Of Mice and Men: Theme of Loneliness
             In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the theme of loneliness is expressed through John Steinbeck's characters, by what they say and do. "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world." George tells Lennie about how it is with lonely ranch workers compared to them.
             Curley's wife shows her loneliness by always looking for Curley, and talking to all of the guys. "Any of you boys seen Curley?" she asks. Curley, as well, is always looking for her, which shows their longing for someone to be around.
             Candy is one of the characters who shows what loneliness can do to a person. Candy had just met George and Lennie, and barely knew them, but offered all his savings to them, to be a part of their dream. He would give everything to total strangers, just to escape his fear of being alone. " 'Spose I went in with you guys! Tha's three hundred an' fifty bucks I'd put in." Candy offers what he has to George and Lennie and even says he'd leave them a will to his money, just to know that he had some friends and wasn't alone.
             Curley's wife shows that you need someone to talk to, so you don't get lonely. She always wants to talk to the other guys. She says she is always in the house and can't talk to anyone but Curley. "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely." she says. She just wants someone to talk to, instead of being cooped up in the house – alone.
             Crooks, the old, black, stable buck, also demonstrates why one needs someone around so one does not go crazy. That's why he offers to work for no money and sleep by the stove. He doesn't like to be alone in his bunkhouse. Crooks says, " . . . If you ...guys would want a hand to work for nothing - just his keep, why I'd come an' lend a hand." He just wants to live with someone, it doesn...