Two different books but almost the identical ideas about the American Dream. The two books are: “Raisin in the Sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry and “Of Mice and Men” written by John Steinbeck. Both of these novels explore the idea of the American Dream and how each work articulates in people’s access to it. First of all, what is the “American Dream”? Everyone has a different version of the American Dream, for some it’s the freedom to practice their religion without fear, for some it’s financial success, to the others it means freedom of expression. Both of the novel's start at the bottom to try to get to a higher status a way of showing the American Dream. The characters in both books go through hard times and obstacles in order to achieve their big dream. Finally, what do these books say about the American Dream?
The characters in both of the books start from the bottom. In another words they were at a bad situation to start with. George, one of the main characters in OM&M, says, “I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail.” He says that to Lennie who has caused trouble many times and because of him they have had to start from the beginning every time. Whenever George goes out to look for a job, Lennie makes him look a little less “civilized” because of his disability. The narrator in “Raisin in the Sun” says, “...they have clearly had to accommodate the living of too many people for too many years, and they are tired.” The two youngers families share a small apartment in Southside Chicago which is considered not a good position. Travis asks for some money from Walter and when he gives money to Travis, Ruth and Walter start arguing about the money that was given to Travis. The American Dream can be dreamed of if you’ve been in bad situations. You can’t dream of heaven unless you’ve been in hell. I think both of the books are trying to say that we have to start at the bottom in order to even want an American Dream.
In both of the novels, the characters are trying to have a better life but go through obstacles. You can’t achieve your dream without any obstacles. It’s never a straight road towards your dream, there will be bumps that you have to pass in order to live that perfect life. Walter in “Raisin in the Sun” says, “ Hell yes, I want some yachts some day! Yes, I want to hang some real pearls around my wife’s neck.” His American dream is being financially successful. But his partner trades him and Mr. Linder comes and says that they are not wanted in Clybourne Park, which is their desired living house. In OM&M, George says, “ Name it all, and when the end month come, I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want.” His version of the American Dream is to do whatever he wants and be financially successful as well. But in the way of doing that, Lennie interferes and messes up the whole thing by accidentally killing Curley’s wife. This cause many problems that George has to deal with and kills Lennie, his bestfriend, to end it all. Both books are saying there will be obstacles towards the “American Dream” and it’s not gonna be easy.
The two books say different things about the American Dream. Raisin in the sun says that even though American Dream won’t be as you wished, you still have to take it and stay together as a whole and stay strong. They lose most of their money, Walter says, “Yessss! All of it… It’s all gone…” But they decide to still move in the Clybourne Park even though all of the people around them don’t want them to move into a white neighborhood. This racism also shows that some people have a lot more disadvantages and advantages to reach their dream. If the Youngers were white, they might’ve had more support around them and less obstacles. Of Mice and Men says otherwise because the dream basically dies. George ends up killing Lennie which was his best friend from the beginning. Lennie says, “I’ve known George since -- I forget when -- and he ain’t never raised his han’ to me with a stick.” This quote shows that George is a good person and is not a type of person to hurt anybody. Killing Lennie would be wrong because it would be going against who he is inside. This would leave a deep scar in his soul and he would never be the same. They both have wished of owning a land together. But since Lennie is gone, the dream will not be the same or the way he wanted it. OM&M is trying to say that the American Dream is sometimes impossible and that we have to take certain actions that will fix our current situation and that we have to live through it and accept it.
In the end, the two books are both heading for the American Dream and the characters don’t get the American Dream they expected. They didn’t get the “perfect American Dream” because going through the road to their dream, they hit big bumps, and it was up to them whether to just stop or keep on going and believing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Some people have more advantages than others and are more likely to achieve their dream more than others based on many things such as race, or the place they start. Like Rocky Balboa said, “It ain’t about how hard ya hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.”
To me, starting the American dream at the bottom will always end in a fiasco. People must understand that the American dream is not for everybody; the man who has nothing cannot dream but rather is a realist. The person who has nothing always thinks about where his next meal is coming from and has little or no time to think or even better dream. Leisure they say is the mother of invention. The person starting from the bottom has no time for leisure in order to invent and bring out products or services that will lunch them into success. The person who starts from the scratch will rather spend all his time to do menial jobs to earn some money to take care of bills and etc. The American dream is premised on freedom to own property, to be free, freedom of religion and to have a family. However, not all men are free.