Hopes and dreams are important factors in the development of modern society: technology is reevaluated, theories that seemed impossible are considered, and new ideas are embraced. Dreams inspire many people who are willing to go beyond society's old standards and challenge what is normal. Even so, during the Depression, unlike today, dreams were not always welcomed and hopes were often dashed. The characters in John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men can attest to these things. However, these characters have found ways to use their hopes and dreams as forms of discipline, as a way to form strong relationships, and as an element that distinguishes the main characters from other characters. Discipline is used most often to assist in achieving goals. . Human beings are inclined to indulge in the luxuries of life rather than realize a seemingly impossible dream. George Milton and Lennie Small, two characters in Steinbeck's novel, are united as they chase the American dream. They often imagine themselves owning a farm where they work only for themselves, “'…[living] offa the fattie the lan[d]'” (Steinbeck 57). However, such a dream does not come true without hard work. George, Lennie and finally Candy, set certain goals in order to pursue their farm utopia. They must earn the money needed for the farm, plan and organize for the future to avoid bankruptcy, and find a way to buy the land before time runs out. With these goals in mind, George recognizes the need to spend his meager earnings wisely and save money. For this reason George does not indulge in the good things in life. For example, George, while fully capable, does not drink himself to death nor spend the night in a dog house... middle of paper... on a ranch of his own nor blindly live out his boring ranch hand lives, complete with drinking and spending time in cat houses. George, Lennie, and Curley's wife are cast aside due to the fact that they had or have dreams that they wanted or want to come true. Ultimately, dreams and hopes were an important component in the book Of Mice and Men because, for the characters, hopes and dreams were used as a form of discipline in achieving their goals, as a way to create lasting friendships between the characters, and , for the reader, as a way to recognize important characters. Dreams and hopes were not only important in the 1930s, but also today, in modern society. All that is left for humanity to do is take a leap of faith and go beyond what anyone else could ever imagine is possible. Works Cited Steinbeck, John. Of mice and men. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.