the theme of lonliness in of mice and men
How does Steinbeck present the theme of loneliness and what is his purpose?
Although the novel was written during the American depression at a time when many Americans were uprooted from their homes and travelled huge distances in search of work and consequently prevented from forming lasting relationships, Steinbeck believes that loneliness was not a temporary phenomenon but part of a human condition. It is permanent, not transient, and something that individuals must struggle with. Characters cope with loneliness in differing ways. It embitters Candy and Crooks. It kills Curley's wife, George attempts to cope with it through his relationship with Lennie. Loneliness is presented in many ways including the descriptions of places and locations, through characterization, and through the relationships between characters. Throughout the book he explores the different levels of loneliness and the loss of company.
The novel opens with a description of a landscape “a few miles south of Soledad.” The description of the landscape is full of detail giving a sense that the landscape is strong and permanent. For example the “golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains”, the path is “beaten hard by boys” and the sycamore is a “giant sycamore.” The references to the recurring seasons give the impression of timelessness, for example the references to the leaves that “lie deep” and the “winters flooding”. The central characters pass through this landscape. There presence is a temporary one in this permanent landscape. Thus emphasizing mans ephemeral nature. Soledad is the Spanish word for lady of solitude- perhaps a reminder to the reader that Steinbeck’s world is a lonely place. A naturalistic metaphor is used to explain the ephemeral nature of human existence and how little impact human beings have on the world. In this metaphor Steinbeck describes the water snake that is eaten by the heron it’s “silent head and beak lanced down and
Although the novel was written during the American depression at a time when many Americans were uprooted from their homes and travelled huge distances in search of work and consequently prevented from forming lasting relationships, Steinbeck believes that loneliness was not a temporary phenomenon but part of a human condition. It is permanent, not transient, and something that individuals must struggle with. Characters cope with loneliness in differing ways. It embitters Candy and Crooks. It kills Curley's wife, George attempts to cope with it through his relationship with Lennie. Loneliness is presented in many ways including the descriptions of places and locations, through characterization, and through the relationships between characters. Throughout the book he explores the different levels of loneliness and the loss of company.
The novel opens with a description of a landscape “a few miles south of Soledad.” The description of the landscape is full of detail giving a sense that the landscape is strong and permanent. For example the “golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains”, the path is “beaten hard by boys” and the sycamore is a “giant sycamore.” The references to the recurring seasons give the impression of timelessness, for example the references to the leaves that “lie deep” and the “winters flooding”. The central characters pass through this landscape. There presence is a temporary one in this permanent landscape. Thus emphasizing mans ephemeral nature. Soledad is the Spanish word for lady of solitude- perhaps a reminder to the reader that Steinbeck’s world is a lonely place. A naturalistic metaphor is used to explain the ephemeral nature of human existence and how little impact human beings have on the world. In this metaphor Steinbeck describes the water snake that is eaten by the heron it’s “silent head and beak lanced down and