In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, two characters with polar personalities who are bonded through fate come close to realizing their dreams but fall just short. One of them is Lennie, a man who is physically powerful but mentally debilitated. George, on the other hand, is nowhere near as strong as Lennie but is much more intelligent. Together, they cover each other’s misgivings and strive toward their dream: purchasing their own piece of land instead of working for people who do. This heart wrenching story displays themes of friendship, picking on the weak, and dreams.

            The theme of friendship is recurrent throughout the story. The most prominent example is the friendship between Lennie and George. Even though Lennie constantly causes trouble, cannot make good decisions for himself, and is overconsumed by his dream to take care of rabbits, George still stays with him. Although this may be because Lennie is physically powerful so thus can work proficiently on a ranch, the losses outweigh the benefits. George says time and time again that if he had not stuck with Lennie, he would have had a better life. However, as shown in the beginning of the story, when Lennie threatens to leave George, George pleads him to stay. George’s steadfast friendship is also exhibited at the end of the story, where George shoots Lennie in the neck, instantly killing him. Lennie had just accidentally killed the mistress of the ranch and had run away to a hiding spot. To spare Lennie the fate of being killed by the mob that has come to hunt him and knowing that they cannot escape anymore, George finishes off Lennie himself as a final act of mercy. These acts all display how powerful the bond of friendship between George and Lennie is. If Steinbeck displays the good side of human nature through the theme of friendship, then he displays the rotten side through the theme of how everyone finds someone weaker than them.

            Another recurring theme throughout the book is abuse of the weak. Everyone in the story has someone that they look down upon because of their own misgivings. One example of such a person is Curley’s wife. Even though she is beautiful, she married someone she came to strongly dislike. Because of this, she constantly avoids her husband and tries to speak with the other men working on the ranch. However, the workers on the ranch see her as a dangerous tramp, resulting in her being looked down upon and avoided. To hide her own insecurities, Curley’s wife blatantly attacks the flaws of others. This is displayed through her treatment of Crook, whom she threatens due to his status as a black man. Crook, himself, also bullies others despite his racial status. When Lennie seeks him for company, Crook heightens Lennie’s sense of insecurity by whispering the possibility of George abandoning Lennie. Lennie is highly dependent on George and abandons his gentle personality and nearly attacks Crook when presented this possibility. Through these characters, Steinbeck beautifully captures the natural human tendency of finding the weaknesses in others. In a way, finding someone weaker than you and knowing that you aren’t the worst helps motivate people to achieve their dreams.

            The idea that everyone has dreams that are often unachievable is also a theme in Of Mice and Men. Throughout the narrative, George and Lennie often discuss their desires to own their own plot of land and not work for others. However, George is frequently reluctant to vocally state this dream, possibly because he knows how impossible it sounds though Lennie full-heartedly believes in it. The people to whom they share  their aspiration also see it as a futile goal, but it is clear that a part of these people want to believe in this dream too. For example, when Crook hears about this ambition, he immediately told Lennie he is a fool, but still could not help asking if Lennie and George could hire him if they ever achieve it. In the middle of the story, this dream also seems to be within their grasps when Candy offers them the money he had received for losing his hand in return for a job on their future land after hearing them speak about it. However, this fantasy ultimately shatters when Lennie commits the crime of killing Curley’s wife, closing all future possibilities of earning the rest of the money required to buy a farm. Thus, Steinbeck highlights the idea that dreams may keep one going in life, but most are unachievable for the common man.

            The themes in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck show the power of friendship, the desire to pick on the weak, and the importance of unachievable dreams. A true friend will always be by your side and consider what’s best for you. However, people will always try to find weaknesses in each other to feel better about themselves. Each person also has a dream that is unattainable but is still believed in despite its impossibility.