Nearly everyone in the story Of Mice and Men is a loner. What causes them to be lonely? Throughout this book, we see that loneliness is the main theme of the story. The characters reasons for being lonely are different. Poverty, discrimination and the lack of a permanent home are the causes for loneliness. As the story develops George, Candy, Crooks, and Curley's wife all admit their loneliness. .
George sets the tone for loneliness early in the book when he tells Lennie, "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. The come to a ranch an" work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow there stake, and the first thing you know they"re poundin" their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to." Men like George and Lennie who migrate from ranch to ranch rarely have anyone to look to for companionship. Even though George and Lennie are friends, George is still lonely. George cannot have a true relationship with Lennie because of Lennie's mental disability. .
Candy is afraid of being alone. Candy wants to be a part of George and Lennie's dream of owning their own place. He has $300.00 from losing his hand and he offers the money to George and Lennie to pay for part of the place they dream of. Candy knows he "ain't much good with on"y one hand", but he is willing to cook and take care of the garden. He will be happy to give George and Lennie the money so he won't have to be alone. .
Crooks admits his loneliness is because of his skin color and the discrimination he is faced with. Because he is the only black man on the ranch, Crooks is not allowed to live at the bunkhouse or play rummy. Crooks has nobody. "A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an" he gets sick." Crooks also offers to lend a hand so he can share in Lennie and George's dream of owning their own place.
