Of Mice and Men Themes Essay Example
Of Mice and Men
Final Assessment
Theme 1: Loneliness
Theme Statement: Loneliness can destroy even the strongest person.
Direct Quote 1: “A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets to thinkin’, and he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he doesn’t know whether it’s right or now. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothin’ to measure by. I seen things out there. I want drunk. I don’t know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me if I was asleep an’ then it would be all right. But I jus’ don’t know.” –Crooks, page 73
How it relates: Loneliness is a very common and reoccurring theme in Of Mice and Men. The character seen with the most loneliness throughout the story is Crooks because he is both black and a stable buck. You can see how Crooks is being destroyed by his loneliness in this passage. He explains how he sees and hears things that may or may not be real and how not knowing if they are or not drives him crazy. He also mentions how all he has in life is books, but they don’t compare to having a friend. When all of this is put together, it is easy to see that Crooks is very lonely and in dire need of a friend.
Direct Quote 2: “After a pause, Crooks says ‘Maybe you better go alone to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.’ ‘Well I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?’….Then the girl flared up… ‘Awright,’ she said contemptuously. ‘Awright, cover ‘im up if yaw anta…Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum an’ a lousy old sheep—an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.’” Pages 77-78
How it relates: In this quote, Curley’s wife is really showing how her loneliness is affecting her. She seems so strong on the outside. She just got married, has
Final Assessment
Theme 1: Loneliness
Theme Statement: Loneliness can destroy even the strongest person.
Direct Quote 1: “A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets to thinkin’, and he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he doesn’t know whether it’s right or now. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothin’ to measure by. I seen things out there. I want drunk. I don’t know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me if I was asleep an’ then it would be all right. But I jus’ don’t know.” –Crooks, page 73
How it relates: Loneliness is a very common and reoccurring theme in Of Mice and Men. The character seen with the most loneliness throughout the story is Crooks because he is both black and a stable buck. You can see how Crooks is being destroyed by his loneliness in this passage. He explains how he sees and hears things that may or may not be real and how not knowing if they are or not drives him crazy. He also mentions how all he has in life is books, but they don’t compare to having a friend. When all of this is put together, it is easy to see that Crooks is very lonely and in dire need of a friend.
Direct Quote 2: “After a pause, Crooks says ‘Maybe you better go alone to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.’ ‘Well I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?’….Then the girl flared up… ‘Awright,’ she said contemptuously. ‘Awright, cover ‘im up if yaw anta…Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum an’ a lousy old sheep—an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.’” Pages 77-78
How it relates: In this quote, Curley’s wife is really showing how her loneliness is affecting her. She seems so strong on the outside. She just got married, has