Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife

John Steinbeck was an author during the Great Depression. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck writes about two friends During the Great Depression, and their interactions with people on a ranch where they work, near Soledad, California. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses the characters Candy, Curley’s wife, and Crooks to show that people will go to extreme measures to escape loneliness. First, Steinbeck uses Candy to show how people will go to extreme measures to escape loneliness. Candy is a very old man with one hand. Candy’s only friend is a dog, who is very handicap. Candy works as a janitor on the ranch where the story takes place. Candy, along with most of the other workers stay in the bunk. While in the bunk with his …show more content…
Curley is the son of the owner of the ranch where the story takes place. Curley is a short-tempered man who is also short in stature. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch, so she is forced to talk to the workers on the ranch. Because Curley is married to Curley’s wife, Curley doesn’t want her to talk to anyone else on the ranch. One afternoon, Curley’s wife finds Lennie in the barn all by himself, and starts to talk to him. Because she’s Curley’s wife, Lennie is told to avoid talking to her. While she tries to talk to Lennie she says “I get lonely … I can’t talk to nobody but Curley” (Steinbeck 87). This quote shows how Curley’s wife is lonely by saying that because Curley doesn’t want her to talk to anyone else on the ranch, she gets lonely throughout the day. Earlier in the book, Candy is in the bunk with the main protagonist George, and his friend Lennie. Candy is talking to George about Curley’s wife and how she flirts with some of the other workers on the farm including Carlson, and another worker named Slim. Candy says “I seen her give Slim the eye. Curley’s never seen it. An’ I seen her give Carlson the eye” (Steinbeck 28). This quote describes how Curley’ wife flirts with some of the workers on the farm to try to get some of them to talk to her so she isn’t lonely. This shows how people go to extreme measures to escape loneliness because Curley’s …show more content…
Crooks is the only African American on the ranch, who is forced to sleep in the barn. Crooks has been on the farm for a while, and he has a crooked back because he was kicked by a horse. While Crooks is in the barn, Lennie walks in on him. After letting him into the barn, Crooks starts a conversation with Lennie. While talking to him, Crooks says “You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause you was black” (Steinbeck 72). Crooks is saying that he’s the only African American on the farm, so he’s alone when they make him sleep in the barn. Also, this states how Crooks is jealous of the friendship that George and Lennie have, and how Lennie can expect George to always come back to him. This quote shows how Crooks is lonely because he always must stay in the barn alone. Not mush further into the story, Candy has come into the barn to talk to Lennie about the farm they want to buy. Candy starts to talk to Lennie about the farm, and ideas he has for the farm. While they’re talking, Crooks listens to their conversation. When Crooks hears that they are close to purchasing a farm of their own, he wants to join them. Crooks tells them, “If you guys would want a hand to work for nothin—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand” (Steinbeck 76). Crooks is offering to help them on the farm they want to buy, by