Imagine a world where friends can only be found in legends and trust is a trait that is critically endangered. In the heartbreaking book Of Mice and Men, two friends, Lenny and George, must survive to succeed in their version of the American dream. Throughout the book, many symbols and themes appear to question many beliefs like the idea of mercy. One of the symbols of the book is the bunkhouse. In this story, the bunkhouse represents many terrible traits and desires of man and, in some cases, the end of dreams. One of the traits the bunkhouse represents in this story is distrust. In the bunkhouse, Lenny and George just arrive before they were questioned by the boss. During the interrogation, the boss asked George, “I said what stake you got …show more content…
in this guy? You takin' his pay away from him”(Steinbeck).
The reason why the boss said that was because he never seen a guy do so much for another guy. The boss just told us that all the guys he hired never trusted each other even though they all live in the same place, the bunkhouse. Another example of mistrust is when Slim and George were talking in the evening. As they talk, Slim said, “ You know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work a month, and then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn about nobody. It jus' seems kinda funny a cuckoo like him and a smart little guy like you travelin' together”(Steinbeck). In this example, the bunkhouse is a beacon attracting people who do not have the ability to trust each other. Every worker Slim saw who lived in the bunkhouse were always glancing back. Nobody cares enough to trust one another because you never know if they will turn against you. Another example of this mistrust is with Curley. In the same evening, Slim gets pissed at Curley and said, “ I'm gettin' God damn sick of it. If you can't look after your own God …show more content…
damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me”(Steinback). Early, Curley thought that Slim was with Curley’s wife and Steinbeck described Slim almost like a god. For Curley to doubt Slim who is described as a god, the amount of distrust is unbelievable. In this example, the bunkhouse is just a place Slim and Curley happened to be fighting, but the bunkhouse seems attracting the bad part of people. For some reason people with trust issues just gather around the bunkhouse, making it a symbol of distrust. Another trait the bunk represent is the feeling of being lonely.
In the story, Curley is most of the time running around, looking for his wife who always goes to the bunkhouse, showing the eye. She was in the stable with Lenny, Candy, and Crooks when she said, “ Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time”(Steinback). Even though she is married, Curley’s wife gets very lonely because Curley doesn’t care about her. To have some fun, she goes to the bunkhouse, but everyone think she’s trouble. The hands want her gone because they are afraid one of them would rat the other hand out for talking to her. Another example of loneliness is Candy. When Carlson said to shoot Candy’s old dog, Candy immediately argued and said, “"Well- hell! I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him”(Steinbeck). In a time where people can’t even trust Slim, people would get very lonely. Candy had the dog since it was a pulp. Even though it is a dog, Candy has a companion, a friend. So when Candy doesn’t want Carlson to kill Candy’s dog, it isn’t because he thinks the dog is still useful, but because once the dog dies, Candy will only have himself. In this example, the bunkhouse is the place where Candy decides to abandon his only friend and allow a stranger to be the last thing Candy’s dog sees when he dies. The bunkhouse may not be influencing these decisions, but people who been to bunkhouse can’t help but
feel lonely, making the bunkhouse a symbol of loneliness. Throughout the book, there were many misdeeds happening all around. Most of the misdeeds happened in the bunkhouse like Curley’s distrust to the god-like Slim, Curley’s wife constant check ins, Candy’s decision to have a stranger kill his dog, etc. In conclusion, the bunkhouse is a symbol for distrust and loneliness that the people around Lenny and George felt throughout the book.
This book, or novel should I say, is about loneliness, which is why every character in it faces this; in some way or the other, in different and various circumstances. Loneliness is a sign or is handicap ness as well. Crook, the Negro stable buck, longs for justice and camaraderie. Candy was not lonely but was made when Carlson, the impassive freak, killed his dog because he was old and worth nothing. Lennie and George were lucky in this matter. These two were all ways there for each other. They would keep each other out of loneliness. Curley’s wife is very flirtatious. Wonder why? Her marriage to Curley, for her, was just a compromise that she had to do. Now it’s as if her life is not hers anymore. She is in search of friendship. We don’t get to know about her main reason behind flirting so much until late in the book. She is lonely and has been ditched by many men earlier. She has been used by them and now she wants to develop a serious relationship. Everyone in this book have different reasons and tribulations for their loneliness.
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses stereotypes and discrimination to convey a message of how the characters feel. A lot of the stereotypes and clichés are just common beliefs of the times, but a few are situational. To quote a quite distinguished reader, "Characters are ‘trapped’- either by what others think of them, or by their situation." A lot of the character’s feelings about themselves and what others think of them will lead to loneliness.
The character Candy could be considered lonely after the death of his dog. Before that he seems relatively happy and, in fact, is quite gregarious in chapter two when George and Lennie first enter the bunkhouse of the ranch. He goes on about the other characters and describes the Boss, Slim, Crooks, Curley and Curley's wife. He even gossips with George, telling the story about the glove on Curley's left hand which is full of vaseline so he can keep "that hand soft for his wife."It is not until chapter three that Candy's life turns lonely. Carlson, a laborer on the ranch, believes that Candy's dog is too old and decrepit. He suggests that Candy shoot it to put it out of its misery. Candy can't do it and, because Slim gives Carlson the approval, the man takes Candy's dog and kills it.
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, for 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.
Lennie asks George to “tell it again” often, which usually follows “ ‘Come on George. Tell me. Please George, Like you done before.’ ‘You get a kick outta that, don’t you? Awright, I’ll tell you, and then we’ll eat our supper…’ George’s voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before” (13). In this quote, Lennie beseeches George to tell the story like he always does, and George obliges. Although George may think in the back of his head that his story will never happen, Lennie’s innocence silences that thought and persuades George to think that someday he might be living as he said he would be. Crooks responds to Lennie and Candy once he realizes that they were serious when they talked about the land that they would live on. “…If you…guys would want a hand to work for nothing--just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to” (76). In these lines, Crooks wants to become part of the dream because of its innocence, which convinces Crooks that he would no longer be lonely once he finds himself on the cottage with everyone else. Lennie’s innocence blinds everyone with the idea that they can change their future, which tragically ends by Lennie’s
The second lonely outcast is Curley?s wife. The other ranch hands stay away from her because she is a woman and because she is the wife of the boss? son. Also, even though her husband is very jealous, she is so lonely that she tries to get attention from the ranch hands, which makes Curley even angrier and more jealous. She is like the outcast of the outcasts. One night, when everyone else is away from the ranch, Lennie and Candy are in Crooks? room. Even though it is just the three ?. . . weak ones here? (Steinbeck,84), when Curley?s wife is lonely and wants to join them, they won?t let her: ?Maybe you better go along to your own house now.
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 provide information about Curley’s Wife, Candy and Crooks’ loneliness. Curley’s Wife was probably one of the loneliest characters of all. She never talked to anyone and she never really liked Curley all that much.
Steinbeck expresses the theme of loneliness in the character of Candy. Candy is lonely because his is missing half an arm. Candy?s disability separates him from society, an example of Curley being set aside is when everybody else goes to town he is left in the barn with Crooks, Lennie, and Curley?s wife. Candy?s only friendship was with his old, smelly dog. Candy?s dog was a symbol of himself (old, and useless). When Carlson kills Candy?s dog he kills Candy on the inside as well.
Listen to the guys yell out there. They got four dollars bet in that tenement. None of them ain’t gonna leave till it’s over.” “If George sees me talkin’ to you he’ll give me hell,” Lennie said cautiously.” (Steinbeck, 85)
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.
Candy, Crook’s and Curley’s wife all were lonely and they dealt with it in unique way to make themselves feeling lonely. I think one of the most important lessons in the novel is friendship and having a social interaction with other human beings are very important and we all should be grateful, because it keeps us far way from loneliness. I remember a time when I was lonely I couldn’t stand it. When my mom and the family went out to the store for a while to go shopping. I felt I was going to explode, it didn’t feel like just a couple of minutes it felt like days. From the second they walked in the door I was greeting the, they thought I was eccentric. They kept “asking are you okay?” That was just about an hour I don’t want see if it was for a week.
Life is an array of emotions and experiences. At times it blesses us with experiences that instill feelings of happiness and joy, in which we are able to celebrate life and all it could offer us. Other times life hits us in the face, letting us endure hardships, sadness, depression and loss. Most may argue that Of Mice and Men is either intended to celebrate the joys of life or meant to be a depressing book. Yet what most fail to see is that Of Mice and Men portrays both aspects of human life through the mutual friendship of two uncommonly men, George and Lennie, the dream they both share, and the sudden calamity that befall them.
Loneliness is destructive as humans need company to survive. Loneliness is described through the characters in this story when Curley’s wife is treated poorly by all of the men as none of them want Curley to get mad at them. “Well I ain’t giving you no
Loneliness happens often in this book with almost all of the characters. Steinbeck created this book to show what was going on during the great depression. You couldn’t go where ever you wanted because money was in fact an issue. Lucky for the people on the ranch they were fed because of all the work they put in during the day. Specific characters that were lonely were Candy and Curley’s wif...