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.

When Curley’s wife dies, Curley, rather than showing the reaction that would be expected of a man whose wife has just been killed. He does not appear to grieve at all in any way, barely looking at the body, or regarding the her death into his immediate future plans. Instead, his first thought is towards seeking revenge and hunting down Lennie. It is perhaps this moment in the novel which epitomises the way in which Curley is aggressive, nasty, and shows no concern

They start talking and she asks Lennie if she wants to feel her hair, for she claimed that it was soft. Lennie grabbed her hair and her words were verified. His grip grew tighter. He would not let go, for he was too panicked to do anything. She thrashes under his grip and when Lennie finally lets go, she is motionless on the ground (Steinbeck 91). Lennie had killed Curley’s wife by snapping her neck. Lennie did not mean to kill her, but his action of not letting go of her hair had caused the downfall of Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife dying caused Lennie to run away from the ranch and hide by a river. Lennie left, trying to avoid George. Lennie said, “I shouldn’t have did that. George’ll be mad” (Steinbeck 93). Lennie left the ranch after killing her, knowing how mad George would be, because they could get let go or killed when her corpse was found Lennie went to the Salinas River, where the story begins. George knew that he would be there, for he told Lennie to go there. George came to where Lennie was, and shot him in the back of the head by tricking Lennie. Lennie’s choice to run resulted in the downfall of himself, which was avoidable. He was going to be imprisoned in the ranch if he stayed; instead his actions meant impending death. Lennie not letting go of her resulted in the death of Lennie and Curley’s wife, due to the carelessness of Lennie.

He does this to make Lennie realise how lucky he is to have some on that he could rely on. But as Lennie is so vulnerable he gets angry and scares off Crooks. Lennie is a person who likes to touch soft things and is vulnerable to Curley’s wife as well as she knows she can talk to someone who won’t take advantage of him. Lennie being dumb is a harsh reality but as an innocent person causes bad things to happen.

George is out playing horseshoes with the men, while Lennie however, was in the barn with the pups, then Curley’s wife walked in. For the duration of the novel, Curley’s wife, was known as a tart, and as a troublemaker, for this reason, George told Lennie to stay away from her. Lennie begins to touch her soft hair, after she had said it was ok, but he was petting it much to hard, angering her. She repeatedly told him to stop, she tried moving away, but Lennie was in a panic and grabbed on to her hair. She began to struggle and scream and Lennie tried to make her calm

His love of soft things instantly overwhelms the rest of his thoughts. His mental disability causes him to forget everything George taught him: about not going near her, about how she is trouble. Even though he didn’t want any trouble, her hair reminds him of the rabbits. As soon as Curley’s wife starts to get uncomfortable and asks him to stop, Lennie can’t. Curley’s wife is suddenly in horror, so she yells out for help. Upon hearing this, Lennie instantaneously cups his massive hands around her mouth and nose, knowing what consequences will follow if he gets caught in trouble again. Lennie’s childish actions causes Curley’s wife to start suffocate until he eventually breaks her neck. It takes a few moments for Lennie to react to what he has done an then he remembers whar George told him to do if he got in to trouble, “Lennie if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like you always done before, want you to come right here an’ hide in the brush” . This is the only thought he can think of at this point, so he sets out for the river.

Curley’s Wife’s mistake in allowing Lennie to stroke her hair even though warnings were given about her from George to Lennie foreshadows her own death. "Don 't you even take a look at that b*tch. I don 't care what she says and what she does... You leave her be." (Steinbeck 16). This is another example of foreshadowing because Lennie couldn’t keep his hands off of things in the past and tells the reader that he might do something bad to her in the future. George is attempting to keep Lennie away from Curley’s Wife because he is aware of the possible consequences of their interaction, especially as Curley is the ranch boss’ son. Lennie 's accidental killing of Curley 's wife was the situation that George had been dreading from when they met her on the ranch. “She took Lennie 's hand and put it on her head. "Feel right aroun ' there an ' see how soft it is." Lennie 's big fingers fell to stroking her hair.” (Steinbeck 54). Lennie can 't keep his hands off of soft things and covers Curley’s Wife’s mouth when she yells for him to let go of her hair, strangling her by unawareness of his own strength. George

He has used this by using the quote '' The ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young.'' Steinbeck has described her as an angel who washed out her sins and went pure. In contrast to this Curley only cares about his social status. You can see this when ''Curley...ain't you better stay here with your wife''. Normally when your wife dies you would want to share your last moments together but the fact that Curley has to be reminded about his wife's death is upsetting since his main focus is killing Lennie. And it emphasises that he just used her as a possession due to the fact that it was a loveless marriage therefore he didn't really care much about her. In this quote you can also tell that all the bunkmates felt sorry for her even thought she acted with suspense because she didn't deserve more misery in her

The topic of The American Dream has been brought up on many occasions. The arising issue that still ascends is whether or not The American Dream is alive or dead in the United States. The American Dream has come to the generalization of the personal perspective of any individual. The history of The American Dream has always gone back to the common man thinking of their future generations to come and how he will implant a positive outcome throughout it. Many now believe that the ideal plan of The American Dream cannot even be met anymore. Values and beliefs are now being questioned towards the aspect of upward mobility, the cost of education, jobs, and even affordable housing. Referring to an executive editor and vice president of Time Reporting, he states, “combined with a formidable American work ethic, made the pursuit of happiness more than a full-time proposition” (Meacham, Keeping The Dream Alive). This statement is targeted towards the actual definition of what The American Dream actually meant in various societies in the past. Happiness and a full-time of gratitude were critical aspects towards being met because it was the initial reason for this ideal. Some of the key causes and components that affect the way The American Dream is supposed upon today is the basic principles of economics, education, and a downward spiral. These reasons lead to The American Dream being considered in a diverse way with much complexity. The American Dream was different from the past and

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.

He has used this by using the quote '' The ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very mo and simple, and her face was sweet and young.'' Steinbeck has described her as an angel who washed out her sins and went pure. In contrast to this Curley only cares about his social status. You can see this when ''Curley...ain't you better stay here with your wife''. Normally when your wife dies you would want to share your last moments together but the fact that Curley has to be reminded about his wife's death is upsetting since his main focus is killing Lennie. And it emphasises that he just used her as a possession due to the fact that it was a loveless marriage therefore he didn't really care much about her. In this quote you can also tell that all the bunkmates felt sorry for her even thought she acted with suspense because she didn't deserve more misery in her

Like the man, Lennie’s actions/brute force result in unintended harm. This is evident through Lennie’s encounters first with the pup and later with Curley’s wife. It is also demonstrated anecdotally with tales of unfortunate mice from Lennie’s childhood.

Lennie posed a big threat to everyone’s safety because he could not control himself or his strength. Lennie couldn’t understand how to let go or be gentle, he didn’t know his own strength. He had killed mice, crushed Curley’s hand, killed a puppy, then finally killed Curley’s wife. All of these things Lennie

Lennie is “jes’ like a kid. There ain’t no more harm in him than a kid neither, except he’s so strong” (Steinbeck 43). His problem is, he does not know of his own strength and does not know how to control it in certain cases, especially when he is frightened. For example, when Curley attacked Lennie, Lennie grabbed onto Curley’s hand and held on. He was so frightened he could not let go, busting every bone in Curley’s hand. Lennie “didn’t wanna hurt him” but he is just too strong (Steinbeck 64). Later in the story, Lennie’s incredible strength causes two deaths, first he kills a puppy and then Curley’s wife. Lennie didn’t mean to kill the puppy, he explained that he “was jus’ playin’ with him… an’ he made like he’s gonna bite me… an’ I made like I was gonna smack him... an’… an’ I done it. An’ he was dead” (Steinbeck 87). Lennie was worried after he killed the puppy because he thought George wasn’t going to let him tend to the rabbits when they bought the farm. Shortly after Lennie killed the puppy, he killed Curley’s wife. He likes to touch soft things and when she lets him touch her hair, “she jerked her head sideways and Lennie’s fingers closed on her hair and hung on” (Steinbeck 91). She started to scream, which made Lennie panic. He tried to get her to be quiet “and he shook her; and her body flopped like a fish. And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck” (Steinbeck 91). After he