Isolation

Loneliness is one of many central themes in John Steinbeck’s classic novella, Of Mice and Men. Throughout the story many characters sought after the company and attention of others. Each character has a certain barrier that keeps them isolated from the outside world. Three characters who portray this loneliness throughout the novella are Crooks, Curly’s wife, and Candy. Each having a different wall between them and society.

In a society of people all in the same situations how can someone feel so alone. When lives fall apart and people have nothing to hold on to people need each other most, yet are pushed so far from others. The novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck, follows the storyline of two men who are displaced farm workers during the Great Depression; they travel around and stick by each other’s sides no matter the circumstance. After many jobs they end up on a farm,the farm they hope will be their last stop. The time spent on the farm is filled with blooming friendships and careless quarrels, yet with an abundance of characters and entertainment- many people on the farm feel alone and out of place. Characters such as Crooks and Curley’s wife often come to mind when the subject of loneliness is brought up. Throughout the book using characters such as Crooks and Curley's wife, John Steinbeck demonstrates that humans are immensely impacted by separation from society and it will change the way that people will act and show themselves to others.

What does secrecy have to do with the suspense and power in a novel? Secrecy plays a great role in the Scarlet Letter. The secrecy to a story adds suspense and grabs the reader's attention. In the Scarlet Letter there is great secrecy among the characters and the townspeople. The cause of secrecy is very important, while it adds to the story, and makes it more enjoyable.

Barbara Sher once said, “‘Isolation is a dream killer’” (qtd. in Wishcraft). In his novella, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck scrutinizes the effects that alienation can have on society. Many characters experience loneliness throughout the novel. He illustrates the results of individuals becoming isolated from their peers. In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck portrays characters alienated from society in order to illustrate the harmful effects of loneliness caused by discrimination.

In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck has positioned the characters to help drive the plot, aid or hinder the protagonists, and deliver messages to readers. On the surface, Steinbeck’s novel seems to project a theme of loneliness, and man’s need for companionship. However, often the difference between the lonely and independent characters is obvious, and the contrast between the two groups is extreme. Most characters are completely alone, but how they manage their given circumstances can push the plot, reveal previously hidden traits that may benefit the overall story, and help the reader explore the novel itself more in depth.

In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, he illustrates the journey George and Lennie have throughout a significant part of their lifetime. Throughout the novel, many characters, including George and Lennie, are facing lonesome and they struggle to deal with it the right way. Most of the men are all alone because they have no family left or they isolate themselves from their peers. Loneliness touches each character at some point in the novel and it really emphasizes the impact it can have on an individual. Steinbeck uses the characters Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Candy to develop the theme that containing loneliness will make someone’s desperation deepen.

Crooks was a solitary man as well, being forced by the social boundaries at the time to keep to himself. He could not even make the idle chit-chat that the other men could to occupy themselves and sidestep the preliminary loneliness of working away from family. He was separated not only mentally but physically; “Crooks … had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn.” (Steinbeck 33) Crooks, who hailed from a different line of descent than the men surrounding him, was forced by the ethics of the era to stay separated. He had no one to confide in at all. He never mentions family, only lending to the fact that he has himself alone to talk to at all save when people give orders to him around the ranch. It is loneliness at its most concentrated. Not only was he separated but “[He] wasn’t wanted in the bunkhouse …” Not only is loneliness defined as being without companions and solitary, but as being “sad because one has no friends or company.” Not being wanted only makes one sad, and having no one to talk to makes Crooks a perfect match for the definition of loneliness. With Crooks, Steinbeck overwhelmingly makes the theme of loneliness readily apparent.

“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place.” Loneliness is a prevalent theme in Of Mice and Men. The novel, taking place in the 1930’s, sets a perfect example of isolation and most importantly, loveliness.

A recurring theme in Of Mice and Men is isolation. “Crooks says gently,”Maybe you can see now. You got

In the novel Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck, exemplifies the theme of loneliness, and is expressed through many characters in the novel. Crooks is lonely in his own way. Crooks is isolated because of his race, he lives by himself because he is the only black man on the ranch. He is physically separated from everyone else and has his own room in the barn, because of his crooked back he has limited social work or contact with the guys as he tends the horses. His loneliness forces him to acquaintance with lennie, when he tries to talk to him, crooks tries to shut himself away from lennie, the way people have been treating him in the past has caused him to put a chip on his shoulder and try to isolate himself from the world and anybody

At some point in one’s life there is not only contentment or grief, but a state of loneliness. Loneliness is a part of human life, although some suffer from isolation more than others. Being lonely can lead to depression or create a different persona in oneself. Struggling through isolation can eventually kill one’s soul, expecting no hope or ending up in dangerous situations. The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck portrays the theme of loneliness especially through two characters. Crooks and Curley’s wife experience the state of isolation as they crave for a friend or someone they can talk with. Steinbeck urges readers to feel pathos when analyzing Crooks and Curley’s wife through the nature of their isolation, their actions and

Joseph Dunn is the owner and general manager of Dunn’s Ski Emporium in Vail, Colorado. Business has been above their competitors for years, but Joseph believes he is able to bring in more business if he merges with the Deli next-door. The business from the ski emporium has attracted customers to the deli and vice versa. George is thinking of retiring in the next few years, and Joseph wants to ensure that George’s success continues after he retires. Joseph is a social architect by trade and has faith that he is able to change both businesses into one, while staying above his competitors. Change demands leadership, and leadership is about coping with change. The result is that businesses have to seek change to survive and compete effectively (Kotter, 1990).

Also he tends to react in this way because he is insecure about himself. Crooks, and his character development, is the outcome of him being isolated, lonely, separated from others, and discriminated against. Loneliness drives the way that people think, and how they feel. As Crooks trys to explain to Lennie how lucky he is to have someone to lean on, he feels a sense of sorrow, because what he is telling Lennie, is his life. Crooks proclaims to Lennie, “Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody--to be near him.” He whined, “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick” (72-73). This quote specifically is talking about Crooks life, and what he goes through everyday. That day Lennie became Crooks somebody, which is something he has never experienced before. At first he was hesitant about Lennie, but because he never talks to anyone, Crooks let him in because he realized that Lennie could be that somebody, somebody to talk to and connect with. Crooks symbolically represents loneliness, and the negative effects of not building/having

There have been little-known facts about children being sent to war under 15 until now (during World War II). Most theories suggest that children are sent to war in order to save their country or when there are fewer adults to fight. The conclusion is that when it comes to losing most people, the situation of that person’s life is more important than previously thought.

Isolation occurs when one does not have a support system where they can talk and express their thoughts and emotions. Isolation in the novel Of Mice and Men highlights the effects of  human nature by portraying it as something social and dependant on others rather than individuals first. This is shown by the characters when they get affected by isolation and become destructive, delusional, and desensitized from other people.