Social Classes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, is a compelling story that has captured and embodied the struggle and loneliness felt by many during the Great Depression. While desire for the American Dream is prominent in the novel, Steinbeck is able to demonstrate the wants from different social classes through the construction of characters such as George Milton and Curley’s wife. With these characters, Steinbeck successfully displays the difference in ideas, values and attitudes of certain social classes in the 1930’s and the illustrates the rarity of achieving the American Dream.
Steinbeck wrote this novel during the Great Depression, when America was suffering greatly by the disastrous crash of the stock market. From this point in time, separation of the different classes became

The reader is positioned to view her negatively as she uses her beauty as power to seduce the workers on the farm and make her husband jealous. The men often complain about her throughout the novel, calling her names that no woman would ever appreciate. Candy tells George and Lennie his honest opinion of Curley’s wife, “You know what I think?” George did not answer. “Well, I think Curley’s married…a tart.” (Steinbeck, p.29). They believe she’s just looking to stir up trouble. Later on in the novel, Curley’s wife admits she is unhappy and lonely and once had a dream of becoming a famous actress. But her American Dream, like George’s, soon became impossible and only then did she decide to marry Curley, however, it was only for the riches. She confides in Lennie, “Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before. Maybe I ought’n to. I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” (Steinbeck, p.87). Curley’s wife shows that although she has a high status, she too is struggling like George. Although she has what most dream of being wealth, a home and a partner, she is still unable to attain her