Human Connections In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

Playwright Tennessee Williams describes human connections as “We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal.” In many stories there is the question of following your own dreams no matter the cost or losing a huge opportunity. The people who wear their hearts on their sleeves always end up hurt in the end. Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck constantly emphasizes this idea with the workers’ wish for companionship and stability. Most of the workers don’t have anyone to rely on, with the exception of Lennie and George. In result, the majority of workers care little about the people or nature around them. The few workers with companions find small happiness in their life, but in the end, abandon each

Although George told Lennie that “[they] got a future. [They] got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about [them]”(14), he breaks his promise of having a farm with Lennie to have a life alone. George knows that Lennie would have to be killed because of Curley’s wife, so he decides to shoot Lennie himself. The human connection between Lennie and George led George to murdering Lennie, revealing Steinbeck’s pessimistic beliefs on humans hurting each other when they are at their weakest point. Lennie was betrayed by the only person he trusted entirely. Even when all other people doubted and mistrusted George, Lennie still remained unquestionably loyal to him. When the loner Crooks suggests that “George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more”(71), Lennie defends George by stating “George wouldn’t do nothing like that. I been with George a long time. He’ll come back tonight--”(71). Crooks acts in many ways as Lennie’s foil. Crooks’s pessimistic views and unkind exterior highlights Lennie’s own optimism and also plants a seed of doubt in Lennie’s head about George. Even so, Lennie still follows George’s orders, showing mankind’s yearning for any kind of companionship. Steinbeck hides a tiny piece of foreshadowing about the last shooting when Crooks says “went into town and you never heard of him no more.”

Throughout Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife constantly socializes with the workers while she is “lookin’ for Curley”(31). Although she says she is “lookin’ for Curley” she actually searches for company; someone to bare her heart to. Her husband expects her to just be a pretty housewife, but Curley’s wife wishes to lead a more adventurous life. Even so, when Crooks decides to tell Curley about his wife socializing with them, she states “Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny”(81). In result of Curley’s wife being hurt by other’s expectations and failures, she belittles those who are weaker than her in social class and body. Curley’s wife once wanted to become a movie star, however her famous connection ended up betraying her, leaving her bitter and stuck in an unhappy marriage. By socializing with Lennie and Crooks, she betrays her husband’s trust in her, along with hurting Crooks. Her life ends when Lenny loses control of his own power and snaps her neck. Through Curley’s wife, Steinbeck portrays his dark belief of human connection: that humans are hurt and then hurt others around them, in a tireless