Great Depression In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Words: 690
Pages: 3
Open Document
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men expresses the hardships that the American population faced during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Great Depression was the longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western world. Of Mice and Men expresses the idea of dreams. The main characters, George and Lennie, as well as Crooks and Curley’s wife are examples of people who had dreams that never came true. This was the case for many Americans during the Great Depression. A thorough analysis of the novel concludes that in times of adversity, dreams were the only thing people had to comfort themselves even though those hopes coming true are impossible.
Crooks is a lonely black man living on the ranch. His dream is to be a …show more content…
The paradise-like qualities of the farm start to show when it is described by George. They dreamed they could have all the food they ever want and need, “We could live offa the fatta the lan” (57). When George talked about the farm, he described it was well as reminisced about the events from his childhood, “An’ we’d keep a few pigeons to go flyin’ around the win’mill like they done when I was a kid” (57). Both characters’ dreams were unrealistic because they were migrant workers and George ended up killing Lennie. but all they could do was to yearn for a better future. Most migrant workers had no family or home and always had to work under the control of their boss. So, having power over what they wanted to do in their lives was a strong motivation for them.
In conclusion, Of Mice and Men is a story about dreams and how some of them are, in fact, impossible. Crooks could not be noticed or be a part of something because of his skin color. Curley’s wife’s dream was not able to transpire because she is a woman and was not able to be noticed by many people. George and Lennie’s dream did not come true because they were migrant workers who were always on the move. The dreams of the characters in Of Mice and Men gave them the hope that they needed to continue in such a harsh time
Show More

Related Documents: Great Depression In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The Great Depression In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck took place in a small working ranch in the Salinas Valley of northern California, sometime in the early 1900’s. The longer background to the novels setting is The Great Depression, originated in the U.S. and was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. Many people, especially men, lost their jobs due to personal income, tax revenue, profits, and prices that dropped. This affected the rich and the poor. In Mice and Men there…

Words 1085 - Pages 5

Comparing The Great Depression In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The Great Depression. The decade of the 1930’s saw Americans in bread lines and struggling for everyday sustenance. The concepts of Social Darwinism were never more apparent. The rich and powerful preying on the poor and weak had become an accepted way of life for many in America at this time. This ugly time in American history has been the setting of many novels and movies that dig into and expound on the everyday relationships of people caught up in the struggle that was The Great Depression. In…

Words 340 - Pages 2

Essay on Dependence on Others During the Great Depression

Others The Great Depression is, without a doubt, one of the most difficult times in American history. Over one-fourth of the nation’s workforce was unemployed. During this time, more people than ever were dependent on others for survival. This economic miserable time lasted for approximately ten years. The struggles of the Great Depression are demonstrated in Edgar Harburg’s poem “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” as well as President Roosevelt’s “Inaugural Address of the President,” and John Steinbeck’s…

Words 619 - Pages 3

American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, is a novella regards to the times of the Great Depression. It implies the life of men and women and their ambitions. Major thematic topics open as the novella’s plot unlocks, topics such as: nature of dreams, barriers, the powerless vs. the powerful, and the loss of paradise. Steinbeck reveals the determination of the main characters, George and Lennie, who wants to possess a ranch. However, they are not awakened to the obstacles that stand in the way. Lennie, the…

Words 673 - Pages 3

John Steinbeck Of Mice And Men

for their stories. John Ernst Steinbeck was one of the greatest writers of his time. In 1962 he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Not only has his books been made into movies, they have also become classics and added to school reading lists. John Ernst Steinbeck Jr. was born February 27, 1902 to John and Olive Steinbeck in Salinas, California. John has two older sisters and one younger sister. John’s father was a businessman and his mother, a former teacher, shared Steinbeck’s interest of reading…

Words 930 - Pages 4

Comparing The Banning Of John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck once said, “I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind”. Throughout the novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck displays many reasons as to why the novella should not be banned. Although the novella has been banned in a number of school districts in the world because of profanity used by characters and the inclusion of…

Words 883 - Pages 4

The Crucible and the Mice of Men Essay

The Crucible and Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, and Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, both have similarities and differences that appear through the history of the United States, prejudice, and also through the themes. Of Mice and Men and The Crucible, share the similarity of teaching the history of the United States throughout the pieces. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the reader will be able to learn the history of the United States through the writing style of…

Words 2076 - Pages 9

The Great Depression Literary Analysis Essay

John Mulkerin Period 3 ADV English 8 April 2, 2024 Literary Analysis The Great Depression was an ugly thing that ruined the country for 12 grueling years. This event was the worst downturn in the United States economy ever. The stock market lost 90% of its value, over 11,000 bank accounts failed, and the average income of a family dropped 40%. These events led to extreme isolation and separation from society, nothing was in unison anymore and the country was in shambles. These difficult times led…

Words 1041 - Pages 5

The Role Of Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a classic that takes place in Soledad, California in the Great Depression. During this time, the American economy had become languished from the inflation of the Dollar and other events. This in turned caused work to be hard to find, and numerous amounts of people ended up working in small ranches doing menial tasks, including most the main characters. However, along with economic issues, discrimination was also conventional practice during those times. In the…

Words 642 - Pages 3

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

In the book, Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck during 1930s, the theme of book is the American Dream. The American Dream is the opportunity to achieve prosperity through hard work. The main characters are George Milton and Lennie Small, their American Dream is to own their own farm, but does not go as planned. In the book, Steinbeck’s message regarding the American Dream is, even if you may work really hard sometimes the dream will not come true. In the book Steinbeck to says, "I seen hundreds…

Words 513 - Pages 3