Theme in Of Mice and Men Essay

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“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is most terrible poverty.”- Mother Theresa (www.google.com) In the novel 'Of Mice and Men' Loneliness is shown in various ways, specifically loneliness for attention, land or championship . The characters George, Crooks, Candy and Curley's wife are used to showing loneliness. In my essay, I will be taking about how the characters in Of Mice and Men are Lonely in their own ways. As you can see, this is what I will be talking about in my essay.

George's often dismaying desire is to accompany Lennie. George’s loneliness is very peculiar as unlike the other characters who face seclusion, George is united with a friend. However, Lennie is an unbelievably immature adult and as a result feels isolated. This affects him as he ends up either instructing or telling of Lennie when they talk which ultimately means George cannot have adult conversation, something which he deeply desires. An example of Lennie immaturity is shown when George enquires why he has a dead mouse. '' It on'y a mouse. Jus a dead mouse. George. I didn't kill it, honest. I found it dead''. The way Lennie tries to make out there is nothing wrong illustrates his lack of knowledge and insight into the world and shows how this may affect the interaction between the pair. It culminates in the assessment that although George may have a friend, he is so alien to normal individuals that in George's eyes, his human credibility is non-existent. Despite this, he has built a sound relationship with an innocent and nice person who he fears may suffer on his own. For these reasons he finds it difficult to detach himself from Lennie. Nonetheless, his decision to stay ultimately means he will be stuck with a person who he cannot have a grown-up relationship with and have the enjoyable experiences he might have if he was with a more intelligent person .Subsequently George is not able to live the way he wants to live as Lennie acts as a hindrance to his plans. George's reluctance to depart from Lennie's side generates a disservice for himself but at the same time he creates hope for Lennie who couldn't cope by his lonesome. His altruistic approach is very noble and respected greatly.
Crook is a disregarded black man who is a victim of racism. He has been segregated by several members of the ranch and forced to live in the barn by himself. ''They play cards in there but I can't play cause I'm black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, they all stink to me.'' However, shocking it seems, these type of incidents were not uncommon across 1930's America. Crooks is just one of the many people, who at the time, were stripped entirely of any freedoms and who were only given the most basic of rights. For instance, no black person was allowed to mix with white people. Unfortunately, as the only black man on the ranch this meant his isolation becomes heightened even more. His position of been singled out becomes clearer when he states,'' This is just a nigger talkin'. A busted-back nigger.” So it don't mean nothing, see?'' His only relationships he has are between books and with the horses he works with. As a typical person, he simply wants interaction between other people and depriving him of this fundamentally leads to his downfall and his loneliness. You can tell he is disheartened by this, but he stays there as he is old and settled into his current life and more so because he sees no prospects elsewhere in a country where blacks do not belong. Consequently, Crooks will live a life of solitude. Being unable to make friends, or even to feel like he is socially accepted or at least respected with the members of the ranch. He won't be able to enjoy himself the way he would like to by talking to others and playing cards. Simple pleasures he desires. Most of all probably, his color and status as only black man on the ranch must make people think he is quite an oddity, and to be viewed so downwardly, will affect him greatly.
Curley's wife in
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