Disillusionment of the American Dream and Loneliness in OfDisillusionment of the American Dream and Loneliness in Of Mice and Men

Abstract    Of Mice and Men is a novella spanning only three days during the Great Depression-the worst time in America. The American Dream and Loneliness are both the prominent themes in Of Mice and Men. This thesis aims to explore the connection between disillusionment of American Dream and loneliness in this novel by analyzing five main characters’ discourses especially. 51905

The American Dream and Loneliness are both the prominent themes in Of Mice and Men. This thesis aims to explore the connection between disillusionment of American Dream and loneliness in this novel by analyzing five main characters’ discourses especially. Through language, action, and symbols of which Steinbeck makes use as recurring motifs, the clues that the loneliness does harmful to American dream can be found. 

This thesis is composed of three chapters, plus the introduction. Many researches have indicated that the disillusionment of American Dream results in people’s loneliness. From another perspective, does the loneliness have the adverse effect on achieving the American Dream? However, previous studies don’t pay much attention to the effect that loneliness has on the American Dream. 

Introduction gives a brief review of different perspectives on American Dream and loneliness of previous researchers. 

Chapter one focuses on the overall presentation of the American Dream and loneliness in the novel.

Chapter two concentrates on the connection between the American Dream and loneliness through analyzing characters’ discourses. This chapter includes five parts according to five characters. Every part states and investigates one major character’s American Dream and loneliness separately and then digs deep to find the clue that the loneliness leads to the disillusionment of American Dream. 

Chapter three is the conclusion. Conclusion conveys the idea that the loneliness becomes a handicap in the road of pursuing dreams.

Keyword: Of Mice and Men; disillusionment of Ameircan Dream; Loneliness

《人鼠之间》美国梦破灭与孤独之联系

摘要美国梦和孤独主题是《人鼠之间》的两大主题。本论文旨在探索分析美国梦破灭与孤独之间的联系，研究方法主要是通过分析五位主要人物的话语。斯坦贝克运用语言，动作，象征作为表述内容的主题特色，通过分析这些，孤独对美国梦的负面影响也有所体现出来了。

本论文结构包括引言和三个章节。许多研究表明美国梦的破灭导致了人的孤独。从另一角度审视，孤独是否对追寻美国梦有反作用力呢？ 然而已有研究中对孤独对美国梦的影响并未给予充分的关注。

引言部分简述了前人对美国梦和孤独主题在书中的不同观点。

第一章着重于介绍美国梦和孤独在书中的整体表现。

第二章重点分析人物的话语将美国梦和孤独联系起来。本章在每个人物小章节中先是单独分析了美国梦和孤独，然后再将两者联系起来，发现孤独对美国梦的破灭确有影响。

第三章是结论。结论部分传达了孤独是在梦想追寻路上的一个拦路石。

毕业论文关键词：《人鼠之间》；美国梦的破灭；孤独 

Contents

INTRODUCTION 1

1. THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE LONELINESS 4

2. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THE LONELINESS IN MAIN CHARACTERS 6

2.1 GEORGE AND LENNIE 6

2.2 CANDY 8

2.3 CROOKS