The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a story which follows the lives of two migrant farm workers named George, a small man with well-defined features that can think quickly, and Lennie, a giant man that has some mental handicaps, as they start to work at a new job. The story takes place during the Great Depression where many men roamed the country in search of a place to settle down and make a living. Throughout the story, we meet many new characters who are facing similar struggles. When the two main protagonists arrive at the ranch, they are greeted by Candy, an old "Swamper" trying to make himself useful even with his age working against him. Later they learn of a man named Crooks who lives alone in the barn because of his dark …show more content…
This can be seen in Candy when he does not want his dog to get put down because he is afraid of being alone. When Candy is first introduced in the bunkhouse he is seen with an old, sick dog that is on its last breaths of life. Candy's love of the dog is apparent, but when he is asked to put the dog down he cannot bring himself to do it. He owned the animal for a very long time, and the order is too tall for him. "No, I couldn't do that [shoot his dog]... I'm so used to him... I had him from a pup (45). During this time period in history, many men wanted to be stable in any way possible. Many of them fluctuated between jobs and relationships, not knowing when their last day was going to arrive. Fortunately for Candy, he has always had a loyal companion, his dog. The thought of going back to a life without his dog, where nothing is stable was too much for him and he neglected the pain that his canine friend could have been going through. The effects of separation can be further seen in the way that Crooks act around other …show more content…
Crooks is a black man and is discriminated against by everybody else on the ranch. He does all of the dirty jobs and works behind the scene. One night when most of the people had gone into town Lennie went to find someone to speak with and tried to enter the Crooks' room, but he was promptly told that nobody is allowed in his room. "You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me."(68) Crooks impulsively rejected Lennie from his room because he receives the same treatment from the white people on the ranch. He didn't even think to consider that Lennie was trying to be a nice person. The friendly gesture that was offered to him seemed foreign so he shut it down. Human interaction was a feeling that he had not felt in a long time. When he was given the chance to communicate with another individual his instinct was to escape to his safe space. This is made even more evident when Crooks start to question why Lennie is in the
The only character who really cares for Candy’s dog is Candy himself. He is the only one opposed to the dog being put down because he has become attached to it; Candy has spent a lifetime with his dog and the thought of putting him down is too much for him. Candy wants to keep the dog alive for his own
Loneliness can be a very harsh emotion. Some let it take over their whole lookout on life . The way each individual deals with it is different but sometimes it bothers people to the point where they let it affect their dreams and decisions. In the book Of Mice and Men, characters make big decisions that affects their dreams that leave them unhappy.
In the book "Of Mice and Men" the theme isolation and loneliness is cast upon three characters which are only some of the examples: Candy, because of his age, Crooks, Because of his skin color, and Lennie because of his level of intelligence. However going deeper into the reasons of why candy is isolated and lonely. First we see how candy has no friends or family. Candy says "I'd make a will an' leave my share to you guy in case I kick off, 'cause I ain't got no relatives nor nothing" (Steinbeck 59).
In the book of Mice and Men there are many characters that are lonely and want their dreams to come true. This quote means that the good is gone and that the evil is taking over. “ The deep pool of the Salinas river was still in the late afternoon. Already the sun had left the valley to go climbing up the slopes of the Gabilan mountains, and the hilltops were rosy in the sun. But by the pool among the mottled sycamores, a pleasant shade had fallen.” First, the people that are socially lonely in the book is Crooks and Curley's wife. ( Curley’s wife)“ After a pause Crooks said. “ Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.” “ Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a literary masterpiece that paints a vivid picture of American life during the Great Depression. There are many recurring cycles, or themes, apparent in the novel. Three of these are loneliness, the American dream, and human nature. Using these cycles, Of Mice and Men offers a look back at the harsh reality faced by the American people who were living during the Great Depression. Steinbeck articulates the feelings of struggling Americans during that time in his spectacular novel.
“Crooks, the negro stable buck” is a man segregated from the others solely based on the colour of his skin, the novel is placed during the period of time when people of colour were discriminated against and considered to be of a lower social status than the average white man. Crooks, fitting into this category of segregation, is kept separate from the rest of the ranch hands and forced to live on his own in the barn. At one point in the novel, Lennie wanders over to Crooks’ housing when he notices his light. Lennie, being the ignorant fool he is, doesn’t understand why Crooks does not appreciate his presence. (put a connection between
Loneliness can be interpreted in many ways, but only one can fully describe the isolation and solitude in the characters of Of Mice and Men. Loneliness is a horrible thing, that is demonstrated to only be overcome by having a significant other and a dream to evolve from.
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men explores the struggles of the Great Depression and its many impacts on the characters of the book, concluded to isolation. The novella greatly emphasises loneliness as also presented by the metaphorical title: extracted from a dark poem by Robert Burns, referring to tragedy and despair. Even the setting of the book is illustrated in a similar manner. The possession of loneliness is portrayed by the impacts of the Great Depression on Crooks and the misinterpreted presence of Curley’s Wife at the ranch with the men, resulting both characters accompanied by rejection. Conversely, Steinbeck’s promotion of Lennie and George’s exquisite friendship contradicts the concept of loneliness.
He is separated from the other men and has his own room in the barn. His loneliness forces him to acquiesce when Lennie tries to sit down and talk to him. His understandable suspicions and fears about how others treat him return and he cannot see beyond the prejudice he has always experienced. All the characters in the book are in someway racist to Crooks and nobody talks or spends any time with him because he is black, which makes Crooks feel miserable, ‘"S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black.
Steinbeck has depicted the idea of isolation, companionship, and loneliness through the setting of "Of Mice and Men." During the Great Depression it seemed as if the attachment was abnormal. Talking about how different they are, Lennie states, "We got each other, that’s what gives a hoot in hell about us"(Steinbeck 104). Lennie's quote suggests that Lennie and George were companions, through the passion over their friendship amongst them. Unlike other peers, they were not alone, nor isolated. Working and traveling alone is all most men had ever known. Almost all characters relied on themselves when it came to support. With that being said, they didn't travel together or depend on one another due to their reoccurring fear of becoming isolated(Steinbeck).
Many people from the Great Depression were poverty-stricken and forced to wander the countryside for a continuous supply of jobs just to allow for the occasional drink, a trip to a cat house, or survival necessities. Endlessly wandering to find jobs prevented settling down, building a family, and the formation of steady friendships, so most traveled alone and didn’t care for anyone other than themselves for long stretches of time. Whether it be from a desire for attention that was never obtained, behavior issues, or the weight of constant responsibility, loneliness is a recurring theme in the novel Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck, and throughout the novel many characters show and discuss their loneliness. Curley's wife wanted attention and so, she would wear provocative clothes, do up her hair and wear heavy makeup to gain attention from the men on the ranch.
“You think, think, think.” (Tarantino). There are many similarities between the article of Silla Zelia and the book Of Mice and Men. It is important for people to feel important. The Characters in Of Mice and Men seem to be lonely, yet they are near others. This could be caused by social barriers, personal choice, or perhaps both.
Crooks, who lives alone and is treated differently because of his skin chooses to scoff and criticize Lennie, who is mentally held back. Because Crooks feels vulnerable, he criticizes Lennie’s dream of the farm and his dependence on George. He cannot face his own weaknesses of being black with a crooked back so therefore he must pick on Lennie’s weaknesses.
“Without someone, we are no one.” by unknown The significance of having someone is priceless. Without someone the chances of being consumed by loneliness grow exponentially . We can see this through the meticulous writing of the novel Of mice and men by John Steinbeck. This is a novel that follows two men, Lennie and George. George is a man who is not very large, but is quite intelligent while Lennie is rather large; however, he suffers from a mental handicap. George and Lennie meet several character who are seen as “Outcasts.” These characters struggle with loneliness. Characters such as Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife struggle more than others.
Mother Teresa once said, “Loneliness is a man’s worst poverty.” In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice And Men, we read of two main characters, George and Lennie, both of whom are migrant farm workers who eventually find work on a farm in Soledad, California. It is on this farm where they meet three characters, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife. These three characters are all the victims of a form of segregation. Candy is segregated because he is viewed as being old and handicapped. Crooks is segregated because he is the only African American on the farm. Curley’s wife is segregated because she is the only woman on the ranch. It is because of this segregation that these characters experience a painful loneliness, which is how one can see that the main theme of John Steinbeck’s novel is loneliness.