Many of the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’ are lonely Essay

Describe the reasons for their loneliness and explore the different ways they seek comfort. Many of the characters in the novel ‘of Mice and Men’ are lonely because they grew up in an unurturing and unfriendly environment. The reason for this type of negative and depressing attitude is due to the ‘Great Wall Street Crash’. This tormenting economic crash took place at the same time when the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set, in the year 1929. Families fell apart as the men were forced to leave behind their roots, and seek employment on ranches in order to bring back stability in their lives again. Relationships were never formed on these ranches as no one had any time nor interest in trying to communicate and bond with the other ranch hands or other residents. The only object the ranchers were attracted to was making money and moving on, therefore there was no stability. Tragically, vast amounts of people committed suicide, as they could not bear to live their lives recounting all their losses. Coincidentally the meaning of the town Soledad is ‘our lady of loneliness’. Loneliness is a spreading disease, which has the power to make the most cheerful people dull and gloomy as they begin to feel isolated. There is no direct cure for loneliness; therefore no one knows how to deal with it. This is the stage where the effected people begin to split into two distinctive groups depending on each individual’s character; the two groups are known as introverts and extroverts. The people that are catogrised in the introvert group suffer the most as they keep all their emotions locked up inside, leading in them taking their anger out on themselves. Whereas the extrovert group has a completely different way of approaching loneliness, they begin to take their anger out on other people in such ways as being aggressive and flirtatious to overcome their feelings. There is a vast comparison between the two groups; if you look at it between characters, which are extroverts and introverts, at one extreme you have Crooks a Negro who is partially crippled, and then you have Curley, a cruel, insensitive extrovert. All humans need to be comforted at the time of need as this is the human desire, therefore, it is not surprising that the characters in this novel also require comfort. Some characters similar to Crooks need friendship-based relationships so that they can communicate with other people. Other characters similar to George and Lennie have their future dream to look forward to and work towards that is their target. The definition of a dream is: ‘Dream n. Train of thoughts, images, or fancies passing through mind during sleep; Conscious indulgence of fancy, reverie, thing of dream-like beauty, charm, goodness, etc.’ (Taken from the Readers Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary, Third Edition) A dream is something you indulge in, to escape momentarily from life. This seems to be the context that John Steinbeck intended his characters in Of Mice and Men to dream in. They are all craving for something – in the case of George and Lennie, that something is land. All the dreams in this novel are similar to the Great American Dream, which is that you can achieve anything if you have the mind and desire to do it. However, most of the characters who have dreams know that their dreams may never become reality, but never the less it still provides comfort for them. Crooks is partially crippled, ‘his body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine’, yet self-dependant Negro, he too is very lonely. Crooks’s personality is quite interesting, as he is very defensive and protective of himself: ‘He kept his distance and demanded that others kept theirs.’ Crooks is very cautious about those who approach him, this is as he does not want to be in any more pain than he already is; he is frightened that someone will not only hurt him physically but harm him mentally as well. He is fully aware of his rights, he knows the limitations of what he is allowed to do and what he has not got the right to do. Crooks is lonely as he has not got anyone to talk to due to the colour of his skin, he does not even know how to act around other guys. All he spends his time doing is reading the ‘battered magazines and dirty books’ which were scattered all around his bunk: â€Å"Books ain’t no good, a guy needs somebody – to be near him†¦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†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Later on in the chapter we realise that all Crooks is longing for is companionship, however, it is evident to see that Crooks is a bad communicator: â€Å"You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.† Crooks reacts angrily, his anger is and pride is a defense against the harsh treatment he has been subjected to and experienced for most of his years in life. He has been held back without any real conversation for an eminent amount of time, therefore leading to his language being unwelcoming as it is aggressive and defensive. Loneliness has had a negative effect on Crooks as it has made him verbally aggressive and very protective of what is his and his right. In chapter 4, John Steinbeck does a role reverse, instead of a white man tormenting a Negro, a Negro torments a white man, in this case Lennie. Crooks took a lot of pleasure in torturing Lennie the night George went into town, he had pleasure form teasing Lennie by suggesting that George would not bother to return as he better off without the presence of Lennie: â€Å"I said s’pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more†¦Just s’pose that.† Crooks enjoys having the power over Lennie, he uses persuasive and manipulative language to prove his point, for once in all the time on the ranch he has an advantage over a white man. This inspires him, Crooks is feeling good at this point; he feels self-assured as though he can take on anything: â€Å"†¦Now you jus’ get on out, an’ get out quick. If you don’t, I’m gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more.† Crooks builds up his confidence to such an extent that he forgets his status on the social hierarchy. However, Curley’s wife coldly reminds Crooks of his unsuccessful position as a black man; a ‘nigger’: â€Å"Well, you keep your place here nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easily it ain’t even funny.† This racist statement reminds Crooks of his old self, leading to him remembering that he has ‘reduced himself to nothing’, he ‘pressed his body against the wall’, in shame. Crooks achieves comfort from remembering his childhood; Crooks came from a background full of love and care for each other, he knows what the true value of companionship is: â€Å"I remember when I was a little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They were always near me, always there.† Crooks past childhood is full of affection and love in contrast to Crooks now, an isolated and lonely man who is referred to as a ‘nigger’. Crooks is in vast emotional pain as he knows what he is missing out on, however, some people may argue that he is actually quite advantaged as at least he has old memories to refer back to. Crooks also gets comfort from asking to be allowed to join the dream, which George, Lennie and Crooks hold: â€Å"If you would want a hand to work for nothing- just his keep, why I’d come and lend a hand.† Crooks wants things to go back to as he was a child, he wants to revisit the happy days of his life that are now just a vague memory to him. Crooks knows that the only way he can do this is by joining the dream that George, Lennie and Crooks share. However, Crooks soon finds out when George rejects him from sharing the dream that he is destined to be an old isolated Negro. George Milton is one of the main characters in the novel, ‘Of Mice and Men’, he is quiet, modest and clearly a good worker. George is considered as one of the fortunate characters in this particular novel, this is as he atleast had a chance to experience the true value of companionship and unconditional value with his best friend Lennie Small. His companionship with Lennie ‘staves of loneliness’, as well as giving George a role in life; a clear task to look after Lennie. It is evident to see that at the beginning of the novel George feels superior with this role as it gives him a sense of power over Lennie: â€Å" â€Å" George has learnt vastly from his past experiences with Lennie; this allows George to have a two-way relationship with Lennie, one that of a best friend, and another that of a parent. George feels a sense of duty and responsibility towards Lennie as a parent: â€Å"Don’t really seem to be running, though. You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie.† However, as the novel progresses George begins to realise what companionship is, ‘we kinda look after each other’, now this role simply makes George feel different from the rest of the ranch hands as it entitles him to a status. Nevertheless, George still recognises that he is still lonely, despite having a companion, it may be more discrete than others may, but he is still lonely. George and Lennie do not interact on an intellectual level; Slim describes George as a ‘smart little guy’, where as Lennie is described by George as ‘dumb as hell’; therefore the comparison on their intellect is eminent. At times George thinks he is talking to himself, as Lennie never really responds to his questions. Therefore Lennie can never really understand George emotionally or physically. George seeks comfort by the companionship with Lennie, they both look out for each other: â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world’†¦ Lennie broke in. ‘But not us! Because†¦because I got you to look after me, And you got me to look after you, and that’s why.† George relies on his companionship with Lennie to get through the unurturing and unfriendly environment of Soledad: â€Å"†¦it’s a lot nicer to go around with a guy you know’ George values and treasures his special relationship with Lennie, he loves him so much that he can even sacrifice him for Lennie’s own benefit. George also seeks comfort by his simple dream, he wants him and Lennie to have land of their own, and they want to be their own managers and look after each other until they grow old: â€Å"Some day-we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres†¦when it rains in the winter, we’ll just say the hell with goin’ to work, and we’ll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an’ listen to the rain comin’ down on the roof†¦Ã¢â‚¬  George’s dream, although extremely similar to Lennie’s, is probably more detailed and complicated. Lennie due to his child-like mentality only thinks as far as ‘tendin’ the rabbits’, whereas George assesses the situation by asking himself if they have got enough money, or when will they be able to achieve the dream, before accepting the dream to become reality. George had made it perfectly clear that the dream that he and Lennie share will only become successful if they both achieve it: â€Å"†¦I knowed we’d never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would.† George realised that he just got carried away, he knew from the start that the dream was unattainable; all dreams are unattainable in Soledad, as it is such a disturbing environment. Curley’s wife is possibly the loneliest of all characters in the novel, ‘Of Mice and Men’, throughout the beginning of the novel John Steinbeck gives the readers the impression that Curley’s wife is a ‘tart’: ‘She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the doorframe so that her body was thrown forward’ She is portrayed as tarty through her provocative appearance and flirtatious actions. John Steinbeck deliberately does not give her a name, she is only known as Curley’s wife; therefore a possession of Curley. Curley’s wife has been forced to recognise that her sexuality is the only weapon, the only thing that will ever get her noticed: ‘She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up’ This is mainly the reason for why she is dressed in a sexually provocative manner throughout the novel. Curley’s wife’s complaints of loneliness are likely to be sincere, yet she presents them in a manipulative manner that reduces any sympathy for the character. Her ‘craving for contact is immense’, she is longing for someone to have a conversation with her: â€Å"Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awfully lonely.† However, it seems that everyone is ‘incapable’ of having a faithful conversation with her without it including any ‘sexual content’. John Steinbeck describes Curley’s wife, as so desperate that to experience the true value of a relationship that she would do anything to obtain it: ‘If anyone- a man or a woman- ever gave her a break- treated her like a person- she would be a slave to that person.’ Curley’s wife is prepared to carry out any instructions, or meet any demands for anyone that would for once be able to trust her and become her friend, she would do it to such an extent that she would even follow them as if she was enslaved to them. Curley’s wife has a different type of dream from George and Lennie’s; instead of having something to call her own, she wants fame, fortune and respect: â€Å"Coulda been in the movies, an’ had clothes- all of them nice clothes like they wear. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me†¦Because this guy says I was a natural.† Curley’s wife’s dream allows her to escape from her tormenting controlled life and seek comfort from what in her point of view could have happened. Curley’s wife is vulnerable, and innocent, she shows her humanity by consoling in Lennie. However, Curley’s wife seems to have a deep regret that she did not take up either of the men on their offers: â€Å"If I’d went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet.† Curley’s wife’s vulnerability shows the most at this point, she is so desperate to get away from her usual lifestyle that she takes the words of a complete stranger to be equivalent of that of a gospel: â€Å"He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.† Curley’s wife’s dream was shattered when the letter that she was waiting for never came, coldly she blamed her mother, accusing her of ‘stealing the letter’. It is understandable that there never was going to be a letter, the men were just taking advantage of the poor innocent girl. Curley’s wife married Curley on impulse; her hasty marriage to Curley proves to be a failed attempt to escape from her own spiral of loneliness, however, it is now that she has come to realise that what she did was immoral; she feels more trapped now then she ever did: â€Å"I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.† Curley’s failure to satisfy his wife both emotionally and physically is another reason why Curley’s wife is so lonely and has so much hatred built up towards him. When Lennie kills Curley’s wife in Chapter 5, John Steinbeck offers the readers a disturbing image. He describes her with more life and vitality as a corpse than he did as a living character, her ‘rouged cheeks’ and ‘reddened lips’ now after her death give her the appearance of life. In death the ‘meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention’ have gone from her face. This represents John Steinbeck’s first concrete praise for Curley’s wife; he writes for the first time that she appears ‘pretty’ and ‘simple’, a more commendable character as a corpse than as a living human being, as she is not her manipulative self. Therefore, concluding that in a way, some may say that Curley’s wife has achieved her dream as she won her innocence back. Loneliness is a major theme in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’. It is only the two characters George and Lennie who stave of it by their relationship. However, the disadvantaged characters are the ones who suffer the most, it embitters Candy and Crooks, moreover, it kills Curley’s wife. John Steinbeck describes loneliness as part of a human condition in this particular novel, it is something we as humans are born with leading it to be either something we fight or succumb to all our lives: â€Å"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world’†¦ Lennie broke in. ‘But not us! Because†¦because I got you to look after me, And you got me to look after you, and that’s why.† However, throughout the novel John Steinbeck does not offer any answers to get rid of loneliness, it only shows how different characters deal with this problem differently.