‘Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world’ ‘Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck, published in 1937. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California. The two protagonist characters, George and Lennie are farm workers who have a dream of one-day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad, after escaping from Weed because of George’s incident. They are met by different characters on the farm that all have a dream. To be lonely means to lack friends or companionship and to feel isolated.
Most of the characters are lonely and the only thing that keeps them alive is their dreams. Some of the loneliest characters they meet are Candy, an old man with only one hand, Crooks, a black cripple and Curley’s Wife, a woman who has no identity; she is lonely even though she is married. Although they are all on the ranch together, they are lonely because of who they are and their history. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is an emotional story with many different themes and characters. This essay will describe the way loneliness is portrayed in ‘Of Mice and Men. The setting of the novel is destined for loneliness. Soledad is short for the town’s full name, ‘Nuestra Senora de Soledad’ which means ‘Our Lady of Loneliness’. This is the town that is closest to the ranch, a place that is already full of lonely, solitary people. The name of the closest town being Soledad, we understand that loneliness is some kind of vicious circle, because on the ranch they are already lonely, and going to town to fight that loneliness will not help since it is called this. Guys like us, that live on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. ’ George means that if not for each other, then he and Lennie would be all alone, with no friends, like all the men like them, who are nomads working from ranch to ranch without making any friends, and living a lonely, solitary life. Clinging to each other in their loneliness and isolation, George and his Lennie dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own, but we can attribute another meaning to this sentence.
George and Lennie are very different, physically as well as mentally, even though they talk to each other, we can sense that they are both on a different level. George is a smart, quick-witted man, who seems to need mental stimulation from a companion, which he cannot have in his relationship with Lennie. Lennie does not always understand what George is talking about, as Crooks points out ‘Sometimes he talks, and you don’t know what the hell he’s talkin’ about. Aint’ that so? Jus’ talks on, an’ you don’t know what the hell it’s all about? Even though they have each other, they are still both lonely at a certain level, but as Crooks also points out ‘it don’t make no difference’, what he means that it is not what is being said that is important, the important thing is human relationships and being together. George Milton and Lennie Small are friends who travel together. They both share the same dream, which is to one day own their own ranch. George is quick-witted and intelligent. He takes the parental role of looking after Lennie, a simple-minded man who in the play is described as a giant. Lennie is kind hearted with huge physical strength.
He does not know how powerful he is and likes to pet animals. The other men on the ranch find their relationship unusual, they do not know of their past. George describes himself and Lennie as the loneliest guys in the world. George feels sorry for himself; he can see the reality of being a ranch-hand. This loneliness therefore makes both him and Lennie have a dream that motivates him to work. It is the one thing that they are living for. The boss believes that George is exploiting Lennie. The other men come to see that their friendship is built upon loneliness.
Others such as Crooks, Candy, Curley’s wife and maybe Slim are jealous of their relationship. Although both George and Lennie are close friends, they are still lonely in the sense that they are not alike. Lennie is lonely in the sense that there is no one who is as simple-minded as he is, he does not realise this, as he is too busy playing with his pup. When George and Lennie first arrive on the ranch, they are met by Candy. Candy and his dog’s relationship resemble George and Lennie’s relationship. In the same way, that Candy seeks comfort in his dog, Lennie seeks comfort in George.
Candy has a parental role towards his dog, just as George has a parental role towards Lennie. Lennie can be compared with the dog in the sense that he listens, but does not talk; this provides comfort for those who talk to him about their feelings. Both Lennie and Candy’s dog are shot by the same gun (Carlson’s luger). Carlson is unsentimental about Candy’s dog, as he can see no practical use for it: ‘He ain’t no good to you Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself. Why’n’t you shoot him Candy? ’His suggestion is reasonable for the other men in the bunk- house but he seems oblivious to the strong bond between Candy and his dog.
Candy tries to justify the reasons for keeping his dog: ‘I had him so long. Had him since he was a pup. I herded sheep with him. ’ In the end, his dog is shot because of his lack of authority towards the other men. Candy is left lonely and deserted after he loses his lifetime companion. He later cheers up after he joins in with George and Lennie’s plan of owning the dream farm: ‘I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off. ’ Candy promises them, that if he died, he would leave George and Lennie his money. This increases his chance of becoming part of the dream.
It also increases the chance of the dream becoming reality. Carlson is also a lonely character; he is callous and does not know the appreciation of friendship. He has his gun to look after and care for, the movement of his hands whilst he cleans it show signs of loneliness, and he appears nonchalant: ‘He laid them on his bed and then brought out the pistol…then he fell to cleaning the barrel with the little rod. ’ He spends time looking after the gun, he does not take part in the conversation between the other men, he feels happy with his gun and does not see the value of friends and companionship.
Curley’s wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel; she has no identity, and she is seen as an object, a possession of Curley’s. Curley’s wife is seen as a flirtatious ‘tart’ by the other ranch-hands, true, Curley’s wife does flirt, she is very conscious of the effect this has on men, but she is not a tart. She wants attention and by gaining that attention, she acts the way people think she should: ‘She had full rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. ’ This shows that she likes to dress up and wear a lot of make- up, to attract men.
The men on the other hand do not flirt with her, as they are afraid of what Curly might do. This leads to the loneliness of many characters. Although the men think it is wrong of her to flaunt herself sexually and give everyone the ‘eye’, the men all visit a whorehouse for sexual gratification and momentary companionship. Those like George and Whit contradict themselves when they talk about Curley’s wife as being ‘jail-bait’: ‘She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her. She’s a jail-bait all set on a trigger… ’ George senses danger coming his way, but he chooses to ignore it, as he needs the money.
During the 1930s, women were seen as possessions of their husbands who were to stay at home. George’s view of women, seem to be very basic and biased, he sees them as instruments to relieve physical urges: ‘She never talks dirty, neither. Got five girls there. ’ George does not express the need for any female companionship mainly because he is too busy keeping Lennie out of trouble. She confides in Lennie and tells him about her dreams of becoming a movie star. Steinbeck uses Lennie as a voice to the reader; it is because of him that the reader finds out about Curley’s wife’s dreams and feelings. Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes – all them nice clothes like they were. ’ She seems to be obsessed by her appearance; she wants the fame and glamour. She appears to have given up her dreams as she married Curly, she feels as though her dreams have been shattered and that she can no longer achieve her goals. Like Curley’s wife, Crooks also has no name, it is just a nickname the other ranch-hands use because he is crippled. He is bitter, intelligent and very well organised; he has his own room where he keeps his books and possessions.
For him, his room is a haven or an oasis: ‘For, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about…this room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man. ’ This shows signs of isolation, as there is no one to comment on the tidiness of his room. He feels isolated and bitter. He is the victim of oppressive violence and prejudice on the ranch. When he first meets Lennie, there is an immediate rejection of friendship mainly due to the anguish of his loneliness: ‘Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outa my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room. He does not know that Lennie is unlike the other men, he has been criticised and made fun off, so he does not appreciate the company of others until he gets to know them and their attitude towards him. He tells Lennie of his hopes of having someone to talk to. ‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely, an’ he gets sick. ’ He admits to feeling isolated, he wishes for a friend to talk to. For a moment, Lennie seems to be a new friend, Lennie sees Crooks as an individual, a person in his own right. Crooks respects him for this and is excited about his new companionship.
Again the reader only finds this out when Crooks tells Lennie about his feelings. Crooks admits to not having a dream as he is afraid of disappointment, he does however get caught up in working with George and Lennie in the dream farm. His hopes are shattered by George’s dismissive attitude: ‘I didn’ mean it. Jus foolin’. I wouldn’t want to go no place like that. ’ The lonely characters feel they can confide in Lennie, as they know he will not tell anyone. Crooks is treated as an outcast due to the perspective of race and black people of the time. Black people were seen as utcasts that had no right to mix with the whites. Curley is a small ex-boxer. He is one of the most violent characters on the ranch. He hopes that by being violent and aggressive towards the weaker characters, he will gain authority. He however avoids those he considers to be strong and with authority, such as Slim. He sees everyone with a lower status and sees people as a hierarchy: ‘He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots. ’ According to Candy, the work glove that Curley wears is full of Vaseline to keep his hands soft for his wife.
The high-heeled boots give signs of status and height. A debatable character is Slim; because of his calm attitude and natural authority, the less lonely characters rely on him. He is understanding and kind, which is why George tells him of the incident in Weed. He does not seem to have a friend, but it does not mean that he has resigned. There is however, some hope for him after Lennie is shot, as he is the one who comforts George and tells him he done the right thing. ‘You hadda, George. I swear you hadda. First impressions are sometimes wrong, and for a person reading this play without thinking about it, they would not imagine that Lennie or George were lonely, but in fact, they both are. Loneliness accounts for much of Lennie’s inner conflicts, his dream for the farm, and the desire for friendship or affection. His desire for friendship or affection makes him have an obsession for soft objects. The relationships in Lennie’s life do not provide him with a sufficient amount of care and affection that Lennie needs which leads him to desire items like mice, a puppy, a rabbit, or even hair or a dress for a source of comfort.
Wanting these soft items is his effort to achieve companionship that he does not acquire from anyone else. Lennie takes certain precautions and listens to whatever George or other people tell him so he will not lose the opportunity to have such items as his puppy. Lennie shows his towards George when he pleads: ‘Give ‘um to me George. I’ll take ‘um back. I didn’t mean no harm, George. Honest. I didn’t. I jus’ wanted to pet ‘um a little. ’ (page 43). Loneliness has made Lennie very cautious towards others because he has to worry about getting in trouble.
His ideas about the farm, rabbits, mice, and puppies all derive from his need for a friendlier and more interactive lifestyle. Lennie’s lifestyle now does not permit him to obtain this specific way of life with affability. His mental condition along his uncontrollable strength makes him unable to achieve this sociability and he is still not aware of this. Lennie’s feelings and emotions are portrayed to the reader when he sees the rabbit as Aunt Clara. He says: ‘I tried Aunt Clara, ma’am. I tried. I couldn’t help it… I’ll go right off in the hills an’ I’ll fin’ a cave an’ I’ll live there so I won’t be no more trouble to George. (page 101). Lennie was basically in denial of his own loneliness and this has made Lennie want a better life. This involves these soft items and the dream for owning a farm. He believes that if they manage to buy the farm, he will not have to deal with all the problems that he has now. Lennie became unrealistic in many ways because of his condition and loneliness. Lennie most likely would have never obtained the farm or the soft items even if he wasn’t killed, but his loneliness serves as motivation for these goals. George is lonely in the play because he has to take care of Lennie.
He could abandon him, but he carries the responsibility since he knew his Aunt Clara. Having hate care of an individual with a disability has restricted George’s life, opportunity to establish relationships, and forced him to move whenever something went wrong. The life style of a single migrant worker gives way to a lonely life. For example, Candy is a typical aged out ranch hand. He sits by himself often, is left behind when the others go to town, and is isolated from the income and social environment. If George continues to work as a ranch handle will eventually become like Candy.
The play begins with a calm and peaceful setting of nature: ‘A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops close to the hill-side and runs deeps and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. ’ This shows the peaceful world of nature, as it is very calm and tranquil. The pool shows signs of innocence, as it is only a branch of the Salinas River. The river is a sign of the secrets and the future in nature and the novel. The deep green makes it unable to see the riverbed; this shows signs of a faint and perhaps a dangerous view of the future.
Despite the movement and the motion of the river, there are still signs of loneliness; there is only the cyclical of nature. The language Steinbeck uses to describe the setting is sophisticated and formal: ‘On the sand-banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little grey, sculptured stones…from the direction of the state highway came the sound of footsteps…the rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover. ’ ‘For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool. ’ This shows the peaceful world of nature being disturbed by man.
The rabbits sensed the presence of danger and hurried away, it is a movement from harmony to discord. There is a contrast between man and nature. The rabbits sat quietly without making a lot of movement and noise, whilst George and Lennie emerge and break the peace. The peace of nature is also disturbed at the end when Lennie is shot. The pool is described as an innocent place; it reflects Lennie’s innocence. There are however, senses of loneliness as neither George nor Lennie speak, and there are no sounds of nature from when they emerge; the pool is still and the wind has stopped rustling through the leaves.
The language Steinbeck uses to describe the landscape and a character is contrasted with the way the characters speak. The characters use American slang and also speak of being lonely and wanting companionship. Steinbeck pays attention to the description of the characters; he mainly concentrates on the hands. Lennie’s hands are described as paws, Candy’s has one missing, Curley’s keeps his left hand in a glove, Crooks’ palms are noted (colour). George has strong but small hands, Slim hands are mentioned and Curley’s wife’s hands are only described in terms of fingernails.
Steinbeck presents the theme of loneliness through the characters. The language he uses to describe the landscape and characters show signs of loneliness. The characters’ pasts reflect their loneliness and the death of both Candy’s dog and Lennie also create the major theme of loneliness. Nature and animals play a large role in the story, the main comparison of man and nature is when Lennie is described as a bear: ‘He walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. ’ Steinbeck wants to show the size and strength of Lennie therefore he compares him to a bear.
Even if all people are miserable when they are lonely, the consequences of friendship can be even worse. When one of the members of a friendship is removed, it causes misery and pain; when Candy lost his dog, he kept thinking about him, and felt terrible because he kept thinking that he should have shot his dog himself, and looks for friendship elsewhere. When George had to shoot Lennie, he felt terrible, because he had just shot his best friend, his lifetime companion, his only friend in the world. Because of this, he has to live the rest of his life, in guilt, alone and knowing that he killed his only friend.
Human beings were made to live in society, thus all people are driven towards others, and is it a natural instinct to seek friendship and companionship. When they find it, they are the happiest people. The only downside to finding a friend is what happens when one of the friends is lost. This causes even more misery in the remaining friend, and forces the friend to start searching again, which is a hard process, because the person has taken the habit of his friend and being comfortable in his relationship, and opening towards others is harder.
One of the most important lessons we learn in Of Mice and Men is that Friendship and human interaction are two very valuable things, and that having them is as much as a right as it is a privilege, that we much treasure as it keeps us away from loneliness. This play was written during the 1930s during the Great Depression. This was a difficult time for America and its people; Steinbeck shows the fear of the Depression by having the men all work together. No matter how much the men on the ranch stick together and some may support each other, they are still lonely.
