In this novella, “Of Mice and Men”, written during the Great Depression, takes place in Soledad, California, and also the Salinas River. This story shows the life of laborers at this time that had to move from farm to farm, with low pay, just to make a living for themselves. The protagonists; Lennie and George travel together for work, which is not common for men at this time, and they depend on each other. Even though it is not directly mentioned it is inferred that Lennie is cognitively impaired, which explains why he needs George to assist him. As they go to work on this ranch in Soledad, Lennie makes trouble with the boss’s son Curley, which later became more intense when Lennie kills Curley’s wife. As a result of this Lennie and George’s …show more content…
Time and time again, George reminds Lennie that he could do so much better without having to take care of him consistently. George doesn’t have to take care of Lennie but he chooses to and tries to keep Lennie out of trouble. George says, “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place…”(Steinbeck 13). This quote shows that laborers at this time had nobody to depend on. For them it was every man for themselves as they carried their lives on their back. George and Lennie are like family and have to stick together. Lennie says, “ But not us! An’ why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.” (Steinbeck 14). This quote shows that even though every other laborer travels and are lonesome, Lennie and George have each other to keep company. Loneliness comes to everyone and once you feel it, you can’t shake …show more content…
As the only African American man on the farm, Crooks is often found being the one the boss lashes out on when he’s upset. As a black man he set apart from the rest of the farm workers, and also because he is disabled, which makes ,him stand out. It is obvious that they don’t like people who stand out, similar to Whitey. Crooks says, “You go on and get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.” (Steinbeck 68). This quote shows that Crooks was set aside from everyone else because he was different. Loneliness gets to some people when they are left alone for too long. Crooks says, “...Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it to. He can’t tell. He got nothing to compare it by…” (Steinbeck 73). This quote shows that being alone for a long time can eat away at your brain and make you hallucinate. Sometimes he can’t tell if what he sees is true sometimes, and has no one to talk to it about it, because he’s different. Loneliness is like a disease itself that slowly but surely kills you, because you can’t
This statement shows how defensive Crooks has become because he is not used to ever talking to other people. The only time people ever talk to him is to disrespect him, and he has built up a sort of protective shield, knowing that people think of him differently. Crooks’ defensiveness proves how anti-social he is. Crook’s social powerlessness puts him at a disadvantage because it makes him feel even more lonely than everyone else, considering how lonely ranch workers already are. Other people can at least talk to each other, but Crooks is completely
George even states in the beginning of the story, “ God a’mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy”, but later tells Lennie, “I want you to stay with me” (11-13). George doesn't want Lennie there and would rather be alone-- living for himself, but he knows he needs to keep Lennie by his side because they are best friends and can’t live without each
In John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men”, Lennie and George travel together to work. They discuss the trouble they experience with Lennie's touching things he shouldn't and how that forces them to run, hide, and constantly search for work. Throughout the book, Steinbeck gives just a small picture of all the trouble Lennie has caused and how George continues to guide him to get by. A problem with a girl leads us to chapter 1 and 6, and how they share in setting, but George and Lennie's interactions differ. The similarities and differences of chapter 1 and 6 show how Lennie and George's cohesive friendship with a bright future develops into a loving bond that had to end.
This suffering of loneliness has a great effect on his life, as shown later in Steinbeck’s writing. After his conversation about George, Lennie’s guardian and companion, Crooks tells Lennie, “‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody…I tell ya a guy gets too lonely and he gets sick’” (73). This demonstrates the suffering behind Crooks’ loneliness because he’s experienced the “sickness” of being segregated. The result of his treatment by the men leads to a poor, unhealthy lifestyle; physically and mentally. Crooks endures the pains of desolation, which builds up the effects of being separated.
“I want you to stay with me, Lennie. Jesus Christ, somebody’d shoot you for a coyote if you was by yourself” (Steinbeck 13). George views his dream of being super practical for the kind of life he lives. Living on his own ranch with Lennie will let him have less of a worry about Lennie making decisions that will put the both of them in jeopardy. Living secluded on their own property will only make life easier.
The Bond of Brotherhood “Lennie broke in. “But not us! An’ why? Because…because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.”
An’ why? Because… because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.”. (Steinbeck 15) George and Lennie’s friendship does qualify as a true friendship because George cares for Lennie with love and understanding, and Lennie does the same. George voices to Lennie that he feels that Lennie is “holding me back from the good life”(Steinbeck 12),
Lennie’s strength and his childish mind is his biggest struggle that affects many people on the ranch and himself. Lennie is overprotective of George and about being with him he would do anything for the guy, so when Crooks tells him, “S’pose he gets killed or hurt so he can’t come back. ”(71) Lennie then contradicts his opinion”This ain’t true. George ain’t got hurt.
George and Lennie travel everywhere together, and depend on each other in times of need. In fact, George likes traveling with Lennie to an extent, “I want you to stay with me, Lennie”(Steinbeck 13). Unlike other farmhands, George and Lennie share a special bond, “‘because I got you
True friendship proves the good in life while loneliness proves the hardships and sadness that can come from isolation. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, the characters show the power of loneliness and the perseverance of friendship. Though the characters of Crooks, Candy, and Curley's wife, Steinbeck demonstrates that isolation is damaging while community provides hope. Crooks’ loneliness and alienation leads to a deterioration of his mental state. First, Crooks lives apart from the others in the barn, leaving him isolated and vulnerable.
George and Lennie, prominent characters in the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, are migrant workers—men who move from place to place to do seasonal work— who end up in California and are faced with numerous problems. Set in the era of the great depression, the story of Lennie and George, two very different men who have formed a family-like union, takes place on a farm where Lennie struggles to stay out of trouble. Having committed an unintentional, harmful act, Lennie is faces severe consequences; and George must decide to make a necessary decision which changes the mood of the entire novel. By the comparison and contrast of George and Lennie, unique characters who are very different from each other, the reader can better acquaint himself
Loneliness and isolation is an ongoing theme throughout the novel Of Mice and Men, experienced by several characters to different degrees. Some characters are more isolated and lonely than others, yet every character in the story goes through this theme during one point in the story. There are various reasons why each character is lonely or isolated. In general, all the ranch workers feel some sort of loneliness because they move alone from ranch to ranch and do not have real connections with others, Curley’s wife experiences this theme because she is the only woman on the ranch and nobody wants to interact with her because Curley is very protective and hostile of her. Thirdly, Candy struggles through being lonely and isolated after Carlson shot his dog and because Candy does not work with the others since he is a swamper.
A key aspect of any novel or story is the way the characters interact and feel towards everything. In John Steinbeck’s, “Of Mice and Men”, the characters tend to give off the effect of loneliness and the feeling of isolation throughout the novel. The main characters that give off the effect of loneliness and the feeling of isolation are Curley’s wife, Crooks, and George. They’ve been truly alone, if not in mind then in body.
Within the novel Crooks deals with loneliness, because he is segregated by his skin color. “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black... A guy goes nuts when he ain’t got nobody” (72). Crooks is black, and in
Of Mice and Men was published in 1937 during a time of bi-racism between the caucasians and the african americans, and the apathetic Great Depression, which may have served as inspiration. In the novel two opposites attract, a gargantuan but mentally challenged man by the name of Lennie, and a small, nimble, and intelligent man named George. Suffering from a mental illness Lennie gets into trouble when he 's alone, but George always saves him, George knows Lennie doesn 't do anything, “out of meanness” as he says. Undoubtedly the reader assimilates that Lennie kills a young lady, said to have done so accidentally. Furthermore without any control George was forced to kill Lennie.