Work is an integral part of society and is fundamentally linked to achieving the idea of the American dream. Working hard is right at the centre of the American dream because it provides access to success for people like George and Lennie who have nothing. In ‘Of Mice and Men’, not only does Steinbeck uses the role of work as a metaphor for how human beings perceive the world around them, he also uses characters to provide critical comment on society. The novel begins with two men- George and Lennie who are hopeful characters that believe in the idea of achieving something more through hard work, seeking a job, and are eventually dropped off at a ranch where most people work in hopes of achieving the American dream- A motif in the novella. Even at the beginning of the novella, it is already made clear to the reader that Steinbeck has not hesitated to emphasise the major role of ‘work’ in ‘Of Mice and Men’. …show more content…
The idea was that if an individual had benefited the society, then in return, you would unquestionably profit from it. In ‘Of Mice and Men’, Steinbeck bases the story on them seeking work which would hopefully have paved their way towards success. Although working at the ranch would have never allowed them to succeed in buying a ranch, it allowed them to achieve the idea of it. This proves that work plays an extremely important role as it provides the idea of success which in turn gives them a drive to continue working