The Lonely Outcasts John Steinbeck displays the theme of loneliness in the novella Of Mice And Men through the outcasts; a cripple, a colored man, and a woman. People judge Crooks based on his skin tone, making him resentful and hesitant towards everyone. Candy realizes that because he is crippled he won’t be able to work for much longer, but if he does not work, Candy will not have any family or friends to turn to. As a result of a protective husband, Curley’s wife is lonely because her husband threatens to fight anyone who tries to talk to her. Crooks is a colored man whom is constantly judged by a harsh society. Crooks displays the theme of loneliness because everybody judges him based on his skin tone. Because everyone judges Crooks, he is resentful and mean towards the people who judge him. Crooks is caught by surprise when Lennie does not …show more content…
Curly bursts into the bunkhouse looking for his wife, he notices Slim isn’t there and immediately jumps to the conclusion that Slim is with his wife. George, who was silently minding his own business finally asks what everyone else was thinking; “‘Thinks Slim’s with his wife don’t he?’” (Steinbeck 54). Curley is so overly protective of his wife that the only person she can talk to is Curley. Curley’s wife tries to talk to everyone but they all turn her away because they are worried that Curly will hurt them. When Curley's wife tries to talk to Lennie he refuses to speak to her, and she says “‘Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’”(Steinbeck 86). Everybody on the ranch sees Curley’s wife as “jail bait” or bad news because she is a woman. Curley is overly protective of his wife, which causes his wife to be lonely because no one will talk to her because she is “bad news”. Steinbeck uses ageism, sexism, and racism from the early 20’s to prove that anyone can be
Of Mice and Men Essay In the John Steinbeck novel of Mice and Men, everyone is lonely and will try or do anything to stop being lonely. Curlys wife is the loneliest character she is willing to talk to anyone even Lennie. Crooks is also a lonely character he is willing to take any chance if he can make a friend, even if he knows he can't do help out. And Candy is lonely character the reason being that he had a best friend who later dies, Candy is feeling less of use he is willing to do anything to feel useful.
Crooks’ loneliness is more noticeable because he states to Lennie, “ A guy needs somebody-- to be near him” (74). Crooks is African American, and is discriminated by the other men on this farmland. He doesn't have any friends, so all he can do is his job and then come back to read or sit by himself, alone, watching the men in the bunkhouse play cards and have fun. George’s loneliness is hidden but still present. George would love to leave Lennie and have his own life without having to babysit his friend.
They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black"(Steinbeck 68). Here Crooks describes to Lennie how he is not allowed to play cards and enjoy life. Which causes him to feel great misery, as he is not treated similarly to others. Surely, these are many features that show how lonely Crooks is compared to the other
Curley’s wife is the wife of the Bosses son, Curley. In the novel Curley’s wife represents different themes such as loneliness, innocence and dreams. We learn this as we are introduced to her character and learn her story. Her overall purpose in the book is simple- she is a ‘tramp’, who ruins mens happiness however as her character develops, she becomes more complex and we learn about her vulnerability and innocence. Steinbeck also shows the portrayal of women in 1930s America, showing that women were treated as objects and could only get attention through their physical appearance.
So significant a difference, that he was counted as closer to an animal than to a human being. Crooks expresses his loneliness to Lennie, which makes his case all the more pitiful (70-73). Crooks fits the definition of social outcast better than the other two combined and what’s more shocking is that in the time period, every man of Crooks’ type would be just as
This eventually led to her feeling lonely. Furthermore, rather than one specific character enabling the sexism throughout the story, all of the men on the ranch contributed to the sexism shown towards Curley’s Wife. One such way was that they dismissed everything that Curley’s Wife said, especially regarding her loneliness. Instead of preventing her marginalization, they continued to marginalize her because of their own marginalization and insecurities. This is clearly shown when Curley’s Wife tells Lennie, Candy, and Crooks that “I ain’t giving you no trouble.
People Affected by Loneliness Loneliness can make anyone affected by it very depressing and sad to see. It is seen in Of Mice and Men in many characters that are prominent in the story. The main ones are Crooks (the black stable hand), Candy (the old worker with his old dog), and Curley’s wife (who is ignored so that they do not get into trouble). Each of these characters have had lasting events that led them here.
Lennie asked Crooks “Why Ain’t you wanted?” Crooks replied “Cause I’m black” he also told Lennie, “I tell ya a guy gets lonely and he gets sick.” The explanation supports the fact that Crooks was plagued by loneliness and alienation and he wanted
They say I stink. Well I tell you all of you stink to me.” ” (65) Crooks was shunned because his physical appearance and wasn’t treated the same as the rest of the men. This makes Crooks a key character that informs us of the social injustices that where prominent during the time period of the novel.
Because Curley’s wife is closely connected to the boss, her engagements towards the men on the ranch will only push her further away from them. Also, when Curley’s wife appears, her loneliness pours out of her with resentment. She describes her isolation at the ranch by stating, “I get lonely...you can talk to people, but I can't talk to nobody but Curley” (87). This shows that shes just a lonely young and naive girl, who uses her sexuality to get noticed on the
She is the only girl on the ranch, and because of this, she faces difficulties from the boys. Curley’s Wife was just trying to find someone to confide in, and Lennie was there, but because she could cause trouble, Lennie wasn’t allowed to talk to her. She says to Lennie, “‘Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’” (86).
While Crooks, a victim of racial prejudice, expresses his isolation openly, he also socializes with other workers on the job and while playing horseshoes with them. Curley’s wife, on the other hand, cannot talk to anyone without suffering the consequences of a jealous husband: “ I get so lonely,’ she said. “you can talk to people , but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?”
We all may have had the feeling of loneliness and isolation, wanting companionship feeling abandonment. In John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, there are men living on a ranch having their own reasons for loneliness or being isolated. The three characters Crooks, George, and Lennie crusade dealing with own ways of loneliness and isolation. Crooks has no one that likes him because he’s black, Lennie struggles mentally and George struggles with always having to care for him. They all can’t decide whether it is that they want to be alone or not.
Curley’s wife is portrayed to be a “tart”, someone who is always flirting with other people. When she is first introduced, Steinbeck writes “ The rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off”, which gives the impression that Curley’s wife is ominous and perilous for Lennie and George. The imagery implies that Curley’s wife is the darkness in their lives and that she is the obstacle in the journey of accomplishing the American Dream. During the climax of Steinbeck’s novella, he writes “ The light was growing soft now” represents the slow release of her soul and that darkness slowly filling the barn and their lives. It also indicates the gradual discharge of hope and belief from the minds of Lennie, George and Candy.
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