How Does Steinbeck Prove The American Dream In Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck wrote a novella called Of Mice and Men that was published during the year 1937 of the Great Depression. The novella is about two best friends named George and Lennie who is sick of not having their own things like a house, a bed, food etc… So they come up with the idea of saving up their money and buying their own home. But things drastically changes when lennie who is cognitively impaired kills Curley’s wife and George the caretaker and best friend of Lennie’s kills him to protect him. In Of Mice and Men Steinbeck uses the characters Curley’s wife, Candy, and Crooks to display no matter how hard you work you WILL NEVER achieve your dreams.

First, Steinbeck uses the character Curley’s Wife to prove the failure of the American Dream. Curley’s Wife was always labeled the hoe in the book. She would always find herself around Everyman on the farm besides her husband. Steinbeck explains, “He says he was gonna put me in the movies… Says I was a natural… Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it” (Steinbeck 88). Curley’s wife is telling Lennie how she could've made something of

Crooks is a free black man who has a hunched back and tends to the horses on the Tyler farm. Crooks also wants to join George, Lennie, and Candy on their dream farm. Steinbeck explains, “... If you… Guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I'd come an’ lend a hand” (Steinbeck 76). Crooks has invited Lennie and Candy into his room and ask them if he could join them on the farm. Steinbeck explains, “The crash of the shot rolled up the hills and rolled down again. Lennie jarred and then settled slowly forward to the sand, and he lay without quivering” (Steinbeck 106). This quote proves the tailor of the American Dream because when Lennie killed Curley's Wife and then George killed Lennie all hopes of getting the little farm was completely