Hopes And Dreams In Of Mice And Men Essay, Research Paper

There are two major hopes that the characters in Of Mice and Men, for the most part, have in common. The most apparent is the wish for security. Everyone in this book is searching for a place where they could stay without fear of being fired kicked off.George and Lennie talk constantly about their dream of owning a small plot of land where Lennie could tend the rabbits. Candy is very vulnerable because he knows that if he doesn t leave he will soon be let go. So in an attempt for security he asks George if he can join them in their quest to own a piece of land and live off it. Candy is obviously desperate because people then did not travel together, and those that did grew up together. The other necessity that all characters share is the need for companionship. No one wants to be lonely. George and Lennie would truly be lonely if they did not have each other. They consider each other family, even though they are so different. To George, Lennie is like a pet or a little brother, because George turns to him for friendship and someone to talk to. George s frequently shares his philosophy about guys that work on ranches. “Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.” He means that, if not for each other, they would be all alone.

Curly s wife is lonely because of someone else, Curly. Everybody is afraid to talk to her because Curly is extremely jealous and would start a fight. She is always flirting with the workers, because she does not like Curly and is looking for companionship. She even talks to Crooks, Candy and Lennie in the barn, when nobody else would. Then, when she spots Lennie in the barn alone, she tries to get him to listen to her, even when he does not want to talk.. Candy also has his one friend in the world, his dog, which he cannot even talk to. However, when his dog dies, he has to look elsewhere for friendship. He hopes that these friends can be George and Lennie. Crooks is isolated by his skin color. This makes him the loneliest of all. Because of his skin color, he cannot be around other people. Since nobody is ever talking to him, he must turn to his books to not become lonely. Books soon become boring, and he is lonely again. He is eager for company, even though he does not show it. When Crooks was talking to Lennie, he comments on George and Lennie s dream to own a farm. “An never a God damn one of em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever body wants a little piece of lan . It s just in their head.”