Comparing John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men - Compare and Contrast Essay

All men are created equal. All men have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, otherwise known as the American dream. All Americans strive for the American Dream, as James Truslow Adams stated, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement". By looking into the past it becomes apparent that it is predominantly unachievable to obtain this optimistic ideal. The past also brings to attention the ease at which an optimist, now former, loses their initial euphoric motivation and optimistic potentiality. In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, the characters of George and Lennie are no different from
The common dream between George and Lennie of an independant rabbit-filled farm life diverges once Lennie’s rabbit-filled mind wanders. Each and every one of Lennie’s requests for George to talk about the rabbits on their dream farm is met with bitterness from George: “The hell with the rabbits. That’s all you ever can remember is them rabbits.” (Steinbeck, 3). George could not care less about the rabbits which is evidently Lennie’s only desire from their dream farm. Unlike Lennie’s rabbit-obsessed mindset , George has the mindset of the American working class in which being independent, owning a farm, and being financially secure is utopia. George’s dream is realistic while Lennie’s lacks any thought outside the realms of soft furry things. As well as distinct dreams, George and Lennie’s individual obstacles are nothing alike. In George’s case pleasure is the greatest adversary: “. . . I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay in a cat house all night. I could eat any place I want, hotel or any place, and order any damn thing I could think of. An’ I could do all that every damn month. Get a gallon of whisky, or set in a pool room and play cards or shoot pool” (6). George’s pleasure thieves from him and ensures his perpetual spiral away from his dream. Meanwhile Lennie’s childish lack of in depth thought and awareness is his greatest adversary. This lack causes Lennie to habitually break or kill things unintentionally, or take self-detrimental actions without forethought such as getting him and George chased out of Weed for holding a girl’s soft dress. Lennie’s unusual strength and childish thinking partnered with the forethought and realistic mindset of George does no favours for either