The American Dream in John Steinbeck’s of Mice and Men

Before breaking out as a novelist, John Steinbeck supported himself as a ranch-hand and farm laborer in California, where he witnessed the poverty and conditions that workers toiled under in the fields. Drawing inspiration from his experiences, Steinbeck went on to pen Of Mice and Men, a tale of two field workers determined to survive the brutal conditions of their lot in hopes of owning their own farm. Since its publication, Of Mice and Men has become a critical text in the American canon of fiction for its ability to critically examine the American dream and American reality. This book offers an in-depth examination of the John Steinbeck’s interpretation of the American Dream, as well as contemporary perspectives on this issue. Discussions include the dangerous and addictive side of seeking personal wealth, immigration and the American Dream, and whether what constitutes the American Dream has changed over time.