Loneliness In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Crooks, alone, lived in the barn and did his work by himself: “And scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions; for, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about” (Steinbeck 66). Because Crooks is African American, he is separated from everyone else in the bunkhouse simply because of his race, which illustrates the historical context and time period of this novel which further explains why Crook is the typical outcast. Since he is isolated from everyone, it is clear that he does not often socialize with the others which explains his loneliness. Crooks yells at Lennie when he first comes into the barn to talk because Crooks is not used to friendliness in the others: “Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outta my room.

Crooks is isolated from the other workers on the ranch because they do not respect his race. He encounters many racist comments that make him

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.

Loneliness is a revolving topic throughout the book. Many characters are impacted by it and this changes the outcome of the book. In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, he develops the concept of loneliness through Candy's disability, Crooks unable to fit in, and Curley's wife in order to demonstrate that loneliness impacts people by causing anger and depression.

Born of African-American descent, his isolation is only worsened from his childhood where he was the only black child playing in a group of white children. Crooks’ father didn't like that he hung around a bunch of white children, however Crooks being so young he didn't know about the racism around him. When he is speaking to lennie in the barn, he tells him that,“”A guy needs somebody- to be near him.” he whined,”a guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long’s he's with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “i tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.””(72-73). This quote from Crooks explains how crook feels, and has felt for most of his life. Crook explains that everyone just needs someone to be with throughout their life, growing up with racism in the world has made Crooks believe that he can't make a connection to anyone ultimately leaving him alone at the farm for the rest of his life.

Many individuals like to be alone, but loneliness only serves them well in small doses. Being alone can benefit some to help keep their emotions in check or clear their minds, but too much of it becomes unbearable. Eventually, constant loneliness, resulting from a lack of friendship, will lead to cruelty. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck examines the effects of loneliness through a life without friendship. In the story, George and Lennie travel from town to town as migrant workers, trying to accumulate enough money to buy their own ranch. The personality of Crooks, Curley’s wife, and George and Lennie’s relationship show that a life without friendship leads to loneliness and cruelty.

The character Crooks has shown loneliness throughout the whole story and that drives him to a point where he doesn’t want to be existent to all the other men. In the middle of the book Lennie and Crooks start a conversation and Crooks explains how he’s feeling. Steinbeck writes, “‘They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me’”(68). Crooks doesn’t get much sympathy from the men because he is black. He is so desperate to play cards with the guys, but all of them leave him out and makes him feel even more lonely. Crooks experiences the most desolation because the men tell him that he “stinks” and can’t play cards because he’s “black. In addition to the last example, the novel also explains in the story how separated Crooks is from everybody else and shows us how alone he actually is. Crooks is the most lonely character in the novel and it shows by his actions and personality. Steinbeck shows, “This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs” (67). He felt desperate enough to tell the men to keep their distance so he

Also, it shows the reader of Crooks personality of loneliness that he encounters with and his grief. Also, in this quotes shows Crooks doesn’t really have a relationship with anyone at all. Finally, Steinbeck states in this quote that people have opportunities in life that they can be pursued and

In the book of Mice and Men there are many characters that are lonely and want their dreams to come true. This quote means that the good is gone and that the evil is taking over. “ The deep pool of the Salinas river was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan mountains, and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen.” First, the people that are socially lonely in the book is Crooks and Curley's wife. ( Curley’s wife)“ After a pause Crooks said. “ Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.” “ Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once

Crook’s life is one-sided because of his skin color. When Lennie comes into Crook’s room, Crooks said to Lennie, “Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks gets bored of staying in his room where he can only read, sleep, or sit. But compared to other workers on the ranch Crook’s life is different from top to bottom because he cannot talk to others and play cards. Staying in a room for years and not able to go outside and see the world can be challenging and only because one thing that you are not the same color as everybody else.

Crooks wasn’t even acquiesce to be in the bunkhouse. Since he had contrasting skin color, he was constrained to stay in an extended part of the barn, where manure sat right outside his window. The day, Lennie and Candy appeared to sojourn him, Crooks couldn’t accommodate his excitement: “‘Come on in. If everybody’s comin’ in, you might just as well.’ It was difficult for crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger”(Steinbeck 75).

Loneliness is a terrible feeling which could led to depression, aggression and defensive. During the 1930s maybe problem we’re around for example the bust bowl that whipped out farms, the Great Depression which made it hard for money and lastly this makes it real hard for Candy,Crooks and Curley’s wife. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck, develops loneliness by using Candy, Curley’s wife and Crooks to show how loneliness can make someone either angry, defensive or even depressed. Steinbeck has developed the feeling of loneliness and its effects on his characters.

Because Crooks is black, readers can infer that he is treated unfairly and is separated from society because of his race; consequently, Crooks is bitter and lonely, wanting to not be left out and discriminated against. Crooks being black has made him an outcast from the other ranch man. Crooks explains this to Lennie: “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black… S’pose you had to sit out here and read books” (72). A few pages later, Crooks becomes more bitter the more people enter his room, especially around candy: “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much.

Crooks lives in the harness room, which is just a small shed off the side of the barn. He does not live with anybody, so he has all of his possessions laid out in his room. When Lennie walks into his room one day, Crooks immediately defends himself by telling Lennie, “you ain’t wanted in my room”(Steinbeck 68). Because Crooks is black, he is often separated from the other men. While the other men all play cards together, and go out together, Crooks is never allowed to join them and is not wanted.

Crooks has the dream of having a friend and being treated as an equal. Being black, Crooks was born with a disadvantage in achieving the American Dream. Crooks race makes him oppressed, he’s seen as inferior to the white race. “‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it […] This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see?’” (70/71). Crooks is clearly bitter about the fact that he doesn’t have basic human rights like the other white men on the farm, simply because he’s black. Secondly, because of his skin color, he’s isolated to his barn with no one to talk to. “‘A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ or thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and last him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by. I seen things out here. I wasn’t drunk. I don't know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an’ then it would be all right. But i jus’ don’t know.’” (73). Crooks longs to have someone be by his side, so he doesn’t have to keep imagining things. Finally, Crooks has a bad back, which makes working thoroughly and affectively much