American DreamsOf Mice and Men is a powerful depiction of life in rural California during the Great Depression. It captures the essence of the Depression through the isolated and fleeting experiences of the itinerant worker (McNeill). John Steinbeck worked with migrant workers during his teenage years; he noted that their dark and dispiriting existences revealed a relentless cynicism that stemmed from a lack of realistic hopes and authentic perspectives (McArthur). Steinbeck demonstrates the importance of dreams in Of Mice and Men as essential foundations of motivation and purpose; projects of hopeful conviction despite misery and deprivation clarify the fundamental difference between man and beast (Lisca). Of Mice and Men is a reflection of a time when the most modest dreams were fraught with limitations and obstacles for the working class; for the destitute, the elderly, and the disabled, the American dream was a futile idealistic endeavor (Tomkins). John Steinbeck was an American writer born in Salinas, California, not far from the setting of the story. His father operated a flour mill and was county treasurer; his mother was a teacher (Bloom). The family was dedicated to education; reading and books were essential to family life. Steinbeck's early papers were often rejected; he pursued his vocation with tireless tenacity (Swisher). Steinbeck's technique is frank and direct; the third-person point of view produces a feeling of impartiality. The story is an earthy and unapologetic interpretation of life; he does not omit the harsh deprivations that defined the era. The speech is direct and clear; the framework is simple; a powerful metaphor that sums up the story. The story opens on the banks of a river; a bucoli...... middle of paper ......ation and destitution are the results of social immobility; the result is discontent and instability. He demonstrates that dreams are caricatures of reality; they are shadows of sincere substance, inexact measures of truth; they are colossal or truncated; Either way, these are false and misleading ideas about veracity. The traditional American dream does not emphasize reality; it accentuates possibilities and potential. George transcends his status through his sacrifice, redefining his worth as poignant and noble in nature; he does not understand it, cannot comprehend it, and will relegate himself to the path of the common man because he does not know any better. This is how the American Dream captures what is a hopeful fantasy as a foil for what is real. It is both tragic and auspicious; a true interpretation of the true American. Dream.