Explore the themes of loneliness and isolation in John Steinbecks novel Of Mice and Men

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Tom Dyson 10L        

English essay

Explore the themes of loneliness and isolation in John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men

In this essay I am going to analyse the novel Of Mice and Men, published in 1937 and written by the American author John Steinbeck. The novel is set in a time of economic depression which in America was recognised to start at the stock market crash in 1929. The economic slump left many people with nothing left, out of work and mentally depressed. So, many were forced to go into hard labour agriculture jobs, much like the characters in the book.

The title of the book was taken by Steinbeck from a poem called ‘To a mouse’ by Robert Burns written in 1785, one of the main lines in the poem is ‘The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley’ which translates as ‘The best laid schemes of Mice and Men often go awry’, this quote gives clues to the plot of the book in which the plans of the main characters do go wrong.

The novel is set in California in the Salinas valley which is also where the author John Steinbeck grew up, the valley also known as the ‘Dust Bowl’ due to the hot climate is where George and Lennie got to find work near a place called Soledad. Soledad is the Spanish word for Solitude and the town is purposely chosen by Steinbeck to tie in with the themes.

The main plot of the novel is as follows, George and Lennie two companions traveling together to find work go to the a ranch in the Salinas valley for work after being chased off their last job.

I will mainly be analysing the themes of loneliness and isolation which are obvious

throughout the book and effect many characters.  

        George and Lennie’s relationship is unusual in context to the time in which the book was written. Many people were out of work, had no money and just generally depressed so it was common practice for people to search the country jumping between jobs all on their own. The fact that people switch between jobs very quickly is made apparent at the start of the book when the path that George and Lennie take is described as “A path beaten hard”, and the place where they choose to sleep the night has an “…ash pile made by many fires”. So the fact that George and Lennie travel together as companions is very unusual. Also you wouldn’t expect to find two men with opposing characters and different degrees of intelligence together, so it is hard to imagine how Steinbeck could justify having these two characters as companions. However it becomes apparent early on in the novel that they have a mutual need for each other, Lennie needs George to guide him and almost be his Father, and George needs Lennie because he feels its his responsibility to look after and whilst carrying out that responsibility he has grown to him and needs him as that companion.

        Steinbeck also uses the other characters based at the ranch to make it distinct that George and Lennie’s relationship is not a usual one. From when they first arrive at the ranch the Boss immediately questions them when he accuses George of having different motives for being with Lennie just for companionship: “I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin his pay away from him?”  This quote shows that the boss is confused at George and Lennie’s motives for traveling together and because of this is jumping to conclusions about George. The Boss’s son Curley also appears surprised at George and Lennie’s company together, during Curley and George’s first meeting when Curley asks George “What the hell are you gettin’ into it for”, George replies with “We travel together” this surprises Curley and he responds as if it is not common when he says “Oh it’s that way is it”. Even one of the more friendly characters at the ranch, Slim, expresses his curiosity and confusion when he questions George on why they are together: “Funny how you an’ him string along together”, George again goes on the defensive when asked a question about their relationship when he says “What’s funny about it?” and then Slim tells him about the rarity of their relationship; “Oh I dunno. Hardly none of the guys ever travel together. I hardly never seen two guys travel together.”  

        In the early stages of the novel it becomes apparent to why George must look after Lennie, due to the fact that he has the demeanor of a child. From the very first time we meet George and Lennie in the novel it becomes obvious that Lennie follows George in every way, exactly how a child would. Lennie dresses exactly like George, “Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats”, “even in the opening one stayed behind the other”, “Both wore black shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket roles slung over their shoulders”. Lennie even attempts to act like George, “Lennie who had been watching, imitated George exactly”. All this behaviour expressed by Lennie is very typical of any young child trying to copy their father or mother.  Just as Lennie takes the role of the child in their relationship, George also takes the role of the father. When he says “I gotta tell you again, do I?” its exactly like how a father would have to constantly tell the child where they are going and then even having to repeat it. The way George doesn’t trust Lennie with certain formalities like looking after his own work card, “Think I’d let you carry your own work card”, this is again reminiscent of a fathers actions. A father occasionally has to be a figure of authority to his child and George does not disappoint. When Lennie is hiding the dead mouse in his hand George uses his authority to eventually get Lennie to give up the dead mouse. The highlight of the confrontation over the dead mouse is when after much to and fro George finally cracks and shouts “Give it here!” This outburst beats Lennie into submission and he surcomes to George’s authority by handing over the mouse.

        The resemblance to a father and son relationship is not the only uncommon thing about George and Lennie’s being together, the fact that they have two opposing characters and also that despite their friendship they still manage to show signs of isolation from the other characters in the book.  Due to Lennie’s intellectual difficulties George has to self assign himself a constant duty of looking after Lennie, as a result he has no time for himself or time to socialise with other people. There is plenty of evidence for George’s isolation from socialising in the book like when George says “God a’mighty if I was alone. I could live so easy”, George is saying that without Lennie it would be much easier because he would be relieved of looking after him. The fact that Lennie bring trouble with him where ever he goes leaves little time for George to ever settle down in one place and really strike up any relationships with other people. Also down to Lennie’s mental difficulties is the inability for George to strike up a conversation with Lennie. Often in the book George is left almost speaking to himself, like when George is complaining about the Bus driver failing to drive them down the extra stretch of the road, Lennie fails to reply or acknowledge this. “I bet it was more than four miles. What a God damn hot day” after this rant by George Lennie does not reply or in anyway acknowledge it, and carries on with his constant circle of asking George repeated questions when he says “Where we going George”.

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        Lennie’s isolation is left less apparent in the book mostly down to his inability to communicate with intelligence because of this Steinbeck shows his loneliness through his actions. One of these is his habit of wanting to hold and stroke soft things, this is a sign of his fear of loneliness. Being alone for Lennie would mean being without George, and his need for George is shown when Crooks scares Lennie by putting thoughts into his head about George not coming back.

         George and Lennie are together because they have a mutual need for each others companionship but they also ...

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