Loneliness in Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men is a novella written by John Steinbeck, and published in 1937. He illustrates loneliness in the nineteen-thirties and shows how driven people can be to find companionship. The setting of the ranch is right outside the town “Soledad” is Steinbeck subtly adding to the theme of loneliness, because “Soledad” is the Spanish translation of loneliness. Steinbeck makes it clear that everyone on the ranch is suffering from loneliness, while demonstrating that minorities, women and people surrounding the mentally ill are lonelier than the others. Crooks is one of the loneliest characters in the text. He’s shunned by the society that is the ranch because of race. He is left out of all the social activities
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Lennie is unaware of what is happening around him and is content with watching George speak with other men. George is not as easily entertained. Although he is physically with his best friend almost every waking minute of the day, emotionally he cannot be stimulated, causing him to be lonely. He is unable to have a stimulating conversation with Lennie, because Lennie does not know how. George cannot show any emotions towards him without having to justify himself. George has to speak to Lennie as though he is a small child who needs constant repetition: “O.K-O.K. I’ll tell ya again. I ain’t got nothing to do. Might jus’ as well spen’ all my time tellin’ you things and then you forget’em and I’ll tell ya again,” (Steinbeck 4). Lennie’s forgetfulness leads George to constantly watch over him and worry that he will say something to the other men that he should not. George was unable to form any connections with men from any ranch because he was constantly watching Lennie. Once he met Candy and Slim, he was able to form his first ever bonds with anyone other than Lennie because they accepted that Lennie was different and were not afraid of him. He was able to discuss his feelings and past without having to explain every sentence. However, George knew that he didn’t have the same bond with them as he did with Lennie, thus when Lennie dies, Slim is there to fill the role of his meaningful connection. George is not the loneliest character in the novella, yet Steinbeck spends demonstrating that no matter how much George cares for Lennie, as long as he is with him, George’s needs will never be fully
Lennie is unaware of what is happening around him and is content with watching George speak with other men. George is not as easily entertained. Although he is physically with his best friend almost every waking minute of the day, emotionally he cannot be stimulated, causing him to be lonely. He is unable to have a stimulating conversation with Lennie, because Lennie does not know how. George cannot show any emotions towards him without having to justify himself. George has to speak to Lennie as though he is a small child who needs constant repetition: “O.K-O.K. I’ll tell ya again. I ain’t got nothing to do. Might jus’ as well spen’ all my time tellin’ you things and then you forget’em and I’ll tell ya again,” (Steinbeck 4). Lennie’s forgetfulness leads George to constantly watch over him and worry that he will say something to the other men that he should not. George was unable to form any connections with men from any ranch because he was constantly watching Lennie. Once he met Candy and Slim, he was able to form his first ever bonds with anyone other than Lennie because they accepted that Lennie was different and were not afraid of him. He was able to discuss his feelings and past without having to explain every sentence. However, George knew that he didn’t have the same bond with them as he did with Lennie, thus when Lennie dies, Slim is there to fill the role of his meaningful connection. George is not the loneliest character in the novella, yet Steinbeck spends demonstrating that no matter how much George cares for Lennie, as long as he is with him, George’s needs will never be fully