Curley's Wife Loneliness

The theme of loneliness is important to the meaning of Of Mice and Men by Steinbeck, and the side characters of the novella feel loneliness just as much as the main characters. Crooks has been lonely for a long time, and his secluded nature starts to show. Curley’s Wife is lonely as well because of her feminine nature and marriage with Curley. Loneliness is also evident in Candy, and just as he thinks he has found a home, all his hope of companionship is ripped away. Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy are not like the other characters of this book. All three of them have some feature that sets them apart from the others. Crooks is African American, Curley’s Wife is a woman, and Candy lost his hand. These traits have separated these characters

from society, and their loneliness is real, even if they are not.
Crooks contributes to the theme of loneliness in Of Mice and Men. For example, Crooks has been alone so long, he thinks the only reason anyone would want to talk to him is because they are obligated to in order to do their job. When Lennie goes into his room and tries to talk to him, Crooks is confused and he says, “’I don’t know what you’re doin’ in the barn anyway’” (Steinbeck 68). He cannot comprehend the fact that anyone would visit him for the sole purpose of having a conversation. Crooks has also become jealous of the companionship of others. When Lennie goes into Crooks’ room, Crooks tells Lennie about how he can never play cards and talk with other people. He knows he will always be an outcast. He asks Lennie to understand what being alone feels like, he asks, “’S’pose you didn’t have nobody’” (Steinbeck 72). Crooks is jealous that Lennie and the others are not alone, and he wants them to understand what being lonely is like. Crooks is separated from the others by his race, and Curley’s wife is also separated from the others, but she is separated by gender.
Curley’s Wife is different from the others, and that makes her an exemplar of the theme of loneliness.

People do not talk to her because she is a woman, she is avoided because of her gender, but they do not even think about how lonely that makes her. When the others tell her to go away because they do not want trouble, she says, “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody” (Steinbeck 77). She is avoided and rejected, and that would make anyone lonely. Curley’s Wife is also lonely because of her unhappy marriage with Curley. Curley is not a kind man, and she may be married to him, but she does not love him. Curley does not let her talk to others, and when she can only talk to Curley, she feels alone. When Lennie does not want to talk to her because he does not want to angry Curley, she says, “I can’t talk to nobody but Curley” (Steinbeck 87). She feels trapped by her terrible marriage. Curley’s Wife feels hopeless because of her marriage, and Candy is hopeless as

well.
No one can relate to Candy’s experiences, and that is why he is alone.

Candy has no friends or family, and he is afraid that he will lose his job because he only has one arm. Candy tells George, “I won’t have no place to go” (Steinbeck 60). Candy is scared because no one would hire him because of his arm, and he has no one to help him. He is all alone in the hard world of the Great Depression. He is alone, and also hopeless. Candy once hoped that he could live on a farm with George and Lennie. He hoped to be a part of their family, but that dream died with Lennie. When he sees that Lennie killed Curley’s Wife, he asks George about their farm, “’Then—it’s all off?’” (Steinbeck 95). His new found hope is crushed and he is forever alone again. Candy’s future is not bright, and he will be facing it alone.

Steinbeck displayed the theme of loneliness in Of Mice and Men, and this would be Impossible without Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy. Crooks helps display loneliness through his jealousy of companionship, and being permanently alone. Curley’s Wife also displays loneliness through sexism and by not being allowed to talk to others. Loneliness is also shown by Candy when his hopes of companionship are dashed, and by the fact that he has no friends or family. The Theme of Loneliness is an integral part of Of Mice and Men, and its prominence is greatly impacted by the characters of Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and

Candy.