The+American+Dream

The American Dream

What is the American Dream?  First used by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America  which was written in 1931 he states: "The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."

**How does it relate to "Of Mice and Men"?+**

Before George and lennie arrive at their new job at the ranch, they have a dream, which is to make enough money to live "off the fat of the land" and be their own bosses. Lennie will be permitted, then to tend the rabbits. Americans turned their hopes and faith towards the american dream, just like George and Lennie did. "well, said George, we'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin to work, and we'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof..."