Loneliness Of Mice And Men Analysis

Loneliness John Steinbeck is one of the most famous American writers. He grew up on a farm in Salinas River Valley, California. Steinbeck has written many famous books. This book was written in 1937 during the Great Depression and the story is about migrant farm workers in that time. During the Great Depression, the stock market crashed and money as well as most items had no value; many people were left to fend for themselves. This novella is Of Mice and Men. In his novella, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses Candy, Curley’s Wife, and Crooks to prove people will go to extreme measures to escape being lonely. First, Steinbeck uses Candy as a symbol of people going to extreme measures to escape loneliness. Candy is an old ranch swamper who is …show more content…
Curley’s Wife is the beautiful, flirtatious spouse of Curley. Curley’s Wife was forced into marriage with Curley and is the only woman on the farm. Curley is the son of the boss on the farm. He is a boxer, and his behavior demonstrates the napoleon complex. Curley’s Wife’s name symbolizes that Curley has control over her and she is nothing without him. Curley’s Wife argues, “Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?” (Steinbeck 77). Curley’s Wife was saying this in response to Candy telling her to leave Crook’s room. Crooks is a black stablemate who cares for the horses on the farm. This quote shows how lonely Curley’s Wife is and that she just wants to be able to talk to people other than Curley. As the plot thickens, Curley’s Wife remains in Crook’s room and questions Lennie about Curley’s hand. Curley’s hand was crushed and Curley’s Wife does not believe the lie that his hand got caught in a machine. Curley’s Wife explains, “I’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it comin’ to him. Sometimes I’d like to bust him myself” (Steinbeck 81). Curley’s Wife is describing to Lennie that she knows that Lennie is the cause of Curley’s messed up hand and she is glad he messed it up. This quote shows that Curley’s Wife is very lonely because she despises her only …show more content…
Crooks’s name symbolizes that since he is a black man, he is depicted as a crook, or a thief. Crooks says, “...I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks was talking to Lennie and saying that Lennie cannot come into his room since he is not wanted in the bunk house where Lennie stays. This quote shows that Crooks is lonely because he is not liked by any of the other men on the farm and he sleeps in a different room than them. As the story continues, Candy joins Lennie and Crooks in Crook’s room and Candy and Lennie describe to Crooks the farm that they are leaving to in a month. Crooks explains, “...If you… guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand…” (Steinbeck 76). Crooks is talking to the guys about possibly joining along with them on their farm and working on it to be able to live there. This quote shows that Crooks is willing to go to extreme measures and trust these men that he barely even knows and work on a farm just so he can have some friends. Both of these quotes contribute to the theme of people will go to extreme measures to escape being lonely. They contribute by showing how Crooks is not liked by the other men on the farm, and he is willing to trust in George, Lennie and Candy’s dream farm so then he can have them as