... behind him."" (Fitzgerald 189). Then, John Steinbeck illustrates the impossibility of the American dream in his novel Of Mice and Men, through the lives of his central characters. Set during the Great Depression era the characters have dreams typically American of this era: ... and he realizes the harsh reality when Slim comforts him at the end. Slim says, "A guy got to sometimes- (Steinbeck 107). indicating that one has to surrender one's dreams in order to survive. Moreover, in Tennessee Williams' play "The Glass menagerie-, he exemplifies the plight of pursuing the American dream throu...

• Word Count: 2761
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School