Loneliness in Of Mice and Men
Loneliness in Of Mice and Men
The novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, takes place during the Great Depression era in the 1930s. Life changed dramatically from the thriving 1920s. Work was hard to find because of the bad economy, and everybody lived tough lives. It was even tougher for African Americans, women, and the elderly because they were all considered useless at the time. Everyone had no respect for them, and they were very low on the social pyramid. Due to their low status and respect, these people were very lonely and wanted companionship of others. Steinbeck depicts these problems through the lives of Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy, who are social pariahs on the ranch because of their physical conditions, and therefore, they live a very sad and lonely life.
Firstly, Crooks is an African American stable buck who has a crooked back, hence the name Crooks. He has the least amount of power on the ranch because of his race. He doesn’t live with the other men and he is not treated well. He says, “They say I stink, well, I tell you, you all stink to me” (68) “S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black” (72). This shows how Crooks is disconnected from all of the other men. He wants to play cards with them in the bunkhouse but they all look down on him because he’s African American. So eventually, his loneliness had developed into anger towards all of the other men. Crooks passes the time by reading books and minding his business. But books can only do so much for loneliness. Crooks says to Lennie, “Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him” (72). This quote shows how he longs for a friend. Crooks tries to hide his loneliness, but he can’t hold it in and he talks all about it when Lennie comes in. Because of Crooks’ race, he is discriminated, very lonely, and he has the worst life on the ranch.
In addition, Curley’s wife is also very lonely on the ranch because she’s
The novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, takes place during the Great Depression era in the 1930s. Life changed dramatically from the thriving 1920s. Work was hard to find because of the bad economy, and everybody lived tough lives. It was even tougher for African Americans, women, and the elderly because they were all considered useless at the time. Everyone had no respect for them, and they were very low on the social pyramid. Due to their low status and respect, these people were very lonely and wanted companionship of others. Steinbeck depicts these problems through the lives of Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy, who are social pariahs on the ranch because of their physical conditions, and therefore, they live a very sad and lonely life.
Firstly, Crooks is an African American stable buck who has a crooked back, hence the name Crooks. He has the least amount of power on the ranch because of his race. He doesn’t live with the other men and he is not treated well. He says, “They say I stink, well, I tell you, you all stink to me” (68) “S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black” (72). This shows how Crooks is disconnected from all of the other men. He wants to play cards with them in the bunkhouse but they all look down on him because he’s African American. So eventually, his loneliness had developed into anger towards all of the other men. Crooks passes the time by reading books and minding his business. But books can only do so much for loneliness. Crooks says to Lennie, “Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him” (72). This quote shows how he longs for a friend. Crooks tries to hide his loneliness, but he can’t hold it in and he talks all about it when Lennie comes in. Because of Crooks’ race, he is discriminated, very lonely, and he has the worst life on the ranch.
In addition, Curley’s wife is also very lonely on the ranch because she’s