Optimism In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Do you see a glass as half empty, or half full? This rhetorical question has been used to separate optimists and pessimists for centuries, but, how far does it actually go? How can such a simple attribute as seeing how much water is in a glass (or not) really categorize your way of thinking? The novel “Of Mice and Men” by author John Steinbeck explores the struggles of migrant workers in the 1930’s and is laced with the themes and motifs of loneliness, friendship, hopes for a brighter future, and the impossibility of that dream. It can be argued back and forth that “Of Mice and Men” is an optimistic or pessimistic story, yet many seem to forget, the existence of the mindsets of idealism and realism. The story Of Mice and Men is neither an optimistic or pessimistic story, but one of realism. …show more content…
In chapter 1 of the novel, Lennie urges George to talk about their planned out future. This plan is mentioned multiple times throughout the book, giving it the reoccurring theme of hope. A quote about the plan reads “We’ll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hunch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work and we’ll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof.” (page 14) The strong bond between Lennie and George can easily make people believe that “Of Mice and Men” is a sweet story about friendship and overcoming roadblocks. In spite of that, this story is not based off the ideals of optimistic thinking. Perhaps for Lennie it is, but not for John