Of Mice And Men Isolation Essay

Historically, humans are social creatures. We have evolved to thrive in social situations, and the statement ‘safety in numbers’ holds true after many years of evolution. Despite no longer needing protection from predators or more bodies to help search for food, our brains have developed to experience a sense of ‘reward’ during interactions with other humans, and it has been shown that being isolated, either physically or socially, is connected with an increased risk of ill health (Cohen). Isolation, or ‘solitary confinement,’ is used as a punishment method in many countries, including the United States and Great Britain, and the psychological and physical effects of confinement take a large toll on our health – any social experiments on social isolation are usually cut short, with subjects often reporting hallucinations and extreme anxiety. Aside from the negative biological and psychological effects, we find
joy in sharing experiences with other humans and find comfort in the support of others in difficult times.
For the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’, social interactions were often brief and insignificant. Despite working on ranches in groups, having deep, meaningful connections with others was rare, as shown by the other characters being skeptical of the relationship between George and Lennie, such as the moment Curley meets them both, and states, “Well, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy.” (Steinbeck, 22). Lennie is seemingly developmentally delayed, and he depends on George to care for him and protect him, such as feeding him or getting him out of difficult circumstances they find themselves in, for example the situation in Weed. Although Lennie doesn’t initially appear to offer any
benefit to George and often causes him problems, he appreciates Lennie’s company and friendship, and acknowledges the positives to having him around, when he says “I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean.” (Steinbeck, 41), showing that despite their apparent lack of education, he is aware of the psychological effects of loneliness, most likely from experience. Although George seems to pass off Lennie’s company as an obligation to Lennie’s deceased Aunt Clara: “I told his old lady I’d take care of him.” (Steinbeck, 22), the relationship between them appears to be more legitimate and one of genuine care towards each other. George comes across as blunt and aggressive at times with Lennie, talking ‘viciously’ and being physically rough with him, but always appears to be acting out of concern for his well-being, and ultimately the act of killing Lennie at the end shows the true loyalty George had towards his friend, refusing to let him suffer. In the novel, one of the major themes is fraternity, and having grown up together, it appears George and Lennie have formed a brotherly bond, and established a strong emotional connection. George reinforces to Lennie many times that “…I got you. We got each other, that’s what, that gives a hoot in hell about us” (Steinbeck, 104), and although superficially it seems George is simply reassuring Lennie, I personally believe there is an element of George saying it to comfort himself. The Depression, and the lifestyle of working on ranches was a particularly lonely and difficult time, and it appears the two cope through the difficulties by leaning on each other, albeit in different ways. The connection between the two really enhances the benefits of having friends and relationships, and bolsters the idea that having a support system is vital to human life and happiness.