The Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men

Steinbeck tells a story of loneliness and inequality. Throughout the novella, characters are often alone and are in some way treated differently from others. The story took place in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. People during that time period just wanted to survive; that was their idea of the American Dream. They traded survival for happiness. All the characters in the novella are somewhat alone and have nobody to count on. Curley’s wife is the loneliest in the novella because she is the only woman on the ranch, she is in an unhappy marriage, and she is mistreated because she’s the only woman.

Loneliness is one of the primary themes in Of Mice and Men. Throughout the novel, John Steinbeck shows the enormous effect that loneliness has on the characters. Steinbeck most clearly illustrates this theme through Crooks, Candy, and Curley 's wife. Ranch hands are ideal types of people to portray as being lonely, because their constant travel leaves them without someone to talk to or share things with. Steinbeck also shows how important it is for every human being to have a companion. Companionship is necessary in order for someone to live an enjoyable life. Although loneliness affects each one of the characters in Of Mice and Men differently, they all experience negative feelings from their lack of

Curley's wife also yearns for attention and someone to connect with but is shut off and avoided because of her sex. Steinbeck reveals the barriers that trap people into isolation and the urgency to escape. Of Mice and Men comes to show there is a need in every human being for some type of connection, togetherness, and

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck utilizes loneliness as an overarching theme, there is however one character that is noticeably longer than the others in Steinbeck's novella. This character is Crooks, a bitter and aloof man, he used to have a family with brothers and a 10 acre chicken ranch. Now he lives the life of a stable buck isolated by his race (he is the only African American on the ranch) among other things (Steinbeck,2002). This loneliness truly characterises him and causes no end to his bitterness. John Steinbeck Portrays Crooks as the loneliest character because, he is isolated by race, disability, location and a lack of companionship.

“Guys like us, that work on ranches are the loneliness guys in the world. They got no family...we got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us” (Steinbeck 14). During the Great Depression, much of society is alienated while survival of the fittest prevails. The power of loneliness affects the individual involved as long as the society it is present in continues to harvest the discriminatory ways. During the 1930’s, the Great Depression was at its peak; The stock markets crashed, and a chain reaction caused the unemployment rates to rise to an all time high. Thus, migrant worker became popular because they were always needed on a farm and it was a way for one to find employment. In of Mice and Men, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife are all victims of the Great Depression. Candy and Crooks work on the farm, while Curley’s wife is the flirtatious nuisance whose dreams were crushed. The pervasive emotion throughout this novella is loneliness. Loneliness is felt by Candy, Crooks, and and Curley’s wife, whether it’s being represented symbolically as the characters are fighting social devastation, learning to make it alone, or through their actions.

The first example of a character who experiences loneliness is Crooks. Crooks is an African American stable buck. He is the lowest at the ranch because of his race. Crooks lives alone in his own bunkhouse because he is not allowed in the bunkhouse where the white workers live. He has no one to talk to because he is different than the rest of the group. Later in the novela, Crooks confides in Lennie. “A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody” (Steinbeck 72). Lennie is the only person on the ranch willing to listen to Crooks. Crooks is telling Lennie that it drives him mad that he doesn't have anyone to talk to. He sits alone in his bunkhouse reading books.

Just like George and Lennie, Candy was also lonely and alone in the world, “... I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing...” it was a different matter when he

Understanding just how important security is to his own future, Candy hopes he can tempt George with his life’s savings and seal the deal when he mentions he had no living relatives to either help him or benefit from his death. Scared and embarrassed, Candy never comes straight out and admits how ageism has affected him, but he does express his feelings of fear and his desire to feel like he belongs when he comments to George, “They’ll can me purty soon. Just as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses…” (60). Without any family or friends, without a job or any money, Candy latches on to the idea of owning land together: “An’ it’d be our own, an’ nobody could can us” (58). Unfortunately, since Candy is much older than the other ranch workers, he often feels left out and lonely amongst a group of young, healthy men. Despite his insecurities, Candy still wants to contribute something to society to help provide him with a sense of purpose and to help make him feel like someone still needs him.

Crooks was a solitary man as well, being forced by the social boundaries at the time to keep to himself. He could not even make the idle chit-chat that the other men could to occupy themselves and sidestep the preliminary loneliness of working away from family. He was separated not only mentally but physically; “Crooks … had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn.” (Steinbeck 33) Crooks, who hailed from a different line of descent than the men surrounding him, was forced by the ethics of the era to stay separated. He had no one to confide in at all. He never mentions family, only lending to the fact that he has himself alone to talk to at all save when people give orders to him around the ranch. It is loneliness at its most concentrated. Not only was he separated but “[He] wasn’t wanted in the bunkhouse …” Not only is loneliness defined as being without companions and solitary, but as being “sad because one has no friends or company.” Not being wanted only makes one sad, and having no one to talk to makes Crooks a perfect match for the definition of loneliness. With Crooks, Steinbeck overwhelmingly makes the theme of loneliness readily apparent.

“Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.” This quote is an ideal representation of how Curley’s wife feels during Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife is alone in a world of men and she yearns for a companion whom she can talk to. Another character, however, that can deeply relate to Curley’s wife is Crooks. Crooks is a perfect example of the need to be accepted, due to the fact that he feels isolated from the white ranch hands in the small shed by the barn. The desire to feel accepted in society leaves Crooks, and Curley’s wife desperate for a connection that will no longer leave them feeling isolated and alone. John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men provides a life lesson regarding human natures desire to

Crooks and Curley’s wife lack friendship and contain loneliness. The lonely characters seem just like the average ranch worker in the first place yet all misconceptions are washed away when the reader finds out how lonely those individuals feel later when the individuals show their true self. Steinbeck shows the reader how loneliness played an important role back in

At the same time, Candy is reminded that he’s growing older and not much of a use on the ranch anymore. In fact, after overhearing the plan of George and Lennie 's dream farm, Candy confides in George that he “… ain’t much good with on’y one hand”(59) and “he won 't have no place to go…”(61). Pleading to be included in their dream, Candy continued his attempts to convince George: “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off, ‘cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing”(59). Understanding just how important security is to his own future, Candy hopes he can tempt George with his life’s savings and seal the deal when he mentions he has no living relatives to either help him or benefit from his death. Scared and embarrassed, Candy never comes straight out and admits how ageism has affected him, but he does express his feelings of fear and his desire to feel like belongs when he comments to George, “They’ll can me purty soon. Just as soon as I can 't swamp out no bunkhouses…”(60). Without any family or friends, without a job or any money, Candy latches on to the idea of owning land together:“An’ it’d be our own, an’ nobody could can us”(58). Unfortunately, since Candy is much older than the other ranch workers, he often feels left out and

”You never realize how lonely you are until it’s the end of the day and you got a bunch of things to talk about and no one to talk to.” In the book Mice of Men by John Steinbeck he expresses loneliness through many of his characters in his book. Loneliness is a theme that is throughout the story that so many characters had. Their loneliness can let us see that characters in a different light and Steinbeck wants the reader to see. George, Crooks, and Curley’s Wife are characters that have loneliness that festers inside of them in different ways.

Candy is an older man that works on the farm that George and Lennie goes to work at. Candy’s only companion is his dog. The dog was older and useless but he gave Candy a sense of peace, along with a friend. Carlson killed Candy’s dog because he believed he was stinky and was too useless for Candy to keep. Steinbeck stated “At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, ‘Awright -- take ‘im’ he did not look at the dog at all. He lay back on his bunk and crossed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling”(Steinbeck 47). This quote shows that there was no sympathy for others. Candy’s dog was his only friend on the farm. The fact that Carlson would so easily take the dog from Candy shows that there was not one bit of brotherhood back then at all. As the book continues, Candy is dealing with a whole new type of loneliness, and he looks to Lennie and George for a type of friendship. Candy stated “Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it” (Steinbeck 60). This shows that at this point in Candy’s life he knows he doesn’t have much use to the world but he may be able to help out George and Lennie, and help the achieve their ultimate goal. Candy is a constant remind to the men that loneliness can drive you to extreme

John Steinbeck`s novella Of Mice and Men is about two migrant workers, George and Lennie who are seeking work at a ranch due to the difficult times of the Great Depression. This period in time forced families to move or separate, leading people into a lonely existence. The men who left for a work never really had anybody by their side. Yes, many individuals may have surrounded one another, but it is clearly shown that the characters never felt at home. It is evident that loneliness is a theme in this novella. It is brought forth by three characters: Candy, Curley`s wife and Crooks.