Home » Comparing Dreams in Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun

Comparing Dreams in Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun

In the novels Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and the novel Out of the dust by Karen Hesse, dreams are viewed in different perspectives. John Stenbeck is telling you to strive for your goals and to work towards them because your dreams can get deferred and destroyed. When the opinion of Hansberry is implying that dreams can come true if you try hard, even if you’re going through tough times. Karen Hesse is reiterating that you should not let anything interfere with accomplishing your goals.

Dreams deferred usually end up being diminished from existence. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck the characters dreams, which are put on, hold all get destroyed. Lennie’s dream was to live on the land in which he owned and to tend the rabbits (pg. 14). He finally was almost about to achieve his dream in a month but after working in a ranch for a few days he killed Curly’s wife by accident (pg. 94) so he dies and also loses all his dreams so his dreams are pessimistic.

Also with Lennie’s dream being destroyed also George’s dream was which was also to live on a ranch so (pg. . This happens because he can’t make his dream reality without Lennie showing pessimistic out view on dreams. Dreams only can bring you so far it all depends on what your destiny is. This is because even though Lennie and George’s dreams were crushed even though they tried there hardest to reach them also Candy, Crooks and Curly’s wife dreams were ruined too. Candy didn’t have anything so he wanted grow old on the ranch with George and Lennie (pg59-60) but then Lennie kills Curly’s Wife and his dream dies (pg. 94).

Candy’s dreams end in a pessimistic outlook because all he wanted got destroyed leaving him with nothing. Crooks dream was to be respected and not looked at for his color and wanted to live on the ranch with Curly Lennie and George (pg. 64). Even though he wanted this he noticed by what Curly’s wife said to him that his dream will never be achieved, so he changes his mind (pg. 83) making none of his dreams become reality. Curly’s wife also had a dream to be a star (pg. 88) but after marrying Curly her dream ended up to be deferred for a while.

Then she died (pg. ) losing her dreams ever becoming a star someday. Steinbeck has a pessimistic out view on dreams and is reiterating that dreams are only an idea, which is nice to think of but far from reality. Even though Steinbeck has a pessimistic out view on dreams other people can have a more optimistic outlook. In the play Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, dreams aren’t optimistic but aren’t pessimistic because some of the dreams become reality and some don’t. Walter Lee’s dream was to own a liquor store by using the money the insurance company gave to the family because of Walter Sr. death (pg. 70).

Even though Walter wasn’t suppose to use the money for the liquor store he did and lost all the money and Beneatha’s money for medical school (128-129). The dreams were put in a pessimistic outlook because even though they were so close in achieving there dreams they don’t happen. In addition Ruth wanted to have her child and not to have an abortion (pg. 58) and wanted to move in to a bigger house to have her child (pg. 93-94). Her dream did come true and was able to move and to have her child (pg. 148) making her dreams become reality. Also Mama’s dream happened which was to move and the dream to give her children a better life (pg. -45).

This showed an optimistic view on dreams even though some dreams prevail some have to get deferred for a while longer. Other characters in the play A Raisin in the Sun had dreams like Asagi and George. Asagi wanted to marry Beneatha and to help her find who she was (pg. 62-63) and his nation of Nigeria to become independent. Even though when the play ends it doesn’t say if he marries Beneatha, it does say he will be going back to his native country showing a more optimistic outlook on what will happen to Asagi’s dreams. George’s dream of marrying Beneatha (pg. ) isn’t as optimistic as Asagi because the dream is destroyed by Beneatha not wanting to marry him (pg. 97). Hansberry’s outlooks on dream aren’t as pessimistic as Of Mice and Men but aren’t as optimistic as the novel Out of the Dust.

In the novel Out of The Dust, after many unfortunate times the characters in the novel still try they’re hardest for their dreams to become reality. Billie Jo dream is to play her piano and travel by doing so (pg. 15) but after the accident, her hands get destroyed making her unable to play the piano but she tried to play the piano again and her hands started to heal (pg. 7) making her dream not being looked at in a negative way but optimistically because now someday she might become very good again.

Billie Jo’s Dad dreams were to have a son (pg. 34) and his crops to grow but nothing did (pg. 34). Even though this old dreams died of having a son with his old wife because she died, his new dream becomes reality which was to have someone to grow old with to help his dreams become reality also now maybe with Louise he can have a son(pg 158) and he also found out how to do crop rotation (pg. 226) so now his crops were starting to grow again making his dreams end optimistically.

Billie Jo’s Mother also had dreams to have a son (pg. 69) and to have a successful farm (pg. 40) but then she died and her dreams does as well (pg. 70). Hesse is telling you to have an optimistic out look on dreams because even though some dreams have to be alter some dreams come true. In Out of The Dust other characters also had dreams they wanted to fulfill. Mad Dog wanted to become a music performer (pg 132). His dream happened when he go to sing on the radio (pg. 182) so his dream ends optimistically. Louise dream is to be part of Billie Jo’s family without replacing Billie Jo’s mother (pg. 4) and it becomes reality .

Hesse out look on dreams in this novel is some dreams happen and some dreams do. Her book is more optimistic then Of Mice and Men and A Raisin in the Sun. Dreams deferred sometimes happen and sometimes don’t. During the novel Of Mice and Men all the characters dreams are destroyed. While in the play A Raisin in the Sun sometimes dreams occur and some dreams don’t. Then in Out of The Dust most of the characters dreams do occur or get altered because of problems, which happened. Dreams sometimes are meant to be to become reality and some times aren’t.

Cite This Work

To export a reference to this essay please select a referencing style below:

Reference Copied to Clipboard.
Reference Copied to Clipboard.
Reference Copied to Clipboard.
Reference Copied to Clipboard.