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Loneliness and Solitude in Of Mice and Men

            Loneliness and solitude are recurring themes in 'Of Mice and Men'. This essay will be focused on how these themes relate to the characters George, Crooks and Candy. The book is very heavily focussed on these issues and John Steinbeck has this by naming the town itself Soledad, which in Spanish means loneliness. All of the characters in the novel have an ongoing battle with loneliness and they each have their own way of combatting it. .
             George has an ongoing struggle with loneliness throughout the novel. He is unable to establish relationships with people due to his father-like role looking after his disabled friend Lennie. He is lonely because he does not allow himself to form emotional attachments to people because he is constantly on the move every time Lennie makes a mistake. Although George thinks Lennie is holding him back in life, he clearly values Lennie's companionship as supported by this interaction: "I can go off into the hills and find a cave" "No I want you to stay with me." (page 14) George chooses solitude when on the ranch. He keeps to himself and only forces others to make an effort in forming a relationship with him. During his downtime George is usually playing solitaire, this is one of the ways Steinbeck shows that George does not wish to form relationships with people. George has the dream that all men of the time share, of owning his own land. This is another way George seeks solitude, he wishes to be on his own and totally independent. George does not require many friends in life though he does value companionship. .
             Crooks is lonely, despite what he wants others to believe he does not want to be an outcast and resents the rest of society for the way he is treated. Crooks is the only black man on the ranch and therefore forced to live on his own, away from the other men higher on the social scale. Crooks does open up about his loneliness when talking to Lennie and Curley's wife and he says a string of key quotes such as "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.


Essays Related to Loneliness and Solitude in Of Mice and Men

1. Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men "A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. ... I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick." A major theme in Steinbeck's novella Of Mice and Men is loneliness. ... Not only is it the way that others think of him but also the way he thinks of himself that forces him to find solitude. ... Throughout the story Of Mice and Men we discover the many sources of solitude, primarily being discrimination and prejudice. ...

  • Word Count: 555
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Loneliness in "Of Mice and Men"

Of Mice and Men The Predatory Nature of Human Existence focused on "Loneliness" In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, most of the characters, such as Crooks, Candy and Curley's wife, confront the certain kinds of loneliness. ... Crooks has a "relationship" with loneliness. ... He is the one who admits that he is extremely lonely. ... Candy is so down that he puts himself into a state of solitude. ... Throughout the story, Of Mice and Men, the reader discovers the many sources of solitude, primarily being discrimination and prejudice. ...

  • Word Count: 1349
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Of Mice and Men

In his novel, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck exemplifies the loneliness of life on a California ranch. ... The people who live in the town and all who come to visit are engulfed by its solitude. ... John Steinbeck uses his novel, Of Mice and Men, to illustrate the hardships and loneliness that men suffer from in today's society. Of Mice and Men serves as an important lesson that reveals the depth of human interaction and friendship. There are many Georges and Lennies in this immense world of solitude. ...

  • Word Count: 1237
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Of MIce And Men

Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness. ... In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the characters, Crooks, Candy, and Curly's wife all experience some form of loneliness. ... Throughout his novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck demonstrates that, a person in isolation will have a never-ending quest to fulfill a friendship... Candy is so down that he puts himself into a state of solitude. ... Throughout the story, Of Mice and Men, there are sources of solitude. ...

  • Word Count: 721
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Of Mice and Men and the Theme of Loneliness

Of Mice and Men and the Theme of Loneliness Loneliness is the inevitable act that everyone have encountered at least once in their lifetime. In the Novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck gives many examples of loneliness of the California ranch life. ... Without a friend a person will suffer from loneliness and solitude. ... It is obvious that Candy doesn't care about any of the money, all he wants is to be in a place where he won't encounter solitude. ... I get awful lonely." ...

  • Word Count: 1086
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Of Mice And Men: Loneliness

Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness and solitude. ... In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the characters, Crooks, Candy, and Curly's wife all exhibit some form of loneliness. ... Through his novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck demonstrates that often times, a victim of isolation will have a never-ending search to fulfill a friendship. ... (Steinbeck, 66) Candy is so down that he puts himself into a state of solitude. ... Throughout the story, Of Mice and Men, the reader discovers the many sources of solitude, primarily being discrimination and prejudice. ...

  • Word Count: 1786
  • Approx Pages: 7
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7. Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men In terms of emotional stability, there is only one thing in life that is needs and that is friends. Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness and solitude. Loneliness leads to low self-esteem and deprivation. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck makes a descriptive theme of loneliness as it affects many characters on the ranch. ... Curley's wife is very lonely, but she is lonely for different reasons. ...

  • Word Count: 521
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Of Mice And Men

Isolation in Of Mice and Men To be isolated is to be separated from other persons or things according to The Random House College Dictionary Revised Edition. ... John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men is a story consumed in isolation and all of the characters portray this in their own unique way. ... This only furthers his decline into solitude and loneliness. ... Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a novel that expresses the woes and resentment that result from being isolated and having no one to confide in and nothing to look forward to. ... All of the characters are isolated...

  • Word Count: 1728
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Of Mice and Men

Isolation in Of Mice and Men To be isolated is to be separated from other persons or things according to The Random House College Dictionary Revised Edition. ... John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men is a story consumed in isolation and all of the characters portray this in their own unique way. ... This only furthers his decline into solitude and loneliness. ... Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is a novel that expresses the woes and resentment that result from being isolated and having no one to confide in and nothing to look forward to. ... All of the characters are isolated...

  • Word Count: 1694
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

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