The theme of “Of Mice and Men” written by John Steinbeck is that humans suffer from loneliness. Loneliness cannot be avoided in this novel, and it’s displayed evidently in each of the important characters. Each character in this novel exhibits the feeling of solitude in some way. For example, Lennie is cast out of real society for being mentally handicapped, Candy is isolated for being old and disabled, Crooks for his black skin tone, Curley's wife for being a woman, and George for taking on the responsibility to care for Lennie. There are numerous situations where the reader is put into a position in which they can see the struggle of these characters. In the story, Lennie walks into Crooks room and this is where readers get the final understanding that the theme follows a pattern of isolated figures. Upon this unexpected greeting from Lennie, Crook decides to explain the effects of long term loneliness. Crook states, “ If a man talks to nobody long enough, he beings to go mad (Steinbeck 4).” This statement implies that not only does Crook feel isolated from the rest of the boys for being black, but …show more content…
A very prominent example is when readers explore the mindset of Curley’s wife, they must see her as a prime example of this punishment. Throughout the story Curly’s wife attempts to form a relationship of any kind with anyone. Only because she feels like her husband is a bad man and wishes to leave him or at least have some form a friendship. She states, “ why won't anyone talk to me, I ain’t hurt nobody (Steinbeck 3).” This quote represents how confused, frustrated and alone Curly’s wife feels. Steinbeck even amplifies the fact that she’s alone by not giving her a name. Now, she later in the story takes the risk of death by letting Lennie touch her hair, knowing the consequences that could (and in this case did) happen. This story is just one of many that fluctuate within the lonely river that is “Of Mice and
In his novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck depicts the essential loneliness of California ranch life in the 1930s. He illustrates how people are driven to find companionship. There were so many moments of loneliness and sadness throughout the novel, including many deaths. Following the deaths, they were very unexpected making the novel more intense and latch onto it more.
Loneliness is the sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned. John Steinbeck brought up the theme of loneliness in many characters in Of Mice and Men. Crooks, Curley?s wife, and Candy expressed the theme of loneliness in many different forms throughout the story. Early in the novella George said, life working as ranch hands is about the loneliness of living, for these people finding friendship seems to be impossible. Crooks expressed feelings of loneliness throughout Of Mice and Men.
Mother Theresa once said, "Loneliness is a man's worst poverty." Without friends and companions, people begin to suffer from loneliness and solitude (Dusenbury 38). Loneliness is an inevitable fact of life and cannot be avoided, as shown prevalent through each of the characters in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Each and every character in this novel exhibits loneliness. Lennie was isolated for being mentally handicapped, Candy was isolated for being old and disabled, Crooks was for being black, Curley's wife for being a woman, and George for having to care for Lennie and being unable to socialize with others because of Lennie's consistency of getting into trouble from town to town.
Furthermore, provided to these effects is peer pressure towards characters. After failing to convince Carlson and Slim that his dog doesn’t have to be shot, Candy says in defeat, “Awright—take ‘im.” (Steinbeck 47). This quote shows Candy giving in to the peer pressure of Carlson and Slim pressing him to kill his dog despite his internal conflict of wanting to keep his only companion alive. Consequences of actions effect loneliness and isolation in the story, specifically through Lennie’s actions and his reactions to them. Lennie said miserably, “I tried, Aunt Clara, ma’am. I tried and tried.” This quote reveals Lennie, while physically isolated from the others, is painfully aware of his actions that resulted in trouble, such as causing the death of Curley’s wife, which George strictly told him to avoid, and Aunt Clara personifies his guilt and loneliness in the consequences. Insecurity and persona exhibit effects of loneliness and isolation. Curley stared coldly at Lennie and said menacingly, “Well, nex’ time you answer when you’re spoke to,” (Steinbeck 26). This quote suggests Curley adopts a macho and threatening persona to hide his insecurity of being a small man, isolating himself from that reality and his wife, who he apparently treats unfairly.
Throughout the novel, Of Mice and Men (by John Steinbeck), loneliness is the major underlying theme of the novel. You could almost say that the book has hormonal' up's and down's. Most of the characters are very lonely because they have no family. However, George and Lennie are the contradiction to this. George and Lennie's bond towards each other are so- strong that you can almost see it as you are reading the book. Candy the old crippled man wants to be part of George and Lennie's dream to own a farm and "live off the fatta the land". Curley and his dog are like the metaphor in the book for George and Lennie. Candy has to take care of his dog and George of Lennie. The other two characters in the novel that are apart of the overall theme of loneliness are crooks the crippled stable buck and Curley's wife the flirtatious city girl. Crook's fits in to the loneliness theme because he is black. During this time in history, there was very little racial empathy. So being black means that he is isolated from everyone else at the ranch. Speaking of isolation, curley's wife feels very isolated because her husband, Curley, doesn't trust her at all, however, because Curley is so strict and concerned about her flirting with other guys it almost fuels her desire to cause trouble.
Of Mice and Men is a novella written by John Steinbeck in the 1930’s. It possesses many prominent themes that are evident throughout the whole book. One distinct theme is loneliness. John Steinbeck uses many conventions to convey this theme to the reader including characterization, context, foreshadowing and resolution. Through the use of these conventions, readers developed attitude and opinions, which change with modern society and the reader’s context.
Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men Conveys loneliness throughout the story by the events like loss of hope, loved ones, and past events. This reason is explained by the lives of these three characters, Lennie, by him being alone in the barn, Curley’s dislike for him, and him killing Curley’s wife. Candy, by his dead dog, insertion of George and Lennie’s dream and the death of Curley’s wife, and Curley’s wife by messing with the men, unable to be an actress, and her own death.
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
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In the masterful story Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck there is a looming theme of loneliness. This theme is told to you through the words and actions of the characters in the story . This story is told through two characters Lennie and George. The setting is 1930’s America. The story involves traveling ranch workers that live only for the one purpose to get paid and waste their money on a few drinks and some pleasure. These men are consumed with loneliness. The care for nothing but themselves. They are very unlike George and Lennie who have each other and a dream. Lennie is a big man with the brain of a child. Lennie never meant to hurt anybody but managed to get himself and his only true friend George into trouble. George is a small smart man who has known Lennie all his life and knows to well that Lennie could not survive on his own lets him travel with him as a favor too Lennie’s aunt
He clearly calls for women and the disabled to be treated and cared for better, as well as to be understood for their differences. He demonstrates through Curley’s bitterness that the selfishness of the elite is disadvantageous to the elite themselves. He also sends a clear message that pain inflicted onto one person or group of people can make them want to inflict pain back, a clear warning to the perpetrators of this pain onto minorities and the poor during this era. This is evident when Crooks jealousy says to Lennie, “I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain 't wanted in my room” (Steinbeck, 68). Lennie’s response of confusion emphasises that hatred and bitterness is not pure, since Lennie in many ways has the mind of a pure child. In the time since The Great Depression, African Americans, women, and the disabled have all gained greater rights and, in most cases, the general public has learned to accept these people as the equals they truly
“Well, I think Curley’s married…a tart…I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her…she’s a rat trap if I ever seen one” (Steinbeck 32). If people said those things to and about you every day, you’d say life was cruel, right? Cruelty is everywhere in John Steinbeck’s 1937 novel Of Mice and Men. The story details a few days in the lives of two Depression-era men. When Lennie Small, a bumbling giant of a man with the mind of a child, gets him and his companion George Milton kicked out of another job, they start work at a ranch in California.
While torturing Lennie, Crooks states “... S’pose george went into town tonight and you never heard of him again’” (Steinbeck 71). Crooks’ long time loneliness causes him to bottle up anger. He likes to see other people feel lonely so he is not the only miserable one.
Friendship is the basic necessity every human needs in their life. Everyday this is proven in the real world, but this statement is also proven in the book, “Of Mice and Men”. Throughout the book we see many characters at crucial points and the ones who are able to bounce back are the ones who have relationships with others. In the book, "Of Mice and Men", we can see loneliness on the ranch is deeply portrayed through the characters Lennie, Crooks, and Curley's wife because of various different reasons.
When a person’s need for love and compassion are not met, they may choose to either act out to gain attention or to seclude themselves from any other relationships. Curley’s wife chooses to act out and to be unfaithful to her husband due to the fact that he does not give her any attention. She flirts with the other men on the farm to get their attention. Crooks, who is segregated from the rest of the group because he is African-American, is very bitter towards Lennie and the other guys on the farm. When Lennie tries to come into his room to talk to him, Crooks shouts “You got no right to come in my room” (68). This shows how the neglected feeling that he has made him act angrily towards the ones who neglected him. It caused him to be protective and rude to one of the most kind hearted characters in this novella. Curley’s wife and Crooks represent how people act when they do not have the proper friendship and companionship that every human desires.