The Myth Of The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The Myth of the American Dream

Success is a fantasy for many people in life. Success is frequently represented in the American Dream. In the book Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, many of the characters believe in the myth of the American Dream. There are many characters in Of Mice and Men that portray that the American Dream is a myth, but the characters that best depict this struggle for success are George, Curley’s wife, and Candy. George is a big believer of the American Dream. George travels around with a friend of his, Lennie. George was originally mean to Lennie, but George realizes that Lennie will always care for him; “We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us” (Steinbeck 13). Many people are very

It is said from the beginning to stay away from her because only bad circumstances will come out of it. Curley’s wife was talking to Lennie how her life could have been a lot better; “I tell ya I could of went with shows” (Steinbeck 78). Not much before she married Lennie, Curley’s wife could have been an actress and lived a very rich and successful life. There was a guy in the shows that told Curley’s wife that she is an amazing actress and could be in the shows. She never gets a letter from the guy in the shows so she ends up marrying Curley; “I couldn’t get nowhere or make nothin of myself… so I married Curley” (Steinbeck 88). This point in her life is when she realizes that she no longer has a chance to live the American Dream. Curley’s wife goes from almost being in the shows to being a woman that doesn’t even have her own name. All of the guys at the ranch refer to her as Curley’s wife. This is like saying that she is not human, but rather somebody’s object. George tells Lennie to stay away from Curley’s wife and to not talk to her because Curley is very protective. This is foreshadowing because Lennie kills Curley’s wife. She tells Lennie to feel her hair and Lennie won’t let go so she starts screaming. In an attempt to calm her down, he snaps her neck and she dies. That was the end of the American Dream for George, Lennie, and