Sample
ResponseThe Dream in Of Mice and Men
TOPIC: "We're gonna have green corn . . ." (p. 69) Here Candy tries to realise Lennie and George's dream of owning a farm with his offer of finance. But that possibility only heightens the loneliness that the shared dream of their companionship replaces Discuss how sharing the dream acts as a central theme in Of Mice and Men.
Sample
Response
The Dream unifies all other themes in Of Mice and Men. It appears in the central scenes, it is the catalyst for the plot and so becomes the major theme of the novel. George puts it succinctly: "We have a dream. Some day, we'll have a little house and a couple of acres. A place to call home."(60). Having dreams offers a hope, albeit real or impossible, and drives out the loneliness endemic among itinerant workers.
Their Dream of a little farm somewhere recurs as a motif in major scenes. It introduces us to Lennie and George in the opening scene as they camp by the pool the night before beginning at Tyler Ranch. In the bunkhouse, retelling the dream leads to Candy offering financial help, and a plea for future security in his old age. Quite appropriately too, George is narrating the dream in the final scene when he shoots Lennie. It is the motif of their friendship and a great consolation to Lennie.
The Dream is the engine of the plot. The Dream of actually owning a farm with chickens, rabbits and the alfalfa patch has an endearing, narrative quality suitable for itinerant workers. The Dream appeals to them both; it would close their endless drifting, it gives them hope in their work and lives, and is not too fantastic for such itinerant workers. Owning the farm is suitable as a dream. Their Heaven is good food and long rest and private space and comfort by the stove. This Dream reinforces for readers the extent of their miserable working lives. Finally, the tragedy of the ending is heightened by the fact that they never realise what just might have been possible. In their precarious lives, one stupid incident can put paid to happiness.
The Dream is a strong counterpoint to the misery of loneliness and a symbol of their exclusion from America's return to prosperity. For in fact, the Dream is quite unattainable by them. In post-Depression USA, such people had few prospects or resources. Candy's offer of help put a whole new dimension the dream, namely, that it might just be realisable. This plot development put a new pressure on them rather than energising them. Perceptive readers may here sense Steinbeck's implication that Rooseveldt's New Deal in fact bypassed such people as George and Lennie, who were a whole forgotten under-class in the thirties. The Dream then tells us a great deal about the setting, the characters and their lives.
Sharing the dream then acts as a central theme in Of Mice and Men by recurring as a motif of their companionship, as the engine of the plot, as a counterpoint to the misery of loneliness and a symbol of their exclusion from America's return to prosperity. The theme of the dream incorporates the other themes of companionship, loneliness and death. It is a powerless man's parody of the American Dream, and universalises the hope that every person born is entitled to have dreams by right of his existence. Through this device, Steinbeck crystallises yet again what it means to be human. # G. Smith 516 words
Another plan:
Points
FEELINGS AS SUFFICIENT JUSTIFICATION FOR ACTIONS
Sample student response 1999
The short novel "Of Mice and Men" is considered to be classic Steinbeck. One of the reasons for this the constant expression of the author's value of feelings and emotions as sufficient justification for actions. While this is an underlying theme, several key issues and events can be identified which highlight this quality in this Steinbeck novel. George and Lennie's dream, the mercy killings, Candy and his dog, along with Slim will all be referred to. Further examination of these key points leads to a greater understanding of this [pivotal] theme and indeed of the novel itself.
"Guys like us . . ." begins the narration of the dream which George and Lennie clutch so tightly to throughout the story. It is their goal, their motivation, their essence for continuing in an otherwise drab and boring life. To this extent, the pair's passion in this dream influences their actions and decisions. Lennie, even with his limited sense of morality, does the right thing so he can "tend the rabbits". George believes in the dream enough to save his monthly pay towards buying the farm of their dreams. These feelings and emotions are positive and lead to actions and decisions which are also positive.
Similarly, the thoughts behind the mercy killings of Candy's dog and finally Lennie appear to be positive, yet the emotions present in both situations may have clouded appropriate decision-making. Both murders can be justified within humanitarian viewpoints: Candy's dog was blind and in pain while Lennie would have been worse off had he been left to live. Yet, at the same time, each of the killings occurred at a climax of emotion. The decision to put down the dog came from peer pressure. Lennie was shot by George but only because Curley and the other workers were going to capture or kill Lennie anyway to avenge the death of Curley's wife. Essentially, a peak in emotion can lead to an action being taken which may not have been taken otherwise.
In contrast to George and Lennie's dream, the negative decisions reached by Curley and his wife can be attributed to negative feelings. Curley's hand was crushed when he picked a fight with Lennie. This was not intentionally provoked, but rather came from Curley's [aggressive] feelings towards Lennie. Similarly, Curley's wife was accidentally killed by Lennie when she allowed him [to stroke her hair beyond the bounds of propriety.] Both events resulted from inappropriate thoughts and emotions, and consequently ended with unwanted outcomes.
Steinbeck portrays Slim as a character unaffected by feelings. His decisions are based purely on his observations and his high sense of morality. Slim deduces that Lennie 'ain't mean", that he means for the best, and that his mental disability is the cause of his wrongdoing. Because of this, Slim treats Lennie with dignity, a courtesy scarcely offered by the other men who judge Lennie on their emotions. In this case, a scientific, non-emotional decision was appropriate.
Through "Of Mice and Men", Steinbeck has presented four thought-provoking situations, each revolving around feelings as justification for actions. The Dream was a positive belief which led to positive actions. Curley and his wife's negative thoughts led to negative actions. The mercy killings showed how too much emotion can cloud decision-making, while Slim's implementation of a purely scientific approach proved beneficial. In essence, Steinbeck is expressing his classic quality regarding feelings and actions: that positive feelings, unaffected by excessive emotion, lead to beneficial outcomes. #
Comment: Chris T has here used four critical instances to organise his argument that characters in Steinbeck's worlds "do what they gotta do" and their feelings in that situation usually justify their actions satisfactorily for readers.
Some what-ifs
about this novel
What if Steinbeck had included a Mrs Tyler as Curley's mother?
What if George had committed suicide at the murder of Lennie?
What if Lennie had killed Crooks?
© G. Smith May 1999, revised 9/6/99
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