Critical analysis on the novel Of Mice and Men Essay

Critical analysis on the novel Of Mice and Men - Essay Example In the 18th and 19th centuries, the frontier of the United States of America was expanded westwards as European immigrants swarmed to the ports of the eastern seaboard. Many of these immigrants were members of persecuted minorities, such as Russian Jews escaping the 19th-century pogroms, or Irish Catholics fleeing the poverty and discrimination of British imperial rule. They were attracted by dreams of a better life, and regardless of whether or not they achieved this life in reality, Steinbeck’s characters still dream of a better life, even in the depths of the 1930s Great Depression. George and Lennie, as Stephen emphasises, dream of owning a small farm which they can work themselves – surely a dream shared by thousands of rootless young men during that era of mass unemployment and economic uncertainty. (Stephen 37). Their dream is introduced towards the beginning of the novel. It is recited by George to comfort Lennie, although it is clear that the recitation offers comfort to them both. George states that ‘we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an’ a cow and some pigs...’, and Lennie that they’ll ‘live off the fatta the lan’’ (Steinbeck 16). Their dream of independence strengthens them both, and even attracts Candy and Crooks for a time. For Attell, this dream ‘responds directly to the limitations placed on their lives’. As nomadic labourers, they lack independence and security. They are dependent on odd jobs on the ranches they come across, which are highly seasonal and temporary. Living from hand to mouth in this way, and in rough accommodation shared with other workers, their dream involves a permanent residence, where they must work for no one but themselves to earn their keep. The itinerant and uncertain nature of George and Lennie’s lifestyle is thus emphasised from the beginning, and Attell justifiably sees their portrayal as Steinbeck’s critique of