The Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men

Loneliness is not the same thing as being alone, you can be surrounded by people but still be lonely. Loneliness is a state of mind while aloneness is a state of being. In John steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men the theme of loneliness is shown throughout the book and with various characters. These characters include Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy. John Steinbeck demonstrates this loneliness by how desperate these characters are to have someone to speak with. He also shows how the loneliness affects them to the point that they are willing to talk to anyone who is willing to listen.

For example Crooks the stable buck is a lonely character, who just wants someone to talk with. Crooks being the sole African American, in a time period that discriminates against …show more content…
All Curley talked about was how he’d beat up people and he was constantly angry. Curley’s wife wanted to talk about something other than that, She really didn’t want to marry Curley. The only reason she married him was to infuriate her mother. Curley’s wife was certain that her mom took the letters she was sent by the man who promised to make her a movie star. Her mother told her she didn’t take the letters but curley’s wife was too naive to believe her. “Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself...I ast her if she stole it, too, an’ she says no. So I married Curley.”(Steinbeck 88) Thus Curley’s wife was stuck living with someone she doesn’t like. Curley is insecure and afraid that one of the other men will take her away. This explains why he doesn’t allow anyone to talk to her or for her to talk to them. The workers on the ranch don’t like her because she’s a “tart”. They call her a “tart” because she comes in the bunkhouse looking for Curley constantly. But in reality she was just trying to find a friend to talk to so she could be less