Everyone aspires to achieve the American Dream: an opportunity to be successful by working hard. Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the American Dream brings hope for a better life to those who hold on to it. George Milton and Lennie Smalls, traveling ranch workers called bindle stiffs, dream of owning their own piece of land where they can create the rules. However, they are not the only characters with hopes and dreams. Steinbeck shows the American Dream is, in fact, sometimes only a dream through the hopes and actions of Lennie, Candy, and Curley’s wife. Lennie’s low mental capacity and lack of intelligence give him the personality of a child in a wrestler’s body. Because of this, Lennie holds on to the imaginary ranch he and George want to have one day, similar to how a young child would behave. Lennie begs George to recite their dream by saying “Come on, George. Tell me. Please George. Like you done before” (Steinbeck 13). To Lennie, the act of repeating the dream is similar to a bedtime story, giving him something to hold on to so he does not become angry at the world like the other bindle stiffs. He clings to the dream like a rope when times become tough, and it reminds him of a better life waiting for him. Lennie’s mental state also means he does not know his own strength. A mouse and a puppy are the first two victims killed by Lennie. Petting them is what he intends to do, but instead, he crushes them with his uncontrollable strength. When