The American Dream

Question 1

Steinbeck’s Purpose

Answer 1

• purposely made their dreams simply that and makes them progress no further
• Steinbeck knew the unlikeliness of each happening but conveys to the reader how many times they were compelled further
• seems to be saying that you can’t build a nation on these men (we’re inclined to agree)

Question 2

George and Lennie

Answer 2

own a little patch of land and live on it in freedom
“For two bits i’d shove out of here”
heading out west to pan for gold
“An live off fatta the lan”
dreams to save up money, buy land and live on their own (Candy wants to share this dream)
“An have rabbits”
-Lennie’s main ambition/personal dream
-fixation with the rabbits
“got no family. they don’t belong no place”
their reality is the opposite of their dream
“we’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens”
in real life they have no control and do whatever they’re told so they yearn for a life of independence and being self-reliant
“i seen hundreds of men come by…that same damn thing in their head” (Crooks)
-he’s seen so many men coming and going but none accomplished their dream, Crooks believes that they’re just another pair of workers daydreaming

Question 3

Candy

Answer 3

"maybe if i gave you guys some money"
-wants to be a part of it too 
-makes the dream more possible 
-offers all his savings 
"S'pose i went in with you guys"
excited and wants to make it a reality fast
"I ain't much good but..."
can't do much so he volunteers to do anything he can

Question 4

Crooks

Answer 4

-wants to be seen as an equal to everybody else
-idealistic but unachievable
“The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice.”
-longs for a similar relationship with white people again
-he remembers his childhood fondly when he played with white children
“this is just a nigger talkin’ so it don’t mean nothin’”
bitter towards the other workers because of his treatment
“nobody never get’s to heaven and nobody gets no land”
-George and Lennie aren’t the first to have this dream and won’t be the first to not achieve it
“want a hand to work for noting - just his keed why’d come lend a hand
-not to own land but be accepted again (not a slave)

Question 5

Curley

Answer 5

“stepped gingerly close to him” [Lennie]

• doesn’t seem to have a dream except fight/bully others
• former boxer

Question 6

Curley’s Wife

Answer 6

“gonna put me in the movies”
stereotypical small town girl dreaming of making it big
“I coulda made something of myself she says darkly”
-fairly new dream of becoming a movie star
-the use of the word show her feelings to her lost opportunity