The boss also reacts wary and cautious to George because he will not let Lennie speak and he starts telling the boss how good a worker Lennie is, for example George tells the boss Lennie is as strong as a bull. The boss thinks that George is taking Lennie’s pay away from him. I know this because the boss says, “I said what you got in this guy? You takin’ his pay away from him?”
On page 49 George plays solitaire. Solitaire is a game you play on your own so it indicates more loneliness.
On page 57 there is an example of Slims opinion. Slim is very respected by all the guys that work on the ranch and his opinions are like law. Slim comments there are not many guys that travel around together and that maybe the whole world is scared of each other.
On page 65 George and Slim have a conversation together. Slim is very intelligent and is very interested and curious about what George has to say. George talking to Slim is a change to talking to Lennie because a lot of the time George just explains the dream to Lennie or repeating things that Lennie has forgotten.
On page 67 George tells Slim about what happened in Weed. George at first hesitates to tell Slim what happened in Weed. George says “You wouldn’ tell – no , course you wouldn’.” This shows that George has been so used to not trusting anyone, he has to remind himself about how trusting Slim is.
On page 79 the rancher’s lonely life is again outlined. They go into town, go to a whorehouse, get drunk and spend all their money while they watch the time go by.
On page 87 George and Lennie believe their dream of having their own place could actually come true, but only with the help of Candy putting in quite a lot of money. In the book it say’s “This thing they had never really believed in was coming true.” They are all very excited and elated about the dream, George would tell Lennie just to pass the time away.
On page 145 - George shoots Lennie. As George is about to shoot Lennie he repeats the dream to Lennie for last time and accepts loneliness as he kills his longtime companion. George was extremely sad and devastated about losing Lennie, his best friend. When George reluctantly kills Lennie and all the other guys arrive only Slim understands how George is feeling because the other guys have never had anyone to care about.
Candy staves off loneliness by having his dog as his companion and company for him.
On page 49 and 50 George and Candy begin to talk about Curley’s wife. Candy thinks that Curley’s wife is a tart and she is also eying up all the men on the ranch, even though she has only been married two weeks. Candy likes to gossip to other people if they are receptive.
On page 89 Candy believes he has escaped loneliness when he kindly offers to put money into George and Lennie’s dream. Candy is desperate to get his own place because when he is old and not able to work any more the boss will just tell Candy to leave the ranch and Candy will have nowhere to go as the ranch is his home.
On page 132 Candy is angry with Curley’s wife because she has just spoilt the dream George, Lennie and Candy had together. The dream was going to provide Candy with a happy end to his life with his friends. Candy is so angry he say’s to her “You God damn tramp, you done it, di’n’t you? I s’pose you’re glad. Ever’ body knowed you’d mess things up. You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now, you lousy tart.”
Curley’s wife is another lonely person on the ranch. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch, which makes it hard to associate with other people. Curley’s wife will talk to anyone for a bit of company, that is why she goes to talk to Lennie Candy and Crooks. You can tell that Curley’s wife would rather not be talking to the likes of them. This is shown when she call’s them, “a nigger, a dum - dum and a lousy ol’ sheep.”
On page 110 Curley’s wife outlines her loneliness by telling them about how Curley expects her to stay in the house on her own all day until he finishes work. This is shown when Curley’s wife say’s “Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twice, and then bring in the ol’ right cross?”
On page 122 Curley’s wife is so lonely, she goes to talk to Lennie in the barn. When she first comes into the barn Lennie was uneasy about talking to her, but Curley’s wife eventually encouraged him to talk. She talk’s to Lennie about her background and how she could have been an actress in Hollywood and wear nice clothes. This is Curley’s wife’s dream. But as she gets more comfortable and relaxed with Lennie she lets him stoke her hair, as Lennie likes to stoke soft things. When stoking her hair Lennie begins to panic and he kills her by breaking her neck. So eventually loneliness kills her.
Crooks is the loneliest person on the ranch. On page 99 Crooks invites Lennie in into his bunkhouse. Crooks is lonely because he is black, he even has his own bunkhouse because the other guys say’s he smells and he is not allowed in the other guys bunkhouse. Crooks invites Lennie into his bunkhouse because he is safe and does not know any better.
Crooks begins to outline his life by saying he was always lonely. Crooks say’s “My old man had a chicken ranch, ‘bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that. I never knew till long after why he didn’t like that. But I know now.” But overall he has been lonely and forlorn all his life.
Steinbeck has used loneliness in many different ways but overall this theme underpins the whole novel. He describes the characters very differently but except for one thing loneliness. I believe the whole world could have been a lot better and happier if everyone forgot what colour skin they had, forgot how clever they were and tried to get along with each other.
By James Fretwell
