Related Prompts
They fell into a silence. They looked at one another, amazed. This thing they had never really believed in was coming true.
Chapter 3 · Narrator
4 essay prompts use this quote
Scene Analysis
In the scene where Candy overhears George and Lennie's dream and offers his life savings to join them, the private fantasy becomes a tangible possibility. Analyze how Steinbeck uses this moment to develop the theme of companionship as a defense against loneliness. Explain how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Argument for this quote:
This quote captures the pivotal transformation within the scene itself, as the narrator's use of 'amazed' and 'never really believed in' reveals how Candy's financial contribution converts George and Lennie's private fantasy into a concrete plan, demonstrating that companionship—now expanded to three—makes the impossible suddenly tangible.
Character Arc
George's attitude toward the dream farm shifts from a comforting story he tells Lennie to a genuine possibility and finally to an impossible fantasy. Analyze how Steinbeck uses this evolution to trace the rise and fall of hope in the novel. Explain how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Argument for this quote:
At the turning point when Candy offers his money, this quote captures the moment George's attitude shifts to genuine possibility, as the narrator's observation that 'they had never really believed in' the dream emphasizes the transformation from ritual story to tangible hope.
Symbol/Motif
The dream farm functions as a powerful symbol that evolves in meaning throughout the novel. Analyze how Steinbeck uses this symbol to explore the tension between the American Dream and the reality of economic powerlessness during the Depression. Explain how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Argument for this quote:
At the narrative's midpoint when Candy offers his money, the dream farm briefly transforms from fantasy into tangible possibility ('This thing they had never really believed in was coming true'), marking the symbol's evolution from mere escapist comfort to an achievable goal that momentarily bridges the gap between dream and reality.
Scene Analysis
When Candy discovers Curley's Wife's body in the barn, he immediately recognizes that the dream farm is lost forever. Analyze how Steinbeck uses Candy's reaction in this scene to emphasize the fragility of hope in a world governed by harsh economic and social realities. Explain how it contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
Argument for this quote:
This quote from earlier in the novel, when Candy first joins the dream, establishes the baseline of fragile belief ('never really believed') that makes the barn scene's collapse inevitable—the contrast between this moment of 'amazed' hope and Candy's later devastation emphasizes how quickly economic and social forces can destroy even tentative dreams.