In the opening chapter of John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the character Lennie Small fixates on two specific utterances. The first is a plea to George Milton, his companion, to recount their shared dream of owning a farm. The second repeated phrase concerns having rabbits, which Lennie anticipates tending on this future property.
The repetition of these statements serves multiple narrative purposes. It underscores Lennie’s intellectual limitations and his reliance on George for guidance and reassurance. More significantly, these repeated aspirations highlight the central theme of the novel: the elusive nature of the American Dream during the Great Depression. The rabbits symbolize Lennie’s simple, childlike desires and his longing for a secure and nurturing environment, a stark contrast to the harsh realities they face. The yearning for the farm represents a broader hope for stability and self-sufficiency, a hope shared by many during that era.
