In society, a difference exists between being alone and being lonely. Being alone can be viewed as a necessity for some people, when they need to take a step back from reality. However, loneliness can be dangerous because it can lead to negative thoughts and actions. For example, people who endure loneliness may feel unwanted and could be driven to go through with dangerous actions. This argument about the toxic nature of loneliness presents itself in Of Mice and Men. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck illustrates the dangers of loneliness through the thoughts and actions of Curley’s Wife, Crooks, and George. Steinbeck emphasizes the dangerous effects of loneliness through the negative reputation of Curley’s Wife. When Lennie talks to Curley’s Wife in the barn, Steinbeck writes, “‘George says I ain’t to have nothing to do with you - talk to you or nothing’” (Steinbeck 82). During this scene, Lennie reveals that the members of the ranch view Curley’s Wife as dangerous, simply because she appears as flirtatious toward them. However, they may not fully understand her motives for acting this way. Earlier, she reveals her unhappiness in her marriage to Curley because she does not get to talk to anyone else, and when she does, it comes across as morally wrong. Her loneliness causes her to immediately …show more content…
I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that’” (Steinbeck 67). In this conversation with Lennie, Crooks reveals that he has been lonely most of his life, from when he lived in California as a kid to living alone in the stable room now. He understands that his race factors in to this discrimination, as it has been throughout his life. As a result, he cannot bring himself to trust most people out of fear of even more discrimination, causing him to isolate himself from
Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, is a book that can be analyzed and broken down into a vast majority of themes. One of the predominant themes found in this book is loneliness. Many characters in this book are affected by loneliness and they all demonstrate it in one way or another throughout the book. Examples of these characters are Curley’s Wife, Crooks, and Candy.
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.
Can loneliness ever bring death into people’s lives? The answer to that question is yes, it can and it does. Infact, loneliness is what often causes people to commit suicide. In the book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, many characters are often lonely. But that loneliness is caused by something, something that is common to everyone in their lifetime, maybe even you! According to me, the definition of loneliness is a feeling that naturally occurs when there is no communication between you and someone else, or if you do not like to talk to anyone. This sometimes causes people to create rage (mentally, and physically). This can also sometimes cause death, of yourself or someone else. So in this book, what John Steinbeck is trying to say about loneliness is that, the people are lonely because of their physical features and this involves Candy, Curley’s Wife and Crooks. They all are lonely in their own ways, but have the same problem.
This makes her seek it from other people. By not talking to anyone and constantly worrying about what Curley will do, she has attained a sneakiness that does not please anyone on the ranch. Acting in flirtatious ways is the only way Curley's wife thinks she can deal with her loneliness. Even though the Great Depression had a massive affect on the characters in the book, loneliness had a bigger impact. Loneliness has tremendously affected the behaviour and thoughts of Crooks and Curley's wife.
In my essay I will discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel “Of Mice And Men.” The essay will consist of information based on the novel towards minor characters such as Curley’s Wife, Candy and Crooks. This essay will state information about Curley’s Wife, Candy and Crooks’ loneliness.
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 on the loneliness lives to live, for these people finding friendship seems to be impossible.
In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and the poem "Eleanor Rigby" by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, many of the characters are experiencing loneliness. When people feel lonely their way of lifestyle are different then that of someone's who's not lonely or them if they were not lonely. Also because they are lonely their actions are different. They portray this in both the novel and the poem.
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.
Factors that can fuel loneliness are abundant: depression, trauma, social rejection, loss, low self-esteem, etc. The aspect of human connection and interaction is a psychological requirement for all people, even to those who push others away. These elements of isolation are presented through three methods in a 1938 novel of friendship. John Steinbeck uses indirect characterization, discrimination, and conflict to demonstrate the effects of loneliness and need for companionship in his novel Of Mice and Men.
Curley’s wife suffers from loneliness also. Her only companion is very controlling. Curley makes sure his wife doesn’t talks to anyone. She is a victim of herself because she married a man that she hardly even knew. She married him though to have a companion. She killed herself and Lennie because of her need for companionship. She craves companionship because she is an attractive woman with need for interaction. Curley’s wife says,” Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? (Pg. 77)”.
“Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody.” (Steinbeck, 86). In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is an outcast compared to the men. Being female, she cannot do what the men can. This novel was based in the 1920’s, a time where women weren’t allowed to do certain, almost all, things. She was not allowed to talk to anyone because she was seen as a threat. Her treatment was caused by how men viewed her. This all affected her responsibility, the views of her as a woman, and her loneliness.
“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty-Mother Teresa.”(Brainyquotes.com). Curley’s wife is seen only three times in the whole novel. For example, when all the men went to town, including her husband. John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, displays many themes throughout the story- mainly loneliness. She is seen in only three parts of the story; the first time she is seen is when she runs into the cabin “looking” for Curly, the second time she was “looking” for Curly again and ran into George and Lennie, the last time she was seen was when she walked into the barn and was talking to Lennie.
“Sat’day night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am i doin’? Standin’ here talkn’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs, a nigger, an’ a dum-dum and lousy ol’ sheep an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else”. This quote is showing how Curley’s wife is very lonely since Curley is never home. This helps show the theme, loneliness, in the novel. In, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is lonely because, her husband isolates her, none of the men on the ranch talk to her, to avoid any kind of trouble with the boss, and lastly women were treated very badly since they were low in society.
However, even though she left and got married, she was treated the same way instead now, she is Curley’s property instead of her parents. Since Curley’s wife is female, she is unable to work with the males on the ranch, and it leaves her feeling abandoned by Curley: “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”(77). In other words, while everybody else is working, Curley’s wife has nothing else to do but sit in a house and not have any communication with anybody. In the late 1930’s, women couldn’t work on ranches like these to make money, and even though it wasn’t necessary for her to try to work and make money since she is married to Curley, she had nothing to do while all the men were working.