Loneliness is an important theme in ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

In ‘Of Mice and Men’, there are three lonely characters. Candy, Crooks and Curleys wife. The novel is set in the 1930’s, and shows you what living conditions certain people were under. Candy is an old man, who has been working on the ranch, for years. He’s got his hand cut, by accident, and since then, he has always been at risk of getting fired. He’s a very lonely character, because of his age, and because he doesn’t spend time with the other workers, due to his accident. He has had a dog, since it was a puppy. And it seems that his dog, is the only loyal friend he has got. But since Carlson, has shot his dog, he has been feeling lonelier than ever. There is a lot of age discrimination. And everyone sees him as an old man, waiting to die. There’s a big comparison between Candy and his dog. His dog is also old and lonely, and Carlson wanting to shoot it, is like saying that Candy’s time is over as well. Also Candy feels guilty not shooting his dog himself, instead of a stranger (Carlson). â€Å"I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t ought to of let no stranger shooting my dog.† Candy’s dog was more than just a dog to him, it was his companion. Crooks is another lonely character in the novel. He has been working on the ranch, for a long time, and he also is injured. A horse kicked him on the back, and now he can’t stand up right. He lives in the stable buck, and keeps himself occupied with books. One of the books he has got is a copy of the ‘California Civil Code’ for 1905. I think he had this book to remind himself, that he has rights, even though he is black. Nobody will give him these rights though. I think he is the loneliest character in the novel. This is because his only communication is with the Boss, and his son Curley. As their conversations, are only about work, they don’t have a friendship with each other. But he still keeps his pride, for example, when Lennie comes to his room; he says, â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.† He says that, even though he really wants to talk to somebody. But he assumes, that Lennie has the same attitude, as other white people. That’s why he says; he doesn’t want him in his room. But as he finds out, that Lennie’s ‘mind’ is like a kids, so he doesn’t share the same opinions about black people as white’s, he doesn’t mind him in his room. Crooks starts telling/asking Lennie what he would do if George didn’t come back, that indicates, that he is explaining how it is for him, how he hasn’t got anyone to confront. Then Lennie and Candy start telling Crooks about their dream. Then Crooks says, â€Å"†¦If you†¦guys would want a hand to work for nothing – just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to.† Curley’s wife is the only female in the novel. Her status as the Boss’s son’s wife doesn’t make any difference on the ranch. As other male workers won’t associate with her, as they will get in trouble, with Curley, who is her jealous husband. She married Curley, not because she loves him, but because of his status, wealth and because she wanted to get away from home. She doesn’t have any friends, so therefore, to have conversations with the male workers; she has to flirt her way. She is very beautiful, and the workers find her very attracting. But because they don’t want to get into trouble, they try to stay away from her, by for example saying â€Å"Maybe you better go along your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.† She knows that they all fancy her in some way, e.g. â€Å"Funny thing, if I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad.† Because of the time and place (1930’s, Soledad), Curley’s wife, as a woman, don’t have as many rights as men, and living on a ranch with male workers, doesn’t make it any easier. In the novel, Steinbeck, has written Curleys’s wife’s character, so we wouldn’t have any sympathy for her. This might suggest that, he wants, to show/tell us, that men didn’t give any sympathy to women either. Lennie likes Curley’s wife a lot, because of her looks. So Curley’s wife takes advantage of that, by trying to build up a ‘friendship’ with him. Also to show him, that what the other male workers are saying isn’t true. That she can be sensitive, and that she isn’t trying to cause trouble to anyone. For example when she lets Lennie touch her hair, â€Å"Course I brush it a lot. That makes it fine. Here – feel right here.† She also tells Lennie about her dream, her dream to become an actress. She confines in him, because she thinks that he’s the only one who wants to listen to her. He’s a listener.