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Common Ground In many of John Steinbeck's works there are themes and elements that parallel his other works. Steinbeck often tackles the result of peoples bad fortune and the realization that their dreams have been destroyed. Woman see that in his Pulitzer Prize winning The Grapes of Wrath and his critically acclaimed novel Of mice and Men Steinbeck shows us the results of people having their dreams destroyed. Steinbeck shows us that in his work hives different characters similar goals and aspirations and has them destroyed in similar ways.
In both of the above mentioned books key characters have their dreams destroyed. Steinbeck often created characters possessing lofty goals; lofty goals in a world of despair and corruption. His characters did not have dream of tangible luxuries, but a dream of corporal well being and refuge with loved ones (Thomas 238). In Of Mice and Men, Lennie and George travel to California in order to find work. Once they salvage up enough money, Lennie and George plan on being independent and not worrying about the outside world and its enigmas. George stated Someday were gonna get all the jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an act and some pigs. (Roberts, 187).
Georges dream ran deeper than a lover farming and independence. The motivation for this dream was not just a product of the poor state of the country and widespread unemployment, but it was a dream that could ensure a happy ending for Lennie. George is anxious to secure his own place so that Lennie can live the type of life where can be happy and not be hurt by people who do not understand his simple ways. George would run the farm; Lennie would tend the rabbits. This was Lennies dream, to tend the rabbits. He could think of nothing else more enjoyable than tending the rabbits.
Lennie's dram is to have all the rabbits that human take care of, and his attempts to do the right thing are motivated by his fear that George wont let him take care of the rabbits. (Tedlock 243). In The Grapes of Wrath the Joads family also dreams of moving out west. They do this incomes of escaping the direful situation in Oklahoma. Gonna buy a card shove out west where its easy living. (Steinbeck 57). The Joads like Lennie and George plan on saving up enough money for their own plot of land. Once this task is accomplished they hope to live a self-sufficient life andrew on one another.
They believe that once in California they will find life easier and find all they need in surplus. Jus let me get out to California where I can pick me an orange when I want it. Or grapes, theres a thing I aint never had enough of. Gonna get me a whole bunch of grapes off a bush, or whatever, an Im gonna squash em on my face an let em run off my chin. (Steinbeck 105). There is clearly a parallel between the themes of these two books. Asboth works have the same basis for the characters dreams.
How the dreammwas destroyed George and Lennie never had their dreams come true. When they arrived at the homestead for work; George and Lennie at once felt hostility from the ranch owners son Curley. Curley was a sinister short-tempered man possessing little physical stature. From Curleysfirst encounter with Lennie, Curley was looking for an excuse to fight the simple-minded Lennie. Curley develops a hatred for the bigger man which will be expressed in his desire to mutilate Lennie in the final scene. (Mail 4296) Lennie ended up killing Curley's wife.
This was not a malicious act however. It was an accident that had an unfortunate consequence. Lennie's greatest difficulty is remembering. While he never plans to do anything wrong, he simply cannot remember what is wrong and what is not. (Mail 89).
That consequence being the death of Curley's wife, and that Curleyordered the men to kill Lennie. The workers assembled and took up arms. George knew that the men were not out to right a wrong, but out to seek vengeance. George decided that he must kill Lennie.
George knew tha this was the only solution that would spare Lennie the misery that would be inflicted on him by Curley and his men. Like George and Lennie the Joadsnever saw their dreams materialize. They to were victims of the greed otis time period. The people of the west were averse to change.
They were afraid of the migrants because of their different life styles. Sure they talk the same language, but they aint the same. Look how they live. Think any of us would live like that? Hell no! (Steinbeck 302).
The Joads soon learned thatthe people of the west actually hated the Oasis. A man returning back tothe Midwest from California told of the troubles to be found ahead. People gonna have a look in their eye. They gonna look at you an their face says, I dont like you, you son-of-a-bitch.
Gonna be deputy sheriffs an theyll push you about. You camp on the roadside an theyll move you on. You gonna see in peoples faces how they hate you. (Steinbeck 306). As the Joads arrive into California they see that their dreams will go unanswered. The land looked beautiful but the circumstances would not allow for prosperity. Looking into the valley the Joads regret that theirs cannot be the tranquil life that promises. (Tedlock 40).
The dreams of George of and Lennie were destroyed as a result of apathy. Throughout this novel we can see how Steinbeck characters have atoll lack of interest in others well being. In the first chapter thus driver drops George and Lennie off miles from their destination. The driver did this just to spare himself a few minutes of work. The dream was not destroyed due to killing of Curley's wife at the hands of Lennie. But as a results Curley's lack of empathy.
If Curley were more understanding and considerate of Lennie's condition the dream may have grown and bloomed into reality. However given the circumstances George had no choice but to sacrifice hand Lennie's dream so that Lennie would not suffer at the hands of Curley. George decided that the only solution was to kill Lennie. The Joads aloha their dreams destroyed at the hands of apathetic people.
The Joads were treated and looked at by the ranch owners like a team of oxen. They were expected to work long and hard hours for insulting wages. The authorities didnt have any concern for the poor who were being taken advantage of. Children were not even spared from the work and, like their parents went hungry. The kids yo ought to see them. Little boils, like comin out, an they cant run around.
Give em some windfall fruit, an they bloated up. (Steinbeck 363). They turned their heads away from the atrocities that were taking place in front of them, and bowed their heads to the almighty dollar. The migrants had no choice if they wanted to work. If they refused the wages somebody else would be glad to take the job. Suppose you got a job artwork, an there s jus one fella wants the job. You got to pay him what ast's.
But suppose them men got kids, an them kids is hungry. Some adi mell buy a box of mush for them. An you got a hundred men, jus offer em a nickel. Why, they ll kill each other fighting for that nickel. (Steinbeck 324). It was a rat race. The only way to get ahead in the world portrayed by Steinbeck was to turn your back on your fellow man.
In these to works of Steinbeck the plight of the migrants is examined. Often its the wealth of the landowners pitted against the poor. In both works this wealth has molded the authorities into cold heartless men. These greedy individuals destroy the dreams of the migrants. The villainous characters he portrayed only had a sense of present pleasure. They had no concern forthe fact that at the present moment a child had no life or food.
The lower class had no way of getting ahead. Steinbeck's characters never had their dreams materialize into achieved goals. This was true in both of Steinbecksabove mentioned works. George and Lennie's followed their dream only to have intern into a nightmare. The Joads journey led them from the barrenandsterile land, to the green, fertile yet poisonous land. In the end dreams turned out to be just that, dreams, nothing more.
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