Dreams in of Mice and Men

Most of the characters in Of Mice and Men have a dream and the fact that none of their dreams are achieved is a major theme of the novel. The novels title is the first indication of this “The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” This phrase implies that no matter who you are, and no matter how well you plan something and want that thing to happen and work, there will always be something that will get in your way and make it difficult for your dream to come true. The phrase is taken from the poem by Robert Burns. Steinbeck wanted to show pity for people in early 20th Century America, whose plans were ruined by an inconvenient and unkind fate as Robert Burns felt pity for the mouse in his poem.

The main characters, George and Lennie share an unusual friendship and a strong bond formed by a common dream. “OK. Someday – we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs and… ‘An live off the fatta the lan,’ Lennie shouted” This shows us that George and Lennie’s dream is to have a home where they can live peacefully and enjoy each others company,   which is something many men like them in America do not have. However the way this is described to us makes the dream seem distant and unrealistic, much like something out of a fairy tale.” “Guys like us who work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world… “With us it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us…” “Lennie broke in “But not us! An why? Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you and that’s why!” This shows us that the most important part of their dream is that George and Lennie can stay together for the rest of their lives and escape the loneliness of the life of the rancher. The life of the rancher is a long and difficult one but George and Lennie’s dream keeps them happy, gives them hope in a hopeless life, and helps them to forget what lies behind or ahead...