Social Isolation In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

John Steinbeck was an old school soul who enjoyed personally talking face to face, how does he feel about all these new advances in technology? Steinbeck has been seen to write about how he wishes that he could be like the news reporters who just go up and talk to people. What he never realized is that he already had that personality and can fester up a conversation with anyone. Modern conveniences have extremely decreased face to face interactions in the modern age though it was bad during Steinbeck’s time, it is worse now. Steinbeck saw that convenience was for better but social isolations were a change for the worse. Throughout part two Steinbeck stops at truck stops with new soda machines and he thinks that it’s the coolest. “I found myself entrances with these gadgets, suppose you want

Steinbeck says, “Normally his tone would have sparked a tinder in me. I would have flared an ugliness of anger and he would have been able to evict me with pleasure and good conscience… the beauty and quiet made me slow to respond with resentment… I lost it,” (Steinbeck 109). Even though the land keeper rudely said he couldn’t be there, Steinbeck thought to reply kindly since the place was gorgeous and he was lonely. Steinbeck went on this trip wanting to learn more and he definitely has, especially considering that he has learned that he had learned more about the people and the items that they all use. In all honesty John Steinbeck would’ve loved and hated all of the technology that is used nowadays. The endless opportunities and help received through technology would please Steinbeck very much. “In one short lifetime the telephone has changed all that,” (Steinbeck 114). He believes that having the telephone helped out with communication especially when there’s distance between him and his family. Although the lack of communication with people these days would