Depression During the Depression
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is an enthralling novella which depicts the difficult and lonely lives many came face to face with during the Depression. Lack of work, money, and companionship are not only issues that appear in the Depression, but in the hard, problematic lives of Crooks, Curley's wife, and Candy, all characters in this story. Crooks, an African American ranch hand, finds his life on the ranch to be an extremely difficult and unhappy one. Alienated by his race and handicap, Crooks has not one friend in the world. Also set apart from others by his handicap is Candy, an old and unhappy worker on the ranch. After losing his only true companion, an old and feeble dog, Candy finds himself as lonesome as ever. Curley's wife, the only female living on the ranch, dreams of a better life, in which she feels loved and appreciated by those around her. While striving for happier and better lives, many characters portray the feelings of loneliness and desperation. Throughout the novella, the theme of loneliness is evident in Crooks', Curley's wife's, and Candy's lives. Crooks faces the feeling of loneliness many times during the story. He is often alienated because of his race, causing him to feel extremely alone. Aside
Because Curley's wife is the only female on the ranch, she is often set apart from those around her. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. After her mother forces her to pass up the opportunities she was given, Curley's wife marries out of spite and hatred. Contributing to Candy's unhappiness is the fact that he is so old. Curley's wife believes if she had taken different paths in life, she would be much happier. I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. Crooks also expresses his feelings of loneliness and desperation when speaking with Lennie, to whom he reveals his longing for a true friend. Although he does not speak of his handicap and its many faults, Crooks views it as yet another reason for him to feel ostracized when compared to the "perfect" people surrounding him. Candy, a worker on the ranch, also experiences the feeling of loneliness. Whether they experience racial, social, or physical discrimination, all characters find themselves feeling desperate sometime during the story. Although they all feel as if they have not one friend to relate with, the characters in this story all share the same dream of a life different than their own.
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