While the whole ranch suffers from loneliness there are a few individual cases that are emphasised throughout the whole book. There are three main people in the book who suffer, Crooks, Candy and Curleys Wife. They all suffer injustice in the form of prejudice and discrimination.
Candy was thought of as an outcast as he has no longer got the physical ability due to his age; and his physical disability does not help his cause. Candy had one true friend nevertheless, his dog. Once the dog was killed by Carlson, Candy was forced to seek friendship in another form. He knew that he was going to be given his marching orders shortly, as he said “they’ll call me purty soon.” While he was in the bunk house one day, he over heard George and Lennie talk about their lifelong dream. Candy decided to help George and Lennie accomplish their dreams. Candy had presented to facilitate in the form of money and manual labour. This was a move of desperation but worked as the two men accepted Candy’s offer. Candy basically tried to buy friendship, this does not always produce true friends.
Crook’s a black man who faced isolation from the racist community. Crooks is not allowed to socially interact with others around him because of his colour which is similar to Lennie’s situation as Lennie was unable to interact with people due to his mental condition. Crook’s is restricted from doing customary things along side the white. He recognises how he has been treated and acts towards the white people who have affronted him how he himself is being treated. Crook’s is also an envious man. He is extremely resentful of George and Lennie’s tight friendship as Crook’s says to Lennie while in the barn together “well, s’pose, jus s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?” this was asked because Crook’s did not have any friends and did not know how it would feel to lose them unexpectedly. Knowing that Lennie was mentally ill, Crook’s decided to torture him because he wanted to ease some anger because he was discarded and unwanted by the others. Crook’s is so lonely and striving for a good life he will do anything to live peacefully.
Another person who is tormented from isolation is Curley’s wife. She is tormented from a different kind of isolation caused by her husband. All the workers at the ranch are scared to talk to and interact with Curley’s wife as, his dad owns the ranch. Therefore we don’t even know Curley’s wife’s name as in the book as she was never asked. Curley is described as a jealous man but really he does not pay any attention, or give any time to his wife. She is longing for a life long companion to share her view and dilemmas with which she has not found Curley. She recognises this and repeatedly says at different times “What’s the matter with me? Ain’t I got the right to talk to nobody?” she is seeking sympathy and friendship. To relieve her solitude she dresses nicely, flirts with the workers and wears a lot of make up as she wants attention. She also has not got familiarity with speaking to people because when she was speaking to Lennie. She wanted to say all she had to say in an outburst. What’s more she kept on asking Lennie if he was listening, showing she wanted to be heard.
Throughout the whole book unfulfillment is a major theme. Even though the whole ranch and its workers long for bit of land and a small house of their own the major characters have their dreams emphasized. Firstly George and Lennie have had a Life long dream of having a small house and a bit of land. Which was not accomplished as Lennie at the end of the book was shot. Secondly there was Curley’s wife who had vast acting talent and was invited to go to Hollywood and act but was limited and was held back by Curley. She was denied her dream and therefore suffered further grief and loneliness. Thirdly there was Crook’s who had a dream of being treated equally as all the others. He wanted people to not take in to consideration his colour and just allow him to interact with others like anyone else. This also was an unfulfilled dream as he was never accepted by the white community and constantly treated like an outsider. Finally there was Candy who was involved in George and Lennie’s dream which was also incomplete and therefore unaccomplished.
The setting of the book “Of Mice and Men” was set in the 1930’s. A good quality indication of how the times were in those days is that in the book Slim is a man who is given a lot of respect. He is superior to all the workers, but in a special way as he is liked by everyone unlike he other leaders. Slim in the book is a great man who is a great worker, a great friend, a good listener, a good peace maker. Nevertheless he still is not running his own business. This shows that you have to be really rich or extremely special to be a business man.
Basically I believe the book states that loneliness is an inevitable fact of life which not even the strongest can avoid.
