Loneliness In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Loneliness was a major aspect during the time of Of Mice and Men induring the Great Depression. The Great Depression took place around the Stock Market Crash of 1929 for 12 years until the beginning of World War II. The Great Depression greatly decreased the amount of steady jobs in America (“The Great Depression”). This created many itinerant workers. Itinerant workers were men who often traveled around looking for short-term employment like Lennie and George. With constantly skipping towns and not staying in one place for very long these men were often very lonely. Unlike the characters George and Lennie, many workers traveled alone. Isolation is presented in the novel Of Mice and Men not only through the main characters George and Lennie

Crooks mentions “A guy need somebody-- to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody”(72), which shows that he wished to someone’s company since he feels he needs any sort of company. Also, Crooks deformed and crooked back forces him to have limited amounts of contact with the other men since all he can do is tend the horses in the barn or play horseshoes. Which results as an increase in his feeling of loneliness. In addition, even though he degrades Lennie as they begin to converse in the barn, Crooks’ loneliness forces him to talk with Lennie since he has no one to talk to. As Crooks says in the novel “A guy sets alone out here all night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so… he can’t turn to the guy and ast him”(73). Throughout the novel, as Crooks develops a character, his loneliness is demonstrated each time he is mentioned.

    Steinbeck shows that Crooks is lonely because no one talks to him in the novella. Racism still existed during the Great Depression and it's still expanded in California. Here Crooks explaining to Lennie why he can not play cards with the other people, “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks is a black man that is why he is not treated the same like the other people on the ranch. Crooks is willing to fight for equal rights against the whites.

They crave the opportunity to work, land to call their own and being their own bosses by working off of that land. George and Lennie feel that they are different than other migrant workers because they have dreams and they rely on each other.

When Candy’s beloved dog is put down, Candy becomes lonely, because his only permanent companion at the ranch is dead. He demonstrates this when he tells Lennie and George(another ranch hand), “When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me..... I won’t have no place to go, an’ I can’t get no more jobs”(60). This quote shows that Candy feels alone, especially now that his dog is dead, which is why he’s trying to find a sense of belonging with George and Lennie by buying land with them. He shows loneliness again when he enters Crook’s room for the first time, when everyone but Lennie and Candy have gone to town.

Crooks is an African American working on the Ranch. Just by telling you he is African American and working on the ranch where there are all whites, I’m pretty sure you can see why he would be lonely. During this time segregation was going on a whole lot. Blacks and whites did not have great relations. In Chapter 4, when Lennie went into Crooks room; Crooks immediately wanted Lennie out. On (Pg.68) Crooks says “you go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.” Since he has been isolated by everyone else, he does not want to be with anyone. Throughout the entire chapter Crooks talks to Lennie about his lonely and how a lonely guy is no good and can be sick. I think Crooks is a broken down man and just wants people around him to talk to but he knows he’s not accepted.

In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck addresses the theme of loneliness and isolation. The novel tells the story of two migrant workers, George and Lennie, who while traveling together chase the American Dream. This becomes difficult because society misunderstands Lennie’s thought process. This gets him into trouble that George has to get him out of. This connection George and Lennie shared was rare for workers during this era. Migrant workers never stayed in one location for too long. They also traveled by their lonesome. Not only this, but many people were also social outcasts and shunned by society. Steinbeck establishes the theme of loneliness and isolation, a very common problem throughout the Great Depression, by telling of those that are alone and others actions towards them.

Crooks also has a conversation with Lennie. Lennie goes inside Crooks’ room and at first, Crooks is cruel to him. He eventually warms up to Lennie and wants to help Lennie and George save enough money to buy a ranch in exchange for taking him with them. The author, John Steinbeck, seems to have an understanding of what loneliness is.

(Steinbeck p.72). In this quote it shows that although Crooks want to go play with everyone else he’s restricted to the barn and can’t socialize with anyone unless they where to go and talk to him. At first Crooks seems to not want to talk to Lennie but later he finds that talking to anyone is better than not talking to no one.

Although the characters display many differences, they are all connected because of loneliness; much like people in society today, the characters in Of Mice and Men face the world alone because they do not fit the societal “norms” of the time. George and Lennie, having nowhere to call home, find solace in each other. Ranch hands commonly moved place to place in search of work during the 1930’s. Because of this, ranch hands were lonely people. In chapter one, Lennie says, “But not us!

Candy had a companion in the book before Friday night when the dog was shot by Carlson.’ The old man moved toward the door, and his ancient dog lifted his head and peered about, and then got painfully to his feet to follow.’ The dog in the story, in my opinion, was treated and had the same properties as his owner. He’s old and got a disability, I think that both the dog and its owner are made for each other because they have pretty much the same problems. After the loss of candy’s dog, Candy has no-one or animal to keep him company.

Candy’s only real companion is his dog. When it has to be put down, Candy becomes lonelier and immediately seeks out companionship and asks to join George and Lennie when they go get a farm. People seek out companionship to stave off

“Of Mice and Men” is written by John Steinbeck, published in 1937, it was set in the 1930’s during the Great Depression in California. George and Lennie are the two protagonist characters; they are farm workers who have a dream of one day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad and are met by different characters, most of which are lonely and the only thing keeping them alive is their dreams. Loneliness is the unpleasant emotional response to isolation and lack of companionship, in the novel “Of Mice and Men” Steinbeck portrays the theme of loneliness and isolation effectively through key fictional characters. This essay will describe the way loneliness is shown in “Of Mice and Men.”

He isolates himself to his own sleeping house, doesn't let anyone in, and doesn't talk to anyone. After Lennie stumbles upon Crooks we find out he is the only negro on the farm, lives alone, doesn't play games with the other guys, reads old books for fun, and works in the stable alone. Crooks then beings to open up to Lennie, talks about moving away to their dream house together. But then Crooks thinks he can't do any of this and must stay lonely because he is black. Crooks is so used to used to his lonely lifestyle that once someone comes into it he isn't accepting of them and comes to the conclusion that because he's black he should not be associated with

Crooks, who lives alone and is treated differently because of his skin chooses to scoff and criticize Lennie, who is mentally held back. Because Crooks feels vulnerable, he criticizes Lennie’s dream of the farm and his dependence on George. He cannot face his own weaknesses of being black with a crooked back so therefore he must pick on Lennie’s weaknesses.