Loneliness In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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In the novel The Old Mice and Men, the author portrays a time in American History which was a very depressed era. The economy wasn't up to par and the education to individuals wasn't made a priority. Due to this, citizens were forced to do physical labor to make ends meet. Loneliness is shown in all some of the characters and it is very obvious to those that aren't happy or very lonely. Loneliness is the true root of all evil. Candy is a sweet old man who cannot do much but, sweep the floor of the bunkhouse. Candy had an old dog who he had grown very close to, a companion. Many of the men in the bunkhouse despise the dog for being so old and smelly. Carlson suggests to Candy that the dog should be euthanized, Candy says yes but doesn't do so with a whole heart. As the dog is taken outside "Candy lay still looking at the ceiling. "(49) and the next is the sound of Carlson's gun being fired to kill the dog. The quotation gives the moment, a moment of …show more content…

When someone who yearns for attention requires for that much attention from others goes to how all that person wants is to talk to someone who will listen to them. There are many instances when Curley's wife hints she is lonely during the novel and basically cried out for help and attention. "Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awfully lonely." (86) This is one of the main reasons why Curley's wife is made out to be a whore or floosy, not because she is one, only because she wants to have conversation. The other instance is when Curley's wife says "I ain't gonna give you no trouble. Don't ya think I like to talk to someone every once in a while." (77) As she states I ain't gonna give you no trouble she is clearly saying that she knows the guys see her as a troublemaker but, she keeps on trying to get someone to make simple conversation with her. This is the character with the most outcry for attention and sympathy that she just isn't going to find on a ranch of men

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