Of Mice and Men Theme of Dreams, Hopes, and Plans

In Of Mice and Men, dreams, hopes, and plans are the very foundation of what makes life worth living, but they are also double-edged. The closer one comes to fulfilling a dream, the closer one comes to potentially being disappointed. In this novella, dreams, hopes, and plans are not about realistic ambitions, but about finding a way to survive the Depression, even if it’s just filling your mind with visions that may not come true. Dreams don’t escape the general unhappy futility that seems to characterize this era of American history.

1. Does the dream farm mean the same thing to Lennie as it does to George? What does it mean to each of them?
2. Once Candy announces he has the money for the ranch, the narrator declares, "This thing they had never really believed in was coming true." Is that a fair declaration? Did the guys never really believe they’d get the ranch?
3. Can dreams become actual plans, or are they aspirations that should remain untouched, so that there’s always something to reach for?
4. Do others on the farm also have dreams? Is it important to share these dreams with others, or is it more important that the dreams be kept secret?

In Of Mice and Men, all the characters need pipedreams so they don’t give up, yet everyone knows these dreams are futile.

The word "dream" is never used in the book in reference to anything like a hope or aspiration. This is because the characters never regard their hopes and ambitions as impossible things to fulfill – they see them instead as concrete and realistic plans.