American Dream in Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, & Mice
American Dream in Great Gatsby, Grapes of Wrath, & Mice and Men
If anyone could portray the perfect idea of the American Dream, what would it be? Many aspects and goals must be considered before someone's life or lifestyle can be deemed a succession or failure of the American Dream. If America is seen as an Eden, or a Utopia in a character's thoughts, then one goal of this dream has been met. Chances of such thoughts are rare due to the fact that not everyone can have what they want and be happy. Individually, however, someone could feel triumph no matter how society feels together as a whole, or their thoughts about the independent character. The final aspect, possibly the most important, is finding a sense of optimism for the future. Even if the goals are not being met, as long as there is will to succeed, there is a way to succeed. There are three specific American literary works that are questionably portraying the American Dream including both Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, his Grapes of Wrath, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby.
It may seem as if Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is just a story about two lower class friends roaming the country looking for odd jobs and work for pay. Lennie and George are hoping for the best of this country, yet they don't know what lies ahead, nor do they have much confidence that the system will lead them to success. Crooks says, "I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an' they quit an' go on; an' every damn one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God damn one of 'em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Everybody wants a little piece of lan'. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It's just in their head. They're all the time talkin' about it, but it's jus' in their head" (Steinbeck, Mice 81). Lennie and George look as if they are just trying to survive in this society, and definitely do not see America as an Eden, crushing this aspect of the dream. George tries...