The theme of loneliness in

“Of Mice and Men” essay

In the novel “Of Mice and Men” loneliness is an important theme. The author John Steinbeck effectively conveys the theme of loneliness through setting and characters.

The plot is based around the two main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small who one day look forward to owning their own ranch. The novel begins when George and Lennie are chased out of Weed because Lennie had felt a girl’s dress. Lennie chooses to do this because he likes to stroke soft items. The two decide to work on a ranch in Soledad and begin the journey. On the journey the reader finds out that Lennie is a big strong individual who is not the smartest of folks. While George is small and intelligent with strong features. When arriving at the ranch they are introduced to the other ranch hands Slim, Candy, Carlson and Curly. George and Lennie respect Slim and communicate well with him which results Slim giving one of his pups to Lennie. When Lennie and George talk about their dream Curly enters and sees Lennie smiling. Letting his aggression to get to him Curly begins to fight Lennie. The outcome results a broken neck for Curly and a look of hell on Lennie’s face. When George and the other ranch hands go to play horse shoes Lennie goes to the barn to find his pup dead. While stroking the dead pup, Curly’s wife enters and the two talk of the past. She lets Lennie feel her hair and when he doesn’t stop she begins to scream. Lennie realises he will get into trouble he breaks her neck and disappears. When the ranch hands return Candy and George discover Curly’s wife’s body and tell the others. While the ranch hands attempt to find Lennie. George finds Lennie hiding in a bush. He calms him down and while Lennie is looking in the opposite side George shoots him in the back of the head. St the end of the novel the character Slim replies “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin them two guys?” to George.

The author, John Steinbeck portraits the theme of loneliness through the setting. The novel is set in the small town of Soledad. (loneliness in Spanish) The remoteness of the town Soledad is further emphasized by the fact that Steinbeck’s location never changes. The reader is told of the character’s location but is never described. This is proven when the ranch hands go into town. The location is never described.

The novel is set in a time which refers to loneliness. It ...

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The novel is set in a time which refers to loneliness. It is set during the great Depression (1920-1930). The Depression was when good fertile farming land was lost because of little or no rain. This resulted in many people moving further west to find work. With people moving friendship was hard to find. I think Steinbeck’s choice of time is an effective choice as it emphasises that people were looking for work rather than friends.

Apart from conveying the theme of loneliness through the setting Steinbeck also conveys through the characters. A character which Steinbeck uses to show loneliness is Crooks. Crooks is the stable buck Negro who has a little shed of the barn as his room. Born in California, Crooks lives by himself. Having been excluded from companionship that exists in the bunkhouse Crooks is disliked by all the ranch hands because of his appearance. It is strongly argued that Crooks would like someone close to him when he expresses himself to Lennie by saying “A guy needs someone - to be near him.” Although Crooks would like some company he tells Lennie “I aint wanted in the bunkhouse and you aint wanted in here my room.” This suggests Crooks is being mean back to Lennie and also wants some privacy. I think Crooks has no choice but to endure this prejudice as it could possibly demonstrate racial discrimination in the 1920s.

Another character which portraits the theme of loneliness is Curly’s wife. She is perhaps the most friendless character as she is expected to stay at home. By being the only female in the novel she is immediately isolated as she doesn’t fit in with the hard-working ranch hands. Steinbeck emphasizes that she is lonely by not giving her a name. The first time she visits the bunkhouse she is always claiming that she is looking for company but clearly she is looking for company. It is proven that she is lonely when she pleads with Lennie in the barn. She says “I never get to talk to nobody,” “I get awful `lonely.”

A third lonely character in the novel is Candy. Candy who is the old swamper thinks his future is more loneliness and then death. That is the thought with the dialogue “I wont have no place to go,” Candy’s loneliness situation is slightly different from the others as he has had a dog in his company. “I had ‘im since he was a pup,” and the dog turned out to be equivalent of a friend. The other men, all loners and migrant workers could not could not understand the idea of a friendship between the two and wanted the dog dead as it was useless and a nuisance. Carlson, a ranch hand member shot the dog in the barn with his Lugar.

In contrast, George and Lennie have each other and give a damn about one another. George and Lennie’s friendship was formed by George promising to Lennie’s aunt Clara that he will look after him. In the friendship I think that trust and respect have been developed. This is proven when Crooks asks Lennie what he would do without George? Lennie answers this question by replying “George wouldn’t do nothing like that.” At the end of the novel when he kills Lennie, George tries to give him a peaceful death with Lennie looking at the scenery and thinking about their dream of the ranch. George’s actions suggest that they care about one another.

John Steinbeck effectively expresses the theme of loneliness. This is conveyed through the setting and the characters.