Of Mice And Men Crooks Loneliness Essay

All humans experience a heartbreaking sense of loneliness throughout their lives. The novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck explores the basic aspects of human nature through migrant workers searching for jobs in California during the Great Depression. The experiences of two of these characters: Lennie and Crooks, exposes how loneliness drastically decreases an individual’s quality of life. Crooks’ isolation changes his personality in several ways. Crooks often keeps his emotions in check unlike many of the other characters. Crooks deals with his loneliness in several ways. One way is seen clearly when he describes his life to Lennie by saying “S’pose you didn’t have nobody. (...) I tell ya a guy gets too lonely ‘an he gets sick” (78). Crooks is very perceptive, aware that he is viewed differently by others. This causes him to feel bitter and resentful of his situation. When he is threatened, he responds by reducing “himself to

When confronted with the fact that George may abandon him one day, “Lennie says miserably, ‘George won’ go away’” (73). This quote shows how Lennie depends on George and his tone of voice suggests he already feels isolated knowing that George may be better off without him.”” Lennie’s brutal strength also contributes to his feeling of loneliness, as he himself doesn’t realize his strength. While Lennie feels the hair of Lennie’s wife, she gets scared as he brushes her hair with his strength. This leads to Lennie going into a “panic. His face was contorted. She screamed (...) He shook her then, and he was angry with her.” (91).Lennie’s mental disabilities make it difficult for others to understand and sympathize with him, leading him to lash out in frustration. Lennie’s experiences with loneliness highlight how important human connection is, as the closer George is to Lennie, the more understood Lennie