When the stock market crashed in October of 1929, nobody could have predicted the amount of struggling and helplessness Americans found themselves in during The Great Depression. During this time, many businesses failed and some people became migrant workers, traveling across the country in search of a job, a place to stay, or a friend or family member to help them. Sometimes these workers were lonely due to discrimination, as they were not respected by anyone but those worse off than themselves. The classic novella Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck is a tale about two agricultural laborers by the names of George and Lennie who stick together so neither has to face the harsh reality of isolation. Lennie is a strong, big man who has
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Throughout the novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck clearly shows that imbalanced social power leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Firstly, Steinbeck demonstrates that because the dominance a husband has over his wife is so severe, the woman most likely feels lonely due to lack of freedom. When inside the barn with Lennie, Curley’s wife expresses her feelings toward complete male control when Lennie tells her he can’t talk to her. “”Well, I ain’t supposed to talk to you or nothing.” “I get lonely,” she said. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?” Lennie said, “Well, I ain’t supposed to. George’s scared I’ll get in trouble.”” (Steinbeck 82?). Throughout the book, Curley’s wife is constantly seen as an object, as Curley’s property. Nobody ever talks to her in fear of her husband beating up or firing those who try to talk with her. Since Curley’s wife does not have a single person she can to talk to, she becomes lonely and her desperation for communication rises as each worker rejects her one by one. As the only woman on the farm, and …show more content…
One could argue that social class does not determine the state of isolation whatsoever. Curley’s wife, for example, was not lonely because of social power, but because she was the only woman on the ranch, and migrant workers didn’t talk to her because she was different from them. Steinbeck describes her as very pretty and flirtatious, which is much different than what migrant workers are used to. “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers.” (Steinbeck #) The men were afraid of what she was capable of, that’s why she was lonely. She was isolated because of her beauty and attractiveness. Although this claim could be used, social power imbalance is the reason she was lonely. If the way she acted and looked was the issue, then why did the workers call her pretty? If they had no fear of her husband then why would they avoid her? They would not. Even Slim says to her, “Hi, Goodlookin'." After she leaves, a dazzled Lennie remarks admiringly, "Gosh, she was purty." Like mentioned before, if her looks was really the issue, then why were all the men swooning over her? It is because Curley’s wife is lonely due to others having power over her. Also, one could argue that race is
Throughout the novella Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck clearly shows that imbalanced social power leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Firstly, Steinbeck demonstrates that because the dominance a husband has over his wife is so severe, the woman most likely feels lonely due to lack of freedom. When inside the barn with Lennie, Curley’s wife expresses her feelings toward complete male control when Lennie tells her he can’t talk to her. “”Well, I ain’t supposed to talk to you or nothing.” “I get lonely,” she said. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?” Lennie said, “Well, I ain’t supposed to. George’s scared I’ll get in trouble.”” (Steinbeck 82?). Throughout the book, Curley’s wife is constantly seen as an object, as Curley’s property. Nobody ever talks to her in fear of her husband beating up or firing those who try to talk with her. Since Curley’s wife does not have a single person she can to talk to, she becomes lonely and her desperation for communication rises as each worker rejects her one by one. As the only woman on the farm, and …show more content…
One could argue that social class does not determine the state of isolation whatsoever. Curley’s wife, for example, was not lonely because of social power, but because she was the only woman on the ranch, and migrant workers didn’t talk to her because she was different from them. Steinbeck describes her as very pretty and flirtatious, which is much different than what migrant workers are used to. “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers.” (Steinbeck #) The men were afraid of what she was capable of, that’s why she was lonely. She was isolated because of her beauty and attractiveness. Although this claim could be used, social power imbalance is the reason she was lonely. If the way she acted and looked was the issue, then why did the workers call her pretty? If they had no fear of her husband then why would they avoid her? They would not. Even Slim says to her, “Hi, Goodlookin'." After she leaves, a dazzled Lennie remarks admiringly, "Gosh, she was purty." Like mentioned before, if her looks was really the issue, then why were all the men swooning over her? It is because Curley’s wife is lonely due to others having power over her. Also, one could argue that race is