Of Mice and Men Themes/Main Ideas

The Idealized Male Friendship

The reason Lennie’s death at the end of the novel is so tragic is because it crushes all the dreams that George had, and in extension, Candy’s and Crooks’ too. The world of migrant workers is solitary, harsh, and unprotected. What made George and Lennie unique is their unfailing devotion toward each other, their shared purpose in life, their understanding that the two will stand with each other despite all the troubles that Lennie got caught in. These qualities are an exception in the predatory world that they inhabit, and hence their shared dream of the farm not only gave them a sense of purpose, but it was also enticing enough for Candy and Crooks to join in. In this world of fraternal bonding, the men knew that they had someone who would look after them, that they would not be solitary, that they would have a piece of land that they could claim as their own, and where they would be safe from the meaningless violence of the world. Significant to note here is though that no man in this book desires a wife; they depend on each other for comfort and security. However, this friendship is too fragile and cannot sustain the powerful violence that the world inflicts on them; with Lennie’s death, not only does George lose a part of himself and his purpose, even the other migrants lose their dream of a secure, peaceful life amongst each other.

The Predatory Existence of Humankind

Human violence and oppression comprise the predominant theme of this novel. Steinbeck portrays a world where every character is lonely and desperate, weak in their vulnerabilities. Crooks is vulnerable due to his race; Curley’s wife is oppressed in a bad marriage; Lennie is a liability because of his limited intellectual capacity. Everyone is in need of a friend, but instead of coming together of the lonely souls in cooperation, each of them preys on the other in an act of self-embellished power and authority. Crooks, for example, taunts Lennie about his farm dream and scares him about George being possibly hurt in the same conversation where he acknowledges how he was lonely growing up and now even as an adult. Curley’s wife too bitterly complains about being lonely but threatens to get Crooks lynched when she has to exert her power over him. So apart from the fact that the powerful often indeed wield their irrational authority—in the instance of Curley—necessarily all violence doesn’t stem from them; even the weak prey on the weaker and so on in their individual quest for survival, thereby underscoring that violence, in fact, is born out of weakness.

The American Dream

Each character in the ranch wishes for a future that is better, more secure, and happy. George and Lennie aspire to own a farm that would secure their lives and protect them from exploitation and loneliness. The aging Candy too wishes to join in this venture, desiring a better life. Crooks, embittered that he is and initially dismissive about the farm, too decides to join the men in their shared dream of independence, security, and prosperity—which is the quintessential American dream that has shaped the nation and her citizens. Before her death, even Curley’s wife reveals to have wished for a better life for herself, hopes which were dashed and which led to her unhappy marriage with Curley. What makes all these dreams typically American is the freedom and mobility that is inherent in these dreams, which will allow them to pursue their life goals as they wish. However, the tragic ending of the novel lays bare how the American dream is impossible to achieve in such harsh conditions where the cards are already stacked against these characters.