The Powerless' Dreams: Finding Comfort in Of Mice and Men

    In the moment of powerlessness, have you ever found yourself longing for something to hold onto? Something strong enough to keep you going but never too pressuring to burden your already heavy mind, perhaps? Everyone has their own thing that keeps them going, whatever it may be. It may be your loved ones, your career, your hobby, your favorite artist, or anything else- whatever keeps your despair at bay.

 

Of Mice and Men (1937) by John Steinbeck

In the devastating story of Of Mice and Men, we find the two main characters, George and Lennie, living in a devastating state of powerlessness as an effect of The Great Depression. The Great Depression (1929-1933) brought misery to a lot of countries in the world. It began in the United States, spreading anguish across the nation like a forest fire. Homelessness, unemployment, poverty, hunger, and trauma haunted people as they fell asleep at night. People lost their jobs, got evicted from their own homes, lost every cent of their savings, and were forced by poverty to sleep under the night sky without the comfort of a warm home. This whole ordeal affected the powerless the most. If we say they had small power and significance to begin with, The Great Depression practically scraped it clean. Leaving them with little to no worth as a human being. Powerlessness affects everyone, it devastates and frustrates you to death. This sorrow of powerlessness is beautifully portrayed by Of Mice and Men through the two main characters, George and Lennie.

George and Lennie were not your typical ranch people: they had dreams amidst their powerlessness. But what is a mere dream when you have no power? You may argue about the meaninglessness of dreams, but George and Lennie somehow feel like a ray of warm sunshine in the middle of a tumultuous storm and thunder. Lennie’s innocence and childlike mentality give you hope with a little hint of sympathy. They might have no power compared to their boss or Curtley, but their spirit to keep going with the belief of reaching their dreams felt like power itself. Suddenly, now they don’t seem as powerless as ever before. They live their crushing life with something to look forward to. They keep talking about it among themselves, about the house and the rabbits in the backyard, in a way that is so hopeful and optimistic that it almost feels pathetic.

It felt nice and heartwarming at first when Lennie and Curtley’s wife talked to each other and she was starting to be honest and vulnerable about how she actually felt. But then the fear crept in, and once again, Lennie had gotten himself in trouble. He didn’t kill her out of cruelty, he would never, but your true intention doesn’t really matter when you're that powerless. The trouble he had caused this time was the biggest one so far, and sadly, we soon find out that it would be his last trouble as well. It’s devastating, isn't it? How George felt the need to end his best friend’s life to avoid the worse suffering he might receive if Curtley found him first instead. How George lets Lennie believe and imagine their dreams till his very last breath. It’s suffocating and frustrating to witness their story. They have faced many obstacles together to reach their dream, but we found out that Lennie’s disability ironically became their biggest obstacle.

Aren't you comforted, by the comfort of horror this story presents us with? The first time you read this story, you might find yourself dwelling on the injustice that George and Lennie have to experience. You might put the book down and find yourself unsatisfied with the ending. "It shouldn't have to be like that!" One might thought. However, the second and third time the book is read, you will start to find it comforting. It's comforting to see them being so irrationally optimistic and hopeful. They lived with what they had in such an unfortunate setting, yet they managed to become a warm ray of sunshine. You will now find yourself to be comforted by the beauty and simplicity of their dream. Thanks to George and Lennie, you are reminded of the innocence of dreaming.