The author’s use of description about how the Heron jumps into the river portrays loneliness. Steinbeck describes the jump as ‘lifeless’. This word has an affect on the reader because in the readers mind it creates an image that there is nothing there and it is dull and empty. So that sense of nothingness reminds us as readers of loneliness.
Another way that loneliness is presented in the novel is by the lack of human presence. Throughout the whole of Chapter 1, George and Lenny are the only two characters in the entire forest. The emptiness of the forest not only shows how lonely the place was, it reflects on how the lives of the people of that time were also empty and lonely.
George and Lenny’s relationship shows loneliness. This is because even though they are physically together, mentally they are on different levels. This is because Lenny being disabled finds it hard to understand and process what George is saying. This makes it hard for George and Lenny to communicate well and so there is a part of George which is lonely because he has nobody to understand his feelings and to talk to.
However George and Lenny’s relationship also can contrasts loneliness. Further on in the novel George goes on to say how he and Lenny are ‘different’ from the other ranch workers, because they have each other. This shows that even though Lenny does not understand George completely, having someone there and talk to is enough to fill the hole of loneliness.
George and Lenny’s dream shows loneliness, this is because for a lonely person dream is all they have. That little bit of hope from there dream helps them escape from the despair of loneliness because they have something to look forward to.
Steinbeck’s description of the bunkhouse shows how dull and dark the workers lives are. The word ‘whitewashed’ and ‘unpainted’ is used to describe the walls and floor of the building. It shows how neglected and old it is almost like it too is lonely and missing colouring similar to the lives of the workers.
Steinbeck’s use of symbolisation presents the theme loneliness. The constant use of ‘light’ and ‘dark’ symbolises the hope and loneliness of the migrant workers. The inside of the bunk is described as having ‘small square windows’. This means a little light can come in to the bunk house, and so there is a little hope, and it is dark inside showing how the bunks house and the lives of the workers are full o loneliness.
George and Lenny travelling together come as a surprise to all the other ranch workers. It is rare to see two people travel together as workers usually travel alone. Because, they move a lot from ranch to ranch they do not have a chance to build friendships and relationship. This shows us the loneliness of the workers.
Steinbeck uses the characters in the novel to develop on loneliness. Each character in the novel represents different parts of the American society during the depression. Candy the old and physically disabled, Lenny the mentally disabled, Crooks the ethnic minority, Curly’s wife the women. All these characters are marginalised throughout the whole novel. They reflect on the sadness of that time loneliness.
The anecdote Steinbeck uses reveals Lenny has absolute trust in George. It shows how strong their friendship is and how they are ‘different’ to the other workers.
Loneliness is presented through the games the workers play. In the bunk the workers play a game of solitaire. Solitaire is a one player game and this shows the extent of their loneliness, how they are so lonely they even play on their own. Also the word solitaire again in Spanish means loneliness. Within the name of the game there is the word sole which makes you think of lonesome.
