Dreams can be the fuel of life for people in need. Dreams give people joy and hope for the days ahead. In OfoL‘L’ and Men by John Steinbeck many of the character’s dreams provide a sense of hope for them. ()f Mit’e and Men is about the trials of George and Lennie. two migrant workers in California. They work on a ranch near the Salinas river where they buck barely with other men who have dreams like them. Two of the men are Candy and Crooks. Candy is an old tnan who lost his hand who wants to make a living. Crook is an African American man who has a crooked back. He wants to join the men and work for free. Although the dreams seem easy to achieve they were just figments of imagination for these men.
Through the characters George and Lennie. Candy and Crooks in ()fMim’ and Men. Steinbeck insists that the American dream is unfair for certain groups of people. Lennie and George want a farm because it represents independence but they can not achieve it because of the cycle of poverty. For the majority of their time together George has told Lennie the same story of how their going to get a farm and have many different things for themselves. George explains. “.,, we’re gonna get the jack together and we‘re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs…”(Steinbeck 14). George states that their “gonna get the jack together” which means that they are going to try and get their money together to buy a farm which would give them independence. He also lists multiple things. like land and animals. that would complete their dream.
This represents the dream because if they get the land and animals themselves they would not have to rely on anyone else for the things they need. However. George and Lennie are never able to achieve their goal because of the cycle of poverty. While Candy explains George and Lennie‘s dream. Crooks criticizes them for believing they can achieve it because whenever George receives his paycheck. he spends it in town at aid Crooks, whore house and comes back with little to nothing to show. Crooks says. “Yeah‘?’ “An‘ where’s George now? In town in a whore houset That’s where your money’s goin’. Jesus I seen it happen too many times” 1761 Through the use ofa rhetorical question. Crooks brings Lennie and Candy to the realization that George is being tempted by the whore houses. Whore houses which provide a negative connotation bring forth thought of sin and temptation which distracts the men from their original dream of independence.
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Crooks explains that he‘s “Seen it happen to many times” which shows how predictable the situation is and how society causes it to happen While they have this dream of owning a farm and being independent. George and Lennie are unable to achieve it because of the cycle of povenyt Candy wants job security because it represents the idea of freedom from “the boss” in the future but he can not achieve it because of his age and society’s view of elderly people. While George is telling Lennie the dream once again. Candy overheats them and offers to help. as he mutters. “They‘ll can me purty soon”. Maybe ifl give you guys my money you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it“. Through the use of the idiom “They‘ll can me puny soon.” which means getting fired. Candy expresses his fear of not having ajob.
He is willing to give the money for the opportunity to contribute in any way even if he is not good at it. He can provide money and garden work which makes him a productive member of the farm. The idea of being able to work on the farm with George and Lennie gives Candy the hope for job security and also purpose because he is not uselesst Howeverr after Lennie killed Curley‘s wife Candy was the first to find her. He specifically calls her out of her name and criticizes her because he realizes that the dream is over for him now. Candy laments. ‘“I could of hoed in the garden and washed dishes for them guys‘..,His eyes blinded with tears and he turned and went weakly out of the barn. and he rubbed his hristly whiskers with his wrist stump”(Steinbeck). He says “I could of” which is a change in tense from present to past implying that he has given up on the dream Steinbeck describes him as being “Blinded by tearsz” the emotion is blinding him which makes the dream gone from view.
Also when Candy is wiping away his tears with his “wrist stump” the lack of his hand is a reminder of how useless he is. Candy‘s age and handicap already hold him him back but with the death of Curley’s wife he realizes that the dream is impossible Candy can never achieve his dream of freedom because of society’s view of elderly people Crooks wants racial equality so that he can be appreciated but he can not accomplish this because of racism within society. While Lennie and Candy are in Crooks’ room talking about the dream. Crooks realizes he is willing to help. Crooks states. “If you… guys would want a hand to work for nothing —just his keep. why I’d come cand lend an’ hand”(76)t With the constant repetition of offering his hand. Crooks is offering Lennie and Candy his help hoping for the opportunity to gain their respect.
He wants to work with them instead of working jobs that keep him away from everyone else. When he says he wants to work for “just his keep.” it suggests he wants to earn his living as opposed to being isolated from society, This offers him a sense of independence, After Crooks offers this. Curley’s wife enters the room and listens to their conversation She begins to speak rudely to Crooks and he stands up to her She responds with, ”Well. you keep your place then, N****rt I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny”18l). The use of N-word is a symbol of the racism against African Americans, It is a violent word that degrades African Americans and makes them feel less than others. This is intensified when Curley’s Wife says that she can get him “strung up on a tree,” which alludes to lynching, When Crooks is called such a hateful word by Curley’s wife it shows how the dream is impossible because of society‘s View of him as a African American man.
Crooks can never achieve his dream of being appreciated because of the way civilization portrays African Americans In OfMit’e and Men Steinbeck uses certain characters to show that the American Dream is unfair for certain people. George and Lennie cannot purchase their farm because of the cycle of poverty. Candy can not achieve job security because of society’s View ofelderly people. Finally Crooks can not achieve racial equality because of the racism within society. Although all of these men had different dreams that did not become a reality, they all had one thing in common: freedom. Steinbeck shows how freedom and dreams can help to push people forward At the same time it shows how easily dreams can be ripped away. Although many dreams are impossible people should still push for them for the hope that they will come true.
