The boss believes that George is exploiting Lennie. The other men come to see that their friendship is built upon loneliness. Others such as Crooks, Candy, Curley’s wife and maybe Slim are jealous of their relationship. Although both George and Lennie are close friends, they are still lonely in the sense that they are not alike. Lennie is lonely in the sense that there is no one who is as simple-minded as he is, but he does not realise this.
Candy is one of the loneliest characters in the book. Candy and his dog’s relationship resemble George and Lennie’s relationship. In the same way, that Candy seeks comfort in his dog, Lennie seeks comfort in George. Candy has a parental role towards his dog, just as George has a parental role towards Lennie. Lennie can be compared with the dog in the sense that he listens, but does not talk; this provides comfort for those who talk to him about their feelings. Both Lennie and Candy’s dog are shot by the same gun (Carlson’s luger). Carlson is unsentimental about Candy’s dog, as he can see no practical use for it.
‘He ain’t no good to you Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him Candy?’ (P. 71)
His suggestion is reasonable for the other men in the bunk- house but he seems oblivious to the strong bond between Candy and his dog. Candy tries to justify the reasons for keeping his dog.
‘I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him.’ (P.71)
He has no influence with the men; and his dog is taken by Carlson and shot. Candy is left lonely and deserted after he loses his lifetime companion. He later cheers up after he joins in with George and Lennie’s plan of owning the dream farm.
‘I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off.’ (P. 87)
Candy promises them, that if he died, he would leave George and Lennie his money. This increases his chance of becoming part of the dream. It also increases the chance of the dream becoming reality.
Carlson is also a lonely character; he is callous and does not know the appreciation of friendship. He has his gun to look after and care for, the movement of his hands whilst he cleans it show signs of loneliness, he also appears nonchalant.
‘He laid them on his bed and then brought out the pistol…took out the magazine and snapped the loaded shell form the chamber then he fell to cleaning the barrel with the little rod.’ (P. 80)
He spends time looking after the gun, he does not take part in the conversation between the other men, he feels happy with his gun and does not see the value of friends and companionship.
Curley’s wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel; she has no identity, she is seen as an object, a possession of Curley’s. Curley’s wife is seen as a flirtatious ‘tart’ by the other ranch-hands, Curley’s wife does flirt, she is very conscious of the effect this has on men. She wants attention and by gaining that attention, she acts the way people expect.
‘She had full rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red.’ (P.53) She confides in Lennie and tells him about her dreams of becoming a movie star. Steinbeck uses Lennie as a voice to the reader; it is because of him that the reader finds out about Curley’s wife’s dreams and feelings.
‘Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in the pitchers. Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies.’ (P.124)
She seems to be obsessed by her appearance; she wants the fame and glamour. She appears to have given up her dreams as she married Curly, she feels as though her dreams have been shattered and that she can no longer achieve her goals.
Although the men think it is wrong of her to flaunt herself sexually and give everyone the ‘eye’, the men all visit a whorehouse for sexual gratification and momentary companionship. Those like George and Whit contradict themselves when they talk about Curley’s wife as being ‘jail-bait’.
‘I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.’ (P. 54)
During the 1930s, women were seen as possessions of their husbands who were to stay at home. George’s view of women, seem to be very basic and biased, he sees them as instruments to relieve physical urges.
‘She never talks dirty, neither. Got five girls there.’ (p.79)
George does not express the need for any female companionship mainly because he is too busy keeping Lennie out of trouble.
Like Curley’s wife, Crooks also has no name, it is just a nickname the other ranch-hands use because he is crippled. He is intelligent and very well organised; he has his own room where he keeps his books and possessions. For him, his room is a haven or an oasis.
‘For, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about…this room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man.’ (P. 99)
This shows signs of isolation, as there is no one to comment on the tidiness of his room. He feels isolated and bitter. He is the victim of oppressive violence and prejudice on the ranch. When he first meets Lennie, there is an immediate rejection of friendship mainly due to the anguish of his loneliness.
‘Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outa my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.’ (P. 100)
He tells Lennie of his hopes of having some one to talk to.
‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely, an’ he gets sick.’ (P. 105)
The lonely characters feel they can confide in Lennie, as they know he will not tell anyone. Crooks is treated as an outcast due to the perspective of race and black people of the time. Black people were seen as outcasts that had no right to mix with the whites.
A debatable character is Slim, is he lonely, does he feel isolated? Because of his calm attitude and natural authority, the less lonely characters rely on him. He is understanding and kind, which is why George tells him of the incident in Weed. He does not seem to have a friend, does that mean he has resigned? There is however some hope for him after Lennie is shot, he is the one who comforts George and tells him he done the right thing.
‘You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. Come on with me.’ (P. 148)
Steinbeck pays attention to the description of the characters; he mainly concentrates on the hands. Lennie’s hands are described as paws, Candy has one missing, Curley keeps his left hand in a glove, Crooks’ palms are noted (colour). George has strong but small hands, Slims hands are mentioned and Curley’s wife’s hands are only described in terms of fingernails.
Steinbeck presents the theme of loneliness through the characters. The language he uses to describe the landscape and characters show signs of loneliness. The character’s past reflects their loneliness and the death of both Candy’s dog and Lennie create the major theme of loneliness. Nature and animals play a large role in the story; the main comparison of man and nature is when Lennie is described as a bear.
‘He walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.’(P. 19)
Steinbeck wants to show the size and strength of Lennie therefore he compares him to a bear through this animal metaphor.
The book was written during the 1930s during the Great Depression. This was a difficult time for America and its people; Steinbeck shows the fear of the Depression by having the men all work together. No matter how much the men on the ranch stick together and some may support each other, they are still lonely.
