Jessica
First published in 1937, Of Mice and Men is a classic American novel by John Steinbeck. George and Lennie are two ranch hands that travel together, with George watching over the mentally inferior Lennie. When they start work at a new ranch, several different characters are introduced. One affliction that seems to face several characters is loneliness, created by factors such as the character's lifestyles and by social standards of the time period. This loneliness is because of the intolerance of society on those who are different. Steinbeck's theme that loneliness is unhealthy and dangerous to a person's well being is emphasized throughout the novel. This specific theme of loneliness is demonstrated throughout the novel through the lives of the characters such as Candy and Crook, in contrast with the relationship of George and Lennie and the bases in which their relationship is depended upon.This underlying theme is first introduced in the novel when George talks to Lennie about the advantage they have over other itinerant workers of the time. George described how other ranch hands like themselves who traveled alone had nothing to look forward to, and no one to look after them. He told Lennie how other workers would just work
In addition, although Lennie is a burden, George accepts their relationship to fight his own loneliness. Loneliness affects many of the characters in this novel, and Steinbeck seems to show that it is a natural and inevitable result of the kind of life they are forced to lead. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. "S' pose I went in with you guys," Candy stated, "Tha's three hundred an' fifty bucks I'd put in" (65). Just talking to another human being briefly comforted his pain with being alone. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he with you" (80). "If you want me to, I'll put the old devil out of his misery right now and get it over with," said Carlson in persuasion to Candy (52). The only work he can do is cleaning out the bunkhouse and other odd jobs. Being black, he was forbidden to stay with the other guys in the bunk house, and was instead forced to live all alone in the barn, with only books for company. Candy, overcame with loneliness and seeing no hope for the future, buys himself into a friendship by offering George money to pay for the land. Maybe he sees somethin', he don't know whether it's right or not. He used George and Lennie's relationship as a contrast to everyone else in the novel who went through life alone. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us" (Steinbeck 15). He can't turn to some other guy an' ask him if he sees it too.
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Acceptance Essays
