Dreams In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men, Gang aft agley, an’lea’e us nought but grief and’ pain for promis’d joy!”-To a Mouse, Robert Burns. Throughout human history, dreams have often been portrayed as unrealistic and impractical. However, during the Great Depression, most workers had conceived the idea of an “American Dream,” where those who moved to the United States of America, received land and wealth. Unfortunately, the idea was unfeasible, due to the economic downfall, therefore, causing it to be unfulfilled. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, author, John Steinbeck, illustrates the idea that dreams often fail leading to a more bitter and lonely attitude, as delineated through the characters Crooks, Curley’s wife, and George.

Throughout

When faced with an opportunity to talk to someone about her past dreams and aspirations, Curley's wife wistfully states, “I coulda made somethin’ of myself...Well, a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’t let me. She says because I was on’y fifteen. But the guy says I coulda. If I’d went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet.”. (88) Curley’s wife had a dream of becoming an actress, but unfortunately, her mother disagreed with her plan. She blames her mother for her present-day situation, saying that her life would be better if she had pursued her dream. From this quote, and other excerpts from the novella, the reader can infer that it was because she did not fulfill her dream, she decided to settle for less and married Curley. Furthermore, the marriage to Curley results in an attitude change for Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is often quoted as expressing her feelings about her unsatisfactory marriage, and, on one such occasion, she discloses,“I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella...coulda has been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes—all them nice clothes like they wear. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me. When they had them previews I coulda went to them, an’ spoke in the radio, an’ it wouldn't cost me a cent because I was in the pitcher. An’ all them nice clothes like they wear.”. (88) As Curley’s wife’s dream of becoming an actress is unfeasible, she has resigned to an unfulfilling marriage. She imagines living a lavish life; staying in fancy hotels, owns several elegant dresses, and having pictures taken of her. The fact that this dream will never come true makes her desperate for attention. Hungry for attention from others, including men who are not her husband, Curley’s wife obtains a more flirtatious attitude, causing the other ranch