Loneliness in John Steinbeck s Novel “of Mice and Men “ Essays

Loneliness in John Steinbeck s Novel â€Å"of Mice and Men â€Å" Essays Loneliness in John Steinbeck s Novel â€Å"of Mice and Men â€Å" Paper Loneliness in John Steinbeck s Novel â€Å"of Mice and Men â€Å" Paper Essay Topic: Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men is a powerful and moving novel by John Steinbeck, telling of two men following their dream of independence in the midst of the Depression. The story begins in the foothills of Salinas, California, in the middle of the Great Depression. Throughout this entire novel, there are many examples of loneliness. Steinbeck stresses the theme of loneliness through the characters working on the ranch, particularly Crooks, Candy, and Curleys wife. George and Lennie are two ranch hands that travel together, with George watching over the mentally inferior Lennie. When they start work at a new ranch, several different characters are introduced. One affliction that seems to face several characters is loneliness, created by factors such as the character’s lifestyles and by social standards of the time period. The book begins with a calm and peaceful setting of nature. ‘A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops close to the hill-side and runs deeps and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. This shows the peaceful world of nature, it is very calm and tranquil. The pool shows signs of innocence, as it are only a branch of the Salinas River. The river is a sign of the secrets and the future in nature and the novel. The deep green makes it unable to see the riverbed; this shows signs of a faint and perhaps a dangerous view of the future. Despite the movement and the motion of the river, there are still signs of loneliness; there is only the c yclical of nature. The language Steinbeck uses to describe the setting is sophisticated and formal. Steinbeck’s theme that loneliness is unhealthy and dangerous to a person’s well being is emphasized throughout the novel. This underlying theme is first introduced in the novel when George talks to Lennie about the advantage they have over other travelling workers of the time. Steinbeck presents the theme of loneliness through the characters. The language he uses to describe the landscape and characters show signs of loneliness. The character’s past reflect their loneliness and the death of both Candy’s dog and Lennie create the major theme of loneliness. Nature and animals play a large role in the story, the main comparison of man and nature is when Lennie is described as a bear. George described how other ranch hands like themselves who travelled alone had nothing to look forward to, and no one to look after them. He told Lennie how other workers would just work up a stake and blow it at a bar because they had no where else to go, no one else to look after them. George and Lennie share a bond so strong that when one is destroyed, the other inevitably is as well. Steinbeck often stresses how ranchers are loners, and George and Lennie are the only ones who travel in pairs. They seem to be two halves of the same person, and they know how special together they truly are. Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world They got no family. They dont belong no place They aint got nothing to look ahead to With us, it aint like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us . George appreciates Lennie’s friendship because he knows that being alone can lead to a more negative view on life. Towards the end of section one, before George and Lennie reach the ranch, they camp for the night in a beautiful clearing and George assures Lennie of their special relationship. In this passage, George explains their friendship, which forms the heart of the novel. One of the first friends they make on arrival at the new ranch is a man named Candy. Candy is another character who deals with loneliness. He is the oldest man on the ranch and is disabled. The only work he can do is cleaning out the bunkhouse and other odd jobs. His only companion is his old dog who stays by his side. His only company, his faithful, old, blind, toothless dog, is stripped away from him and killed. Now left with nothing Candy fears that he will be treated the same way in the future and begs Lennie and George to let him work on their future ranch. Candy says, I wont have no place to go, an I cant get no more jobs. Candy says this because he knows after he gets canned he wont have anything to live for, he will just live out in the country all by himself. After Carlson shot Candy’s dog, reality hit because he can’t work because of his missing hand and he lost his only friend he had for years. When candy was ease dropping on George and Lennie’s conversation about their future plans when they get enough money, he was eager to join and help out because he had nothing left at the ranch for example â€Å"I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys incase I kick off, cause I ain’t got no relatives nor nothing† (59). This quote relates to loneliness because once Candy dies, he doesn’t have no family or friends to leave his belongings to and there’s nothing else on the ranch Candy can do so he might as well leave with George and Lennie. Crooks is an African American who experiences loneliness and isolation in the ranch. First of all, Crooks fascination to George and Lennies friendship demonstrates his loneliness and solitude. As Crooks says hesitatingly, If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing- just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. I aint so crippled I cant work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to. (76). Crooks shows that he can do everything to be with others. Crooks aspires to find a friendship by joining the dream of George and Lennie, to live off the fatta the lan' (14) with them. This is Crooks desperate attempt to make friends and be with others in order to overcome the loneliness and isolation he faces in the ranch. Moreover, the the jealousy and curiosity of George and Lennies friendship lead to Crooks desire to make friends with Lennie. Crooks expresses his loneliness and anguish to Lennie, A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Dont make no difference who the guy is, longs hes with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely and he gets sick. (72). Curley’s wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel; she has no identity, she is seen as an object, a possession of Curley’s She wants attention and by gaining that attention, she act the way people think. Curley’s wife tries to talk to somebody besides her own husband, whom she can never find, but everybody in the ranch refuses, due to her husband’s reactions and anger problems when somebody tries to talk to her. She likes to dress up and wear a lot of make up, to attract the men. The men on the other hand do not flirt with her, as they are afraid of what Curly might do. For example Curley’s wife was trying to talk to Lennie when he was alone in the barn but Lennie refuses because George warns him about her. â€Å"I get lonely, you can talk to people but I can’t talk to nobody but curly† (87). This quotation relates to loneliness because no one, not even Lennie, will have a conversation with Curley’s wife and that’s all she pleads for. Like Curley’s wife, Crooks also has no name, it is just a nickname the other ranch-hands use because he is crippled. He is intelligent and very well organised; he has his own room where he keeps his books and possessions. For him, his room is a haven or an oasis. ‘For, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about†¦this room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man. ’ This shows signs of isolation, as there is no one to comment on the tidiness of his room. He feels isolated and bitter. He is the victim of oppressive violence and prejudice on the ranch. When he first meets Lennie, there is an immediate rejection of friendship mainly due to the anguish of his loneliness. ‘Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outa my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room. ’ He does not know that Lennie is unlike the other men, he has been criticised and made fun off, so he does not appreciate the company of others until he gets to know them and their attitude towards him. He tells Lennie of his hopes of having some one to talk to. ‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely, an’ he gets sick. ’ He admits to feeling isolated, he wishes for a friend to talk to. For a moment, Lennie seems to be a new friend, Lennie sees Crooks as an individual, a person in his own right. Crooks respects him for this and is excited about his new companionship. Again the reader only finds this out when Crooks tells Lennie about his feelings. Crooks admits to not having a dream as he is afraid of disappointment, he does however get caught up in working with George and Lennie in the dream farm. His hopes are shattered by George’s dismissive attitude. ‘I didn’ mean it. Jus foolin’. I wouldn’t want to go no place like that. ’ The lonely characters feel they can confide in Lennie, as they know he will not tell anyone. Crooks is treated as an outcast due to the perspective of race and black people of the time. Black people were seen as outcasts that had no right to mix with the whites. Curley is a small ex-boxer. He is one of the most violent characters on the ranch. He hopes that by being violent and aggressive towards the weaker characters, he will gain authority. He however avoids those he considers to be strong and with authority, such as Slim. He sees everyone with a lower status and sees people as a ladder. Through this novel, Steinbeck illustrates the loneliness results from racial discrimination and prejudice in ranch life during that time period. He demonstrates that the extreme loneliness would eventually lead to peoples desperate attempts at making friends. Loneliness, is humans major enemy that caused by discrimination and prejudice among humans. Only friendship can prevent humans from suffering from loneliness.