Romance Versus Reality Essay Example for Free

Romance Versus Reality Essay â€Å"The best laid schemes of mice and men go aft astray, and leave us naught by grief and pain for promised joy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Robert Burns). This quote means that the romantic themes in the book vanish and leave behind realistic shock. In â€Å"Of Mice and Men† by John Steinbeck, Lennie, George and Curley’s wife’s romantic dream of owning a farm is crushed by the reality of death. The dead mouse symbolizes that Lennie’s dream of taking care of rabbits will never come true. The dead puppy also proves he will never own the rabbits. Curley’s wife’s death again proves they will never get the farm because they won’t get the money she promised. Finally, Lennie’s death makes George realize the farm house dream would never come true. The mouse Lennie hides in his pocket from George, proves the point that Lennie will never take care of the rabbits. Lennie tries to convince George, the mouse was dead when he found it, â€Å"’Jus’ a dead mouse, George. I didn’ kill it. Honest! I found it. I found it dead.’† (Steinbeck 6). Lennie wants to someday take care of the rabbits on the dream farm, and if George knew he lacked self-control and accidently killed the mouse, Lennie’s dream would never come true. Although, in reality Lennie has actually killed the mouse and most likely other creatures. Overall showing, he will never gain enough responsibility and self-control to own the rabbits. Later on, Lennie is given a puppy with the purpose of showing George, that he might someday be able to someday take care of the rabbits. George wants to believe Lennie can take care of a puppy because it is bigger than a mouse. But Lennie ends up murdering the puppy and only worries that George will not allow him to take care of the rabbits. â€Å"’Maybe if I took the pup out and throwed him away George wouldn’t never know’†¦ ‘Don’t you think of nothing but rabbits?’† (Steinbeck 98). George hopes the puppy will prove that Lennie will be able to take care of the rabbits, but in reality he is let down again. Lennie destroyed his last opportunity to care for the rabbits by killing Curley’s wife. She wanted to make something out of her life, â€Å"’ I coulda make somethin’ of myself†¦maybe I will yet.’† (Steinbeck 96). Curley’s wife gave up her life savings to help buy the farm, but never her death they would never get the money. Her death foreshadows that the romance of the farm will die causing the reality that they will never own the farm. Lennie’s death shows George that the farm could have never happened. George realized he wanted the farm only because Lennie loved the idea of it. Deep down George never thought they would ever get the farm. â€Å"’I think I knowed we’d never do her. He†¦liked to hear about it†¦I got to thinking maybe we would.’† (Steinbeck 103). George only told the story to trick Lennie into following his rules. George listened to his stories of the farm, and obeyed him, because he did if he did not listen, he would not take care of the rabbits. Due to Lennie’s death, George no longer needs to dream of the farm anymore. Robert Burns explains there is conflict between reality and romanticism among the characters in the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The character of the dead mouse shows to us that Lennie is not capable of taking care of the rabbits on the dream farm. The dead puppy again shows that Lennie cannot control himself, so he will never have the rabbits. Curley’s wife’s death shows they will never purchase the farm because they never will get her promised money. Lastly, Lennie’s death makes George realize they knew they would never actually get the farm, and that he only told the story for Lennie’s entertainment.