Of Mice and Men- Human Perfectibility

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is an example of Human Perfectibility.  Human Perfectibility is one of the major beliefs during the Rationalism time period.  Human Perfectibility is a belief in social mobility, and the freedom every person has to work to change their current social position. Human Perfectibility was very important to the Rationalists thinkers because it gave everyone in the community, regardless of class, equal playing ground in which they would be able to maneuver freely between different social classes.  The Rationalists believed that a person could improve his situation of birth, economy, society, religion, which meant that every person had the opportunity to achieve greatness. This is belief is shown numerous times throughout Of Mice and Men.

Human Perfectibility is portrayed through the characters throughout the entire book.  One example of this is in the story that George constantly tells to Lennie about their future life together on their own ranch.  George tells Lennie how one day, they will have enough money to buy their own ranch, raise their own cattle and chicken, and Lennie can raise his own rabbits.  This dream the George and Lennie share show the belief that they will be able to get out of their current state working for other farmers and into a better life position in which they will have their own farm and be able to live off the land themselves.  The belief in Human Perfectibility is also shown through the acceptance of this dream by Candy.  When George and Lennie tell him about their dream and how they plan on achieving it, Candy instantly jumps on the idea and agrees to participate.  The fact that he was not hesitant to agree or thought that it was an impossible hope show that social mobility was a common occurrence during this time, and was not seen as impossible.