Theme Of Loneliness In The Novel Of Mice And Men

Steinbeck illustrates the gruelling and unrewarding life of a migrant worker, through a microcosm of society, shown in the novel. Simple, yet ultimately thwarted dreams, are left unaccomplished due to economic and ecological problems such as the Wall Street Crash, leading to the Great Depression, and the high levels of unemployment, poverty, homelessness, influencing Steinbeck to write the novel. The themes of loneliness and dreams: foreshadowed by Robert Burns' poem, 'To A Mouse', gives the reader an understanding that well-laid plans often go wrong, the name coming from, "the best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley", summarising the principal themes throughout the novel.