The Role Of Dreams In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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The Bitter Truth Many of the characters in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men dream of a better life. These dreams are supposed to help them deal with their difficult environments. Unfortunately, John Steinbeck’s world is a tough and inhospitable place where dreams do not come true. His story has dreamers and strugglers, with both external belief, where dreams seem to be plausible and a contradicting internal confinement, where dreams generally fade into vanity. Once dreams are abandoned, happiness is impossible to achieve, leaving a person trapped in a cycle of misery. As evidenced by the attitudes of both Crookes and George, hopes and ambitions are not about feasible plans, but instead about discovering a way to pull through the depression, even if it’s just deceiving the mind with fantasies that may not come true. Upon the realization that these dreams will indeed not happen, misery and dissatisfaction is the only thing left. Crookes’ incapability to enter a world of hope, leads him into a bitter life lacking the thrill of living. Throughout the story, dreams seem to be infectious and even Crookes who Steinbeck portrays as the always negative pessimistic stable buck allows himself to believe. When Candy and Lenny blather about their fantasy in front of Crookes, the effect that dreams has on a person is evident. When Crookes tentatively, suggests that, “[he] could come an’ lend a hand” (Steinbeck 76) on their farm, a spark of happiness is installed in him. This shows that dreams…show more content…
George and Crookes respective dreams are able to lift them up for a brief time, however both of their journey’s sadly prove the bitter truth; this world is a nasty place, not meant for such lively
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