How Is Crooks Isolated

People have always been divided and isolated based on their race, gender, appearance, actions or who they perceived to be. In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck characters are separated in this way during the Great Depression which causes them to seek acceptance and the friendships of others. Over the course of the Great Depression, competition for limited jobs and opportunities was high as a result of a low employment rate. This created an environment where people were more separated, lonely, and depressed. The characters in the book experience these effects which makes them search for valued friendships. Individuals who experience loneliness and alienation due to isolation ultimately seek affection and friendships of others, which

is reflected in Curley’s Wife and other characters such as Crooks and George.

First, Curley’s Wife is restricted by her husband by not having the ability to talk to anyone. She is the only woman in the story, so she is isolated which results in loneliness and alienation. As a result of Curley’s Wife’s loneliness, she seeks affection which can be shown first when talking to Lennie. Moreover, we see a symptom of her seclusion when she confides in Lennie by saying, “I get lonely...You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody” (87)? Steinbeck implies that Curley’s restraints on his wife causes her to be isolated which makes her want to seek affection and sympathy from Lennie. Part of Curley’s Wife’s constraints are simply a result of her being a woman, which made men like Curley have more control over her actions which forced her to be more secluded. Also, when Curley’s Wife talks to Lennie she states, “Take Curley. His hair is jus’ like wire. But mine is soft and fine. ’Course I brush it a lot. That makes it fine. Here---feel right here.” (90). This conversation unveils how Curley’s Wife desires the approval and affection, so she fulfills Lennie’s eagerness to touch soft and smooth objects. Curley’s Wife seeks this approval of her hair because she hopes to gain Lennie’s affection contributing to her alleviates her alienation. Through Curley’s Wife we see examples of how her restrictions and separation from others cause her to desire the affection of others, like Lennie.

Also, Crooks is plagued by segregation and prejudicial treatment, further creating an environment in which is he is separated from everyone.

Crook’s disconnection from people unfairly develops a solitude where he has absolutely nobody; furthermore, Crooks reveals how he wishes he had someone. After Lennie is worried about George, Crooks explains to Lennie, “S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ’cause you was black” (72). Crooks uncovers how living under the circumstances of being black, in this time period has alienated him from the rest of society. Living in this discriminatory environment, Crooks is blamed, degraded and seperated from others causing him to tell Lennie he wishes he had someone like George. This shows how he seeks the friendships he cannot have because of the environment and time he is living in. Another example of Crooks isolation can be displayed when he suggests, “Come on in and set a while,” Crooks said. “ ’Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.” His tone was a little more friendly” (69). The text illustrates that Crooks is attempting to be “more friendly” and that he is attempting to associate with people after being an outcast for so long. Earlier, Crooks deals with his seperation by keeping his distance as he has a mistrust in many of the others on the Ranch. However, in this example, he shows how he is opening up to Lennie and wishing he had more acceptance in

their community. Altogether, Crooks’ disconnection from others in his community due to discrimination causes him to open up to Lennie and show how he is unsatisfied. He wishes there were different circumstances, and seeks acceptance of others after keeping his distance for so long because he is so isolated he seeks the companionships of others.

Even though George has Lennie, he is also lonesome because he has to take care of Lennie, who prevents George from having a social life because he has to continually watch over him.

Since George has to accommodate Lennie’s childlike personality, he isn’t able to have real connections and friendships with any ordinary people. After George is angry at Lennie, he exclaims “I could get along so easy and so nice if I didn’t have you on my tail. I could live so easy and maybe have a girl” (7). Steinbeck shows how Lennie’s constraints on George cause George to be frustrated due to limitations placed on his social possibilities and opportunities with women. George gets increasingly alienated from society because he always has to supervise Lennie, causing him to be angry enough to seek affection and connections with others. Also, Lennie struggles to have regular conversations with others which is evident when he is talking to the boss. “In panic”, explains Steinbeck when Lennie is talking to the boss, “Lennie looked for George for help. ‘He’s a good skinner. He can do anything you tell him,’ said George” (13). This reveals how Lennie is so dependent on George for help, even in just a small conversation, that George has to help him through almost every situation. Lennie’s dependence ultimately isolates George from society because he isn’t able to talk to people normally or live his own life as he wants, which isolates him from the rest of his community. As a result of Lennie’s

dependence, George cannot have normal connections, relationships or have a social life which in-turn makes him frustrated and unattached from people even besides Lennie.

Many people who are disconnected and secluded pursue caring relationships with others, shown through Curley’s Wife and other characters such as Crooks and George. Characters in Of Mice and Men are affected by restrictions, segregation and separation from others, causing them to be lonely and desire association with others. Throughout the novel, John Steinbeck conveys how this type of loneliness affected many people during the challenging time of the Great Depression. Steinbeck uncovers how individuals can be with each other but still lonesome at the same time. Humans have a necessity for others to love them and show affection in order to be happy and be satisfied in life, which Steinbeck portrays through the characters.