Loneliness is the sadness resulting from being isolated or abandoned. Being lonely is almost always directly connected to relations between people. In the novella Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, loneliness is a recurring theme especially at the time this novella is taken place - 1930s The Great Depression. All the characters present have experienced loneliness whether in the beginning of the novel, or towards the end. With the era and setting this story is taking place in, Steinbeck portrays the motif loneliness with figurative, this allows readers to understand the concept of loneliness and how it greatly impacts each character. However three characters that mainly struggle with loneliness in Of Mice and Men are Crooks, Candy, and Curley’s wife due to different reasons illustrated throughout the novella.
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Because Crooks is the only black man on the ranch, he is segregated from the rest of the ranch workers. When Lennie comes into his room, Lennie questions “‘Why ain’t you wanted?’’ (Steinbeck 68). It is evident that other ranch workers do not acknowledge and have no empathy for Crooks. On the other hand, Crooks himself has experienced racism and segregation his whole life and never had to adjust to this living standard. Moreover, Crooks goal is to be able to do daily activities with the rest of the ranch workers, or even simply play a card game. However, he is forced to live alone in a bunkhouse. When other ranch workers begin to come in his room, “Crooks says irritably, ‘You can come in if you want.’” (74). At this point Crooks finally senses the feeling of having company. In the beginning Crooks is not used to people in his bunkhouse and is aggravated, but in the end, Crooks appreciates this
Because Crooks is the only black man on the ranch, he is segregated from the rest of the ranch workers. When Lennie comes into his room, Lennie questions “‘Why ain’t you wanted?’’ (Steinbeck 68). It is evident that other ranch workers do not acknowledge and have no empathy for Crooks. On the other hand, Crooks himself has experienced racism and segregation his whole life and never had to adjust to this living standard. Moreover, Crooks goal is to be able to do daily activities with the rest of the ranch workers, or even simply play a card game. However, he is forced to live alone in a bunkhouse. When other ranch workers begin to come in his room, “Crooks says irritably, ‘You can come in if you want.’” (74). At this point Crooks finally senses the feeling of having company. In the beginning Crooks is not used to people in his bunkhouse and is aggravated, but in the end, Crooks appreciates this