The Entanglement of The American Dream and The Great Depression in Modern American Fiction: A Case Study John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Me

Abstract

The current research paper tackles Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men in a trial to investigate the presence of the Great Depression era and its effects on the loss of the American ideal of success and pursuit of happiness. The American dream characterises the American society. It has helped in the creation of the modern American society. We approached the work via the psychoanalytical analysis alongside the Marxist view. The two standpoints seek the interpretation of the inner and the outer features of the literary work which was one of the best depictions of those hard times. It is concluded with the interpretations of the characters’ voices, hopes and words. The reading of what Steinbeck wanted to be between the lines of the novella concerning social hardships and economics of the thirties years of the previous century endured by the poor and the vulnerable was the core upon which the research is centered.