"Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.

In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, many references are made to the struggle to achieve an impossible goal. Almost every character confesses their desire to lead a different life. George, Lennie, Candy, Curley's wife, and even Crooks mention their fantasies of a better, more enjoyable and admirable life. George and Lennie's fantasy is the main example used to express the struggle to realize impossible dreams. George created this elaborate vision of a wonderful farm …

…ways escape to in their mind was erased right before their eyes, as soon as Curley's men discovered his wife dead. Curley's wife's dream of being a star faded with her life. All of their dreams ended in an untimely fashion, and their struggles to reach them seem pointless. But, in the end, if they hadn't fought for their fantasy, they wouldn't be the people we learned about, but entirely different people altogether. --Alexa Gilliland