Excerpt From Of Mice And Men English Literature Essay

Now candy spoke his greatest fear. “You an me can get that little place, cant we, George? You an me can go there an live nice, cant we, George? Cant we?” Before George answered, Candy dropped his head and looked down at the hay. He knew. George said softly, ” — I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed wed never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe me would.” “Then– its all off?” Candy asked sulkily. George didnt answer his question. George said, “Ill work my month an Ill take my fifty bucks an I’ll stay all night in some lousy cat house. Or I’ll set in some poolroom till ever’ body goes home. An’ then I’ll come back an’ work another month an’ I’ll have fifty bucks more.”

Does everyone get what they wish for, what they long for? Do all dreams come true? Most people know that life doesn’t work like this. The distressful misadventure that George and Lenny partake in striving to be successful backfires, and their dream is ultimately corrupted. In the novel “Of Mice and Men,” the author, John Steinbeck, uses a variety of literary techniques such as diction and detail to epitomize various characters as individuals struggles through hardships but aren’t able to live life to the fullest. In chapter 5, following the murder of Curley’s wife, George comes to the realization that he, nor Candy or Lenny will be able to achieve the same dream stated continuously throughout the novel, almost directly because of Lenny’s incompetence and impetuousness.

The first instance of hope being lost is expressed from Candy’s perspective. “Now candy spoke his greatest fear. “You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we, George? You an’ me can go there an’ live nice, can’t we George? Can’t we?”” Candy was influenced and persuaded by George to believe that they could get the place that George and Lenny always dreamed about. Steinbeck uses diction to portray the way that Candy feels about the situation and what he really believes is true. His repetitive words hint to desperation and can allude to the fact that Candy is in fear of George’s coming response. It appears that Candy half-believes that George and himself are never going to get that piece of land that George and Lenny always talk of. Candy’s desperation is an example of the fact that he doesn’t want to sacrifice his dream.

The next occurrence of hopelessness is when George responds to Candy’s frantic plea to “get that place” and “live off the fatta the lan,” as previously stated by Lenny. “George said softly, ” — I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe me would.”” Steinbeck’s tone towards the situation is dismal in a sense because the passage illuminates the truth that George never believed in the dream he continuously talked about with Curley and Lenny. It’s apparent that up to this point in the novel, George has had false hope. The reason that George was able to keep going with Lenny and believe in the dream is because Lenny would constantly implore for George to tell him about it; so much so that George began believing in the tale himself.

The last example of his dream failing is when George doesn’t answer Candy’s question that was asked “sulkily.” Steinbeck uses this word to show Candy’s lost faith. At this point, Candy now has all hope vanished of ever getting that part of land he anticipated. And George, who will not respond to his question concerning if they will get the land or not, also is certain of their fate. George said, “I’ll work my month an’ I’ll take my fifty bucks an’ I’ll stay all night in some lousy cat house. Or I’ll set in some poolroom till ever’ body goes home. An’ then I’ll come back an’ work another month an’ I’ll have fifty bucks more.” Steinbeck’s utilization of diction using words such as “lousy,” and the mentioning of undesirable locations to reside causes the reader to believe that this is not George’s dream, and it’s a life that he does not aspire for.

George’s dream was discontinued, the same happening with that of Curley’s, and Lenny was euthanized, not quite how they imagined it at the beginning. Steinbeck’s tone throughout the selected passage gives the reader a feel of sorrow for the characters. The author uses dialogue containing examples of desperation and despair from the perspectives of Candy and Lenny, and hints to the reader, without direct revelation that the characters are not going to achieve their dreams. In this excerpt of the novel, Steinbeck portrays the message that all dreams do not come true.