Isolation is a central theme in John Steinbeck’s novella ‘Of Mice and Men. The book focuses on the members of the ranch during the Great Depression, and how loneliness affected them. The characters of Curley’s wife and Candy are predominantly living in isolation due to the societal views and ideas of them, and John Steinbeck represents theses through a variety of techniques and quotes such as anthropomorphism and symbolism.
Throughout ‘Of Mice and Men’, John Steinbeck represents the themes of isolation and loneliness in Curley’s wife, and the experiences she endures due to the societal treatment of women in 1937. Women of the early 20th century were treated as possessions, and items that made the men look superior. This is highlighted in the
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Throughout the book, Crooks is constantly isolated from the other members of the ranch. He is not allowed in the bunkhouse, therefore missing out on the community that grows there. John Steinbeck uses the separate living areas of Crooks to visually symbolise the isolation that Crooks undergoes. Crooks is not only physically isolated but also socially. He isolates himself, constantly pushing everyone away and keeping his guard up, which is seen when he tells Lennie “You go on get outta my room. I ain't wanted in the bunk house, and you ain't wanted in my room." Racial discrimination of 1930’s America was prominent, and unfair situations based on race are often mentioned in the book. Crooks is constantly the target of displaced aggression from the boss of the ranch, and as a result isolates himself due to the continual mistreatment he has come to expect from society itself. Crooks constantly does this throughout the book, the most prominent example being when he calls after Candy to tell him “I didn’ mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.” For a moment he allows himself to join them in their dream but detaches himself before he can become too optimistic. However, this behaviour is self-destructive, even Crooks himself admitting “A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.”. Ethnic separation has a serious impact on both the mental and physical isolation of Crooks, in turn having detrimental effects on his
Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck, is a literary novel set during the Great Depression. It’s about two migrant workers on a ranch in Soledad, California. The two, running from Weed fled to a new town with nothing good in store for them. Steinbeck illustrates the motif of loneliness in Of Mice and Men more evidently within Curley’s Wife, Crooks, and Candy with loss and detachment from society.
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.
Crooks isn’t allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse or play cards with the white men. He gets lonely and resentful from having to stay in the barn all the time. When he is talking to Lennie, he says, “‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse or play rummy
adding to that, Crooks didn't have any friends. Moreover, Crooks had no friends, no one to play with, Crooks did his work around the farm and once he was finished he would go back into his room, racism was towards him since he was the only black person at the Bunk. In addition, Lennie and Crooks become friends, when most of the guys were out to town, Lennie went into crooks is room uninvited, Crooks thought about kicking him out but the didn’t because he hadn't had any company for a long time now(). Crooks is lonely and he is the only black men at the Bunkhouse he is totally an
Crooks was very lonely because he was isolated from everybody else due to the color of his skin. He was the only colored man around which left him without anyone to talk to because of how prevalent racism was, Steinbeck described him by saying, “... Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs.” (Steinbeck, 67).
(Steinbeck 68). This quote explains to the reader that since Crooks is black the others on the ranch wont allow him to accompany them. Crooks had gotten used to being alone and separated from the other characters on the ranch. The novella strongly displays the intolerance of characters for differences that the characters can
Steinbeck displays through the dialogue and characterizations that these characters experience isolation because of both social barriers and personal choice. Crooks being an African-American on the ranch, full of whites, struggles racially which causes his withdrawal from the society. Crooks explains to Lennie his when he’s accompanied by him “ A guy goes nuts if he ain 't got nobody. Don 't make no difference who the guy is long’s
First, Crooks is telling Lennie why he is not welcome into Lennie’s room and why Lennie is not welcome into his. “Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asks “Cause I'm black” (Steinbeck, 68). Crooks is African American and is not wanted in the barracks with the other white men, so he does not want any white men in his room. He has accepted his segregation but makes it very clear that he is lonely in his room just reading books.
Laith Kasim Mrs. Kigar Honors English 10 27 February 2023 Isolation Presented in Of Mice and Men Many authors throughout the history of literature have attempted to portray Americans' lives throughout one of the most disastrous events in the history of the United States, the Great Depression. One author in particular, John Steinback, took upon writing about the lives of two nomadic farmers who were destitute, moving from ranch to ranch across the country looking for work. Many emotions and themes were present in Of Mice and Men, one of them being isolation. It affects many characters in many different ways and for different reasons, but the character that best represents isolation is Curley. Curley's personality and attitude perpetuate a repeating
Crooks is very lonely and solitude for being alone every day. As a result, he wants to have friends who he can communicate with. No one has come into his room except for Slim and the boss, so when Lennie and Candy come, it is difficult for Crooks to “conceal his pleasure with anger” (75). Although he wants to express anger about people coming into his room, inside he is happy about it and enjoys it. This instability and loneliness that he has leads him to say how he could work for George, Lennie, and Candy on their farm.
Unlike the other ranch hands, Crooks has his own version of a bunkhouse suite in the stables of the barn. During the time period of this story, slavery had somewhat recently been abolished, which led to segregation in the south. This is the reason Crooks is alone in comparison to the other men, forced to sleep with “a manure pile under the window”. Remaining separate, but equal in the eyes of the people who don’t allow him in the bunkhouse. Crooks is also mentally outcasted in the eyes of the racist members of the ranch.
Because crooks was black he was isolated and not allowed to near the other men. Lennie asks, “ Why ain’t you wanted… Cause I’m black” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks at first did not want Lennie entering his room but realizes Lennie is different and is not racist. Usually Crooks would tell people that they have not right coming into his room. He uses his isolation as a way to hide from everyone and get privacy.
He feels brought down and dehumanized. After Curley’s wife left, Candy tells Crooks that she shouldn’t have said those things. Crooks says, “it wasn’t nothing…you guys comin’ in an’ settin made me forget. What she says is true” (82). This shows that Crooks knows that even though he thought he could get a place with the other guys, he knows is would never happen, because he is black and he will always be treated
He lives alone in the harness room; a little shed that leaned on the side of the barn. He was segregated from all the other men, and he quickly became plagued with loneliness and alienation. Crooks just wanted to be accepted by the other men. In chapter four, Lennie went into Crook’s bunk because the other men went into town. Crooks told Lennie what it is like to be a lone black man and some of his everyday struggles.
(p38) The way Steinbeck describes the bunkhouse indicates their lonely lives. Also by only having two shelves for their personal belongings shows their lonely insecure lives. Crooks has a better facility than any of the other ranch workers since he has a desk. Crooks does not appreciate this because he is alone and isolated from the rest, like Curley’s wife and in some way Candy.