Loneliness in Of Mice and Men Essay

LONELINESS LEADING TO LASHING OUT

John Steinbecks novel, Of Mice and Men, set in Soledad, California during the 1930s is a story about two men, George Milton and Lennie Small. The book opens with these ranch hands that escape a serious problem from Weed, CA and travel over to look for work in Soledad. Lennie and George find work at a ranch where Lennie meets Curleys wife, Candy and Crooks who happens to have same characteristics as Lennie; lonely, victimized by others and lash out at each other. In the novel, three characters; Crooks, Curleys wife, and Lennie are lonely, causing them to lash out at each other.

Crooks, Curleys Wife, and Lennie being victims of their loneliness, are being isolated from the rest based on gender, color and mental challenge. The stable buck guy, Crooks, has nobody by his side because of his skin color. Spose you couldnt go into the bunk house.cause you was black (Steinbeck 72), he tries to make Lennie understand the pain of being black and how it is a sin to the white people. Lennie does not comprehend whatsoever but Crooks expresses his hunt with this statement. Curleys wife is upset with her lonely life. Being the only female in the environment meant no respect, less importance and no one to talk to except her lonely husband. In her loneliness, she tries to spend time with the others in Crooks room. She is asked to leave their sight which makes her wonder why she is left out. think I dont like to talk to somebody? (Steinbeck 77). This really hurts and annoys her. Lennie tries to make conversations to overcome loneliness. His loneliness is due to his mental disability. It is scarce for mentally challenged people to have companies. He goes into Crooks room I seen your light (Steinbeck 68). He knows fully well that Crooks should be like a stranger to him but his condition will not let him ignore that. He really has to talk to someone. Loneliness has caused Crooks to talk to another worker against the rule of not having anything to do with the rest of them, Curleys wife to stoop so low to talk to her husbands worker, and Lennie to disobey the rule by making friends with a black.

Loneliness deeply affects all three characters. It leads to lashing out at each other. They are all not happy being lonely which makes them act negatively toward each other. Crooks would not believe that anyone can achieve a dream if he cannot. Crooks call Lennie nuts (Steinbeck 74) because Lennie tells him about getting a farm land. He tries to put Lennie down because Lennie does not care about Crooks talk of his life but himself on how he gets to tend the rabbits. Crooks not interested in anyones dream if his dreams cannot be considered. Curleys wife would love for her husband to have time for her but unfortunately she ends up being left alone with those left behind in the ranch. This makes her angry which leads her into classifying the men as a bunch of bindle stiffs if everybody can freely talk to others, why is different for her. Lennie who is mentally challenged thinks his own way and does not reason in all he does. Crooks ask him what he would do if George left him and makes a better life. Who hurt George? he is ready to take Crooks out. Lennie, would not allow anybody do something bad to the only person that has been around him. Lennie, Crooks, and Curleys wife lash out at each other because of the loneliness in their life. They are not pleased with the way their lives are being spent.

In the novel, three characters; Crooks, Curleys wife, and Lennie use loneliness to lash out at each other turning them against each other. John Steinbeck shows us how life on a ranch is lonely and what we can do to change it. Women would never want to be left out, they always want attention. Curleys wife should not be seen as a tart because she does that to seek for attention and that is something every lady would do. The mentally challenged should always be given attention no matter what. Lennie definitely went through a lot not being loved and recognized and finally, nobody wants to be discriminated based on color. Crooks situation was the most important lesson shared of all because everyone should be loved equally just like God in heaven loves us. Being lonely is really not a good thing because loneliness leads to the lashing out at each other. They are repeatedly rejected, they react with harsh words.