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What are the different themes within the novel?
Loneliness & Isolation
etc.
How does Steinbeck entertain the themes of loneliness and isolation within the novel with minor characters?
1) Soledad means Solitude in spanish
2) The bunk house men blow their money every Saturday night on prostitutes and booze at “Susy’s place”. They go for some companionship, but it doesn’t stop them being lonely.
3) The workers find it unusual for two men to travel together, they says that it is "funny how you an' him string along together".
4) Crooks resents the workers, he is accustomed to the feeling of isolation, however he does admit to solitude making a man "sick". He is used to loneliness and now finds it hard to enjoy another person's company.
5) Curley is lonely despite having a wife; the only time the couple are seen together is at Curley's wife's death.
6) Candy only has his dog, which was soon killed.
How does Steinbeck entertain the themes of loneliness and isolation within the novel in relation to George and Lennie?
2) L and G look after one another but G is still lonely, he seeks someone on his own intellectual level and confides with Slim saying that he's only with Lennie because of guilt and because they're "used to each other" and that he "ain't got no people".
3) Lennie is also lonely, in the fact that he is the only one mentally disabled, despite the fact that Crooks, Candy and later Curley are all physically disabled. Lennie 'solves' his loneliness by going to G for comfort and petting soft things.
4) Candy also solved his problem of loneliness with the dog but then Carlson killed it.
How does Steinbeck entertain the dangers of loneliness and isolation within the novel?
When people try to solve their loneliness there is always trouble or sadness.
1) Crooks and Candy try to solve their loneliness by taking part of L and G's dream, however this ends in disappointment.
2) Curley's wife is not satisfied by her 'confinement', and to entertain herself she flirts with the ranchers, which eventually leads to her death.
3) L grabs hold of things, and that always ends in trouble, like when he holds animals, the girl's skirt in Weed, and Curley's wife.
What's an idea about loneliness?
Steinbeck offers no solution to loneliness — even marriage doesn’t stop people from being lonely. Loneliness appears to be part of human nature — it’s not something the characters can change.
How does Steinbeck entertain the theme of prejudice and discrimination within the novel?
1) Crooks is either bullied or ignored
- easy target to vent frustration, he's given "hell from the boss".
- treated badly by other characters with little power, like when Curley's wife says she could easily have him hung. A white womans words is worth more than a black mans.
- however, Slim treats Crooks well
- Crooks turns bitter as he's segregated from the others, so he segregates himself.
- Despite being proud he admits that "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody."
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