites, however they are harshly discriminated against

The American Dream is the ideal of every citizen of The United States having equal opportunity to prosper through willpower and initiative. As quoted by Feldman and Steenbergen, “Americans believe that people should take responsibility for solving their own problems. At the same time, problems are sometimes too large for a single individual to solve, and when this is the case it is a moral right to ask for help and a moral duty to provide it” (660). This considered, take the situation of an employed single parent using government assistance to temporarily accommodate for the basic living needs. Is it possible that egalitarianism remains existent in a situation such as this? Or is it that humanity itself is so overtaken by the idea that

The American dream is a term used in a lot of ways. However, it revolves around the thought that anyone living in the US can achieve something coupled with the possibility of lead a happy and successful life. The dream has been an aim for the majority of the individuals who reside in the land of America that gives them hope of the future. The definition of the term has expanded to incorporate freedom, achievement and meaningful relationships.

“American Dream” has a long history, originally refers to the Puritan immigrants belief in freedom to create, dreams and desires. However, as in the new continent and the west in the process of development, the “American Dream” gradually evolved the yearning and pursuit of success, including the pursuit of wealth, class and love. In American, people always think, through your diligently work that you will be able to change their social status, live a life of rich people in the United States. But by the 1920s, the “American Dream” began to slowly become decadent, all the positive meanings are later replaced by hedonism, extravagance and waste. All the dream about the treasure, equal status and

The American dream is what our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents have always wanted. Everyone always desires owning their own home; this concept of the American dream has a symbol of stability attached to it. However, isn’t the

I have dreams that I’m currently pursuing them. I want a career I love and look forward to when I wake up in the morning. I no longer want to live paycheck to paycheck. I want to love what I do and life a good life. Not once has a goal of mine been to buy a house. I have come to terms with the idea of living in an apartment as long as I keep pursuing my dreams. Houses are simply too expensive. There are enough homes in America to house all the homeless with many houses left over. But they remain abandoned waiting for

The american dream is different for everyone, and changes as time goes on. The american dream is important because it is how we think the perfect life would be and without that we would not have hope. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie and George are both trying to achieve the american dream and as the book moves on they become closer to that dream. In the book Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows how George has to look out for Lennie even though he holds him back but they are both endeavoring to attain the American dream.

“That dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each” -James Truslow Adams. For George, this dream was true in every way. In the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, George's idea of success is attaining happiness in both spiritual and materialistic ways. Throughout the novel George's relationship with Slim helped accomplish his dream, while Lennie hindered it in many ways.