The friendless characters have been lonely for so long, their lives no longer have meaning. Both Crooks and Curley’s wife’s lives lack love and affection to give them purpose. Since Crooks has lived in white towns his entire life, his lack of friends has …show more content…
The thought of living without a companion scares Candy and George through most of the book. For example, George cannot live without Lennie, despite Lennie being a burden. When George and Lennie are stopped for the night while on their trip to Soledad, Lennie angers George and asks, “‘...you want I should go away and leave you alone?’”(12) to which George replies, “‘No — look!... I want you to stay with me,’”(13). It would be easier for George to let Lennie leave, but the fact that he is so desperate to have Lennie stay shows how he cannot live without Lennie because Lennie makes him too happy. Of course, the friendship does not have to be with a human, as Candy fears loneliness without his dog. While in their room, Candy and Carlson have a conversation about Candy’s dog,“Carlson said,‘...I’ll put the old devil out of his misery,’... Candy said hopefully,‘You ain’t got no gun… Maybe tomorra,’”(47). With the key words being “hopefully” and “maybe tomorra”, Candy shows how he does not want his dog gone, he would be too lonely. Both George and Candy fear loneliness, as they know it will make them feel as if their lives are worthless. Throughout Of Mice and Men George and Candy fear the loneliness they would feel if they lost their