Short answer
They are excited because the farm represents safety, independence, and a concrete chance to stop being rootless, exploited migrant workers. For Lennie it means a place where he can tend animals (especially rabbits) and feel loved and secure; for George it means freedom from boss-ruled insecurity and the hope of dignity and a future he controls. In chapter 3 the dream becomes plausible when Candy offers his savings, so their excitement grows from wishful hope into something that actually might happen.
Step-by-step explanation with evidence from Chapter 3
- It promises economic security and independence.
As itinerant ranch hands, George and Lennie live hand-to-mouth, vulnerable to being fired or forced to move. Owning land would let them "live off the fatta the lan'" — produce their own food and not be dependent on wages or cruel bosses. That idea is freedom from uncertainty.
- It answers emotional needs: belonging and dignity.
George and Lennie are lonely and marginalized. The farm is more than money — it is a home where they belong together, not just two drifters. For George it’s a chance to feel responsible for something lasting rather than always moving on. For Lennie, who craves touch and simple care, it promises a steady place where he won’t be chased away.
- Lennie’s specific, childlike dream (rabbits) makes the vision vivid.
Lennie always focuses on the small comforting detail: "An' have rabbits." That tangible image (petting rabbits, tending animals) makes the dream emotionally powerful for both of them — it gives a repeated, concrete image they can return to when discouraged.
- In Chapter 3 the dream becomes plausible — Candy’s offer makes it real.
Up to now the farm had been an abstract hope. In Chapter 3 the old swamper Candy overhears and offers to put his savings into the purchase, which turns the plan from fantasy into a realistic possibility. That concrete step is why excitement rises: a real chance is suddenly on the table.
- The dream is a psychological refuge and a motivation.
Steinbeck shows how telling and retelling the dream lifts both men’s spirits and gives them a reason to keep working and to tolerate hard lives. The dream functions as a coping mechanism: it gives them hope and a shared goal.
How Steinbeck uses the scene
Chapter 3 is crucial because the dream moves from private wish to communal plan (George, Lennie, Candy). Steinbeck uses dialogue and Lennie’s simple images to make the dream feel powerful and sympathetic, while also preparing the reader for later irony: the dream’s attractiveness highlights how fragile hopes are for people in their situation. The scene reinforces the novel’s main themes — the American Dream, loneliness, and the need for human connection.
Short quotation (from the novel)
Two lines that capture why the dream matters: “An' have rabbits.” and “live off the fatta the lan'.” Those simple phrases show both the small comforts Lennie craves and the larger promise of self-sufficiency George wants.
In sum: Their excitement comes from a mix of practical relief (stability and independence), emotional longing (a place to belong and care for one another), and the sudden concrete possibility created in Chapter 3 when Candy offers money — turning a comforting story into a real plan.