Discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel 'Of Mice and Men'

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'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't matter no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.'

A major theme in Steinbeck's novel is loneliness and isolation. Almost all of the characters including Crooks, Candy and Curley's wife suffer from loneliness, although the degree of their exclusion is varied. Intolerance is human nature; people who are different from or weaker than the average are victims of intolerance and become isolated and lonely. Those who are in the normal majority group are expected to be strong and not exhibit their feelings. The normal group or social power group in Of Mice and Men is the white, male workers on the farm. They are younger men who are average sized and quite intelligent. They exclude people who do not fit in with them such as Crooks for being black, Candy for being old and Curley's wife for being a woman. This intolerance and isolation cause loneliness for all the characters in the novel. These lonely characters are driven towards the curiosity of George and Lennies friendship because they do not have that support in their life. Through his novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck demonstrates how people affected by loneliness will always be in search of solutions to their dilemmas.

Candy, an old, physically disabled swamper who has worked on the ranch for his whole life is one of the characters singled out by the power group. Candy is plagued by his age and disability as he feels useless and worthless. He places himself in a state of mind that handicaps him more than his missing hand ever will. He looks down on himself as an old worthless man wasting away his last few years. He is often afraid of losing his work, not to mention his whole life I got hurt four years ago. Theyll can me purty soon. Jus as soon as I cant swamp out no bunk houses theyll put me on the county. He is fearful that he will have nowhere to go soon because he is old 'I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get no jobs.' Candy knows that society does not value or care about people who cannot work, and therefore, prefers to place himself in a state of solitude. He understands that society rejects seniors such as himself because they are stereotyped as useless and un-utilitarian. Carlson shows this when he discusses about Candy's dog, 'He ain't no good to you, Candy. An' he ain't no good himself. Why'n't you shoot him, Candy?' Candy's dog, old and frail like his owner, is his only companion and once he is put out of his misery, Candy is left completely alone in the world. As Candy loses his dog, he feels much lonelier than he is before. The dog is something Candy has owned and confided with within his years. He feels hollow because now he does not own a single important thing. Candy and his dog have the same connection that George and Lennie has shared for so many years. While Lennie has George and the ranchers have each other, Candy does not have anybody and this puts him in a condition of sorrow and depression.

Furthermore, he has premonitions of his doomed fate as he knows the ranchers will discard him like his dog when he is no longer useful 'They says he wasn't no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wish't somebody shoot me." To break his doomed fate, Candy tries to find a friendship by attempting to join the dream of George and Lennie - to own and run their own ranch. This is one of Candy's desperate attempts to find a place in society and meaning in life. Candy offers his services to become a part of George and Lennie's companionship and dream 'I'll wash dishes an' little chick stuff like that. But I'll be on your own place, an' I'll be let to work on our own place.' And he offers everything including his money, "Maybe if I give you money, you'll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain't no good at it." Candy is trying to overcome his loneliness and regain a positive outlook by seeking out situations that enable him to get involved with other ranchers. It is quite feasible that he is sorrowful and lonely because he is in search of the befitting person to be friends with.

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Women are also victims of prejudice, which leads to loneliness. Curley's wife dreamed of being a movie star, but the man who promised he would aid her never wrote to her. As a woman, during the depression, she has no choice but to marry someone who can support her. Society gives jobs and independence to men, but women have no power. (Curley's wife is not given a name in the novel. This may be Steinbeck's attempt to draw the readers' attention to the fact that she is viewed as unimportant or of lower status to the males.) She is on the bottom of society. Her marriage to Curley is a calamity because he only cares about himself. He is not interested in her at all. 'He's a guy ain't he? Spends all his time saying what he's gonna do to guys he don't like, and he don't like nobody'. Curley's wife understands that all men think she is an object. She attempts to be a seductress to attract men so they will talk to her 'She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.' She makes use of her stunning body to obtain the attention of the ranchers to sooth her loneliness. These acts give her a sense of relief and make her feel wanted so she can share her personal concerns and experiences. Ironically, her flirtatious means to find friends adds to her notorious reputation for being a 'tart', which means that none of the farmhands would risk talking to her. Curley's wife needs friends and people to talk to however, no matter how she tries to find friends, everyone turns her away. Curley is suspicious and treats her like a possession to be guarded, but his wife is frustrated '"What's the matter with me?" she cried. "Ain't I got right to talk to nobody?"' Curley's insecure feelings towards his wife also play large a role in her flirtatious and promiscuous behavior. The other workers do not want to be troubled because it is not worth an argument with Curley 'Maybe you better go along to you own house now. We don't want no trouble.' Curley's wife is isolated because she is the only woman on the farm and is therefore kept out of the social power group. On one occasion, Curley's wife recognizes Lennie's stupidity and preys on it. She sees him as a person to ventilate her feelings on to. However she does not know of his fascination with soft objects. She asks him to stroke her soft hair, which leads to her death when he does not let go. This may be looked upon as tragedy in that she is killed but also a justice in that it ends her severe suffering. Her case of loneliness is the worst throughout the novel as only death could end her unalterable loneliness. She struggled to find someone in her society with whom she could confide in and was willing do anything to dispatch her one psychological disorder of loneliness.

Crooks is a black stable boy that experiences loneliness because the society in which he lives in is racist. The setting of this book takes place during the 10's when discrimination still existed. Most ranchers feel that since he is black he is not worthy of living with the rest of them. Crooks's 'fault' is constantly reminded as he is often called a 'nigger' Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny. He spends his nights reading in his room and his days alone in the barn working on the horses. The boss takes his hostility out on Crooks whenever he gets upset 'The boss gives him hell when he's mad.' Only at Christmas is Crooks allowed into the bunkhouse. When he is, Smitty starts a fight with him, even though Crooks has irreversible spinal injuries. Crooks understands he is not significant in society because of his dark skin color. He explains this to Lennie 'That's just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see?' and his little jurisdiction is shown by Curly's wife's threat "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny". Crooks' loneliness is mainly a consequence of rejection. Although the discrimination is present Crooks still attempts to earn friends. Crooks is not allowed to partake in daily events with white people. The other workers treat Crooks unjustly because he is black and therefore different from the others. He does not know how to act toward other ranchers because they behave toward him with disdain. Furthermore he isn't sure how to verbalize his frustration and consequently, lashes out at others because they are unsympathetic to him. He is treated unfairly and therefore acts the same way toward the white people 'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, you all stink to me!' Crooks is forced to live in confinement in the barn and turns to his books and magazines as his only sort of correlation with the outside world. This eventually leads to his very own emotional downfall and ultimately loneliness. Crooks is fascinated with the strength of Lennie and George's relationship and tries to experience friendship by showing interest in theirs. "Well, s'pose, jus s'pose he don't come back. What'll you do then?" He also wants to show his loneliness by making this statement as he is determined to achieve empathy and understanding from Lennie. He would work for anything, or even nothing, if it allows interaction with others and solving his problems of loneliness; Crooks offers his services to clear out his problems of loneliness "…If you…guys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. I aint so cippled I cant work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to."

The companionship between George and Lennie is a key element in the story. The two men are unique in that they have each other. Their companionship contrasts the loneliness that surrounds them; the loneliness of the homeless ranch worker, the loneliness of the outcast black man, the loneliness of the subjected woman, the loneliness of the old, helpless cripple-and it arouses curiosity in the characters that they encounter, including Slim. And indeed, the reader becomes curious as to their friendship as well. However, as good as it may seem, Lennie also suffers from loneliness to some degree. Although Lennie is a very strong, white, male rancher, he suffers from loneliness or rather, isolation, because he is often misunderstood. He has a mind like a child's, causing other ranchers to not tream him as a coequal. For example, George explains to Slim that he, 'Used to play jokes on him 'cause he was too dumb to take care of 'imself'. Lennie does not take part in the activities that the workers do in their spare time such as playing horseshoes or going into town. In Weed, Lennie gets in trouble because the people do not comprehend his problem. They react with animosity instead of investigation or interrogation. Unfortunately, it is true, even to this modern day, that the misunderstood and disabled citizens are prejudiced and excluded to become a minority. George too may possibly be suffering from loneliness although there is little evidence of it. A subtle example of George's loneliness is indicated by his habit of playing Solitaire; a game played by ones self, thus showing how he may feel lonely even though he has Lennie with him.

Candy, Curly's wife, Crooks and perhaps others such as Curley and Lennie, are rejected by the social power group and are lonely. However they are not the only ones who are lonely. Even the normal white workers on the farm are lonely because they isolate themselves from each other. Slim explains that all the men are afraid to show their feelings and be close to others 'Ain't many guys travel around together. I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.' Slim describes how the workers choose to be lonely 'I hardly never seen two guys together. You know how the hands are, they just come in and get their bunk and work a month, and then they quit and go out alone. Never seem to give a damn about nobody.' George and Lennie understand that their 'profession' will make them lonely like most workers 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place…they ain't got nothing to look ahead to.' Towards the end of the novel, Carlson shows how men shut themselves off and hide their feelings, when he appear to be very insensitive and causal after George has shot Lennie 'Now, what the hell you suppose is eatin' them two guys?' The white men in the society power group choose loneliness because they are afraid of showing their emotions and fears.

Bigotry and intolerance exist everywhere in humanity, which leads to loneliness in Of Mice and Men. Throughout the story, Steinbeck allows the reader to discover the many sources of solitude, primarily being discrimination and prejudice. The normal workers are afraid of showing their feelings to each other. They cast out people who are different or weak. Crooks, Candy and Curleys wife all suffer the injustices and disempowerment, resulting in loneliness and isolation. They make and attempt to cope with their loneliness through their interest in Lennie and Georges friendship. In some ways they are even envious of the bond. We also find that the severity of each character's loneliness is varied and that the consequent effects are directly related to the magnitude of their desolation. Through this, Steinbeck shows the reader that everyone causes and suffers from loneliness in society and that it is an infallible fact of life that not even the strongest can avoid. Please note that this sample paper on Discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel 'Of Mice and Men' is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel 'Of Mice and Men', we are here to assist you. Your cheap custom college paper on Discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel 'Of Mice and Men' will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

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