Loneliness In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

Loneliness

Sometimes people need to take a break from everything and everyone to spend time alone and learn to love themselves and who they truly are, but there are also times when people just need someone to simply be there for them. If someone doesn't have anyone to talk to or even just be around, they may start to do anything for attention or start to feel negative feelings like they don't belong and their self worth isn't good enough. In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, loneliness is a dominant theme where many characters feel lonely and separated from the others. Some of the characters that express being lonely the most are Crooks, Curly’s wife, and Candy. Considering this feeling, some of the characters say or do things

Lennie tries to make a conversation with Crooks, initially Crooks gets upset and irritated, but he then realizes it might be nice to have someone to talk to and allows Lennie in his room. Crooks knows that Lennie won't tell anyone about their conversation, so Crooks shares some of his feelings with Lennie about being lonely. He says, “a guy needs somebody-to be near him, a guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody”(72). Crooks is hinting to Lennie that he is glad Lennie came to talk and he likes having somebody around. Candy then comes into the barn, he starts talking about the dream of leaving and living on their own farm. Crooks adds how he would like to go with and help out. Unfortunately, Curly’s wife interrupts their conversation and threatens to have Crooks lynched. This brings Crooks back to his reality as a black man. He realizes that what he said about going with them to the “dream” farm wasn't going to happen. “I didn't mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go to no place like that”(83). Crooks knows he's going to always be alone, and has no success with having people to talk to and be

Candy has grown up with his dog and his dog is getting to the point where he can't see and walk very well. Everybody on the ranch thinks it is time for Candy to say goodbye to his dog, they don't like it when Candy brings him to the bunkhouse because of his smell. One of the men on the ranch named Carslon, puts an end to Candy's dog's life by shooting him in the back of the head. Candy is left all alone and has nobody. One night Lennie starts talking to George about their dream they have, Candy overhears them and asks if he can join them. Candy says “I wont have no place to go, an’ I can't get no more jobs”(60). They say yes to him and Candy immediately seems happier. Later on throughout the book when Lennie dies, Candy immediately knows the dream will never happen now and he will be stuck alone