Of Mice and Men Essay

Loneliness in “Of Mice and Men”

The path of loneliness is a path well traveled. The path has been tread upon since the beginnings of humanity. The novella “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck illustrates the lonely lives of ranch workers during the Great Depression.

The Great Depression was a dismal time for the majority of Americans living in the 1930s. Thirteen to fifteen million Americans lost their jobs, forcing them to seek work elsewhere. Most ranch workers in the Salinas Valley, where the story takes place, moved from ranch to ranch all alone. Few had a friendship like the one between Lennie and George. The lack of a companion resulted in loneliness for many migrant ranch hands, such as Crooks.

Crooks lives on his own. He is also the only black man on the ranch. He is living in a time when racial prejudice lurks. Reading books temporarily eases his feelings of solitude and provides a measure of comfort. He admits all he really wants is a friend. “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” (72). Admitting his loneliness to Lennie shows his immense desperation for a companion. His confession also displays a more extraverted of him, in juxtaposition to the antisocial man who had seemed content to spend all his time with books.

Curley’s wife endures a depressing life of isolation as well. She is constantly searching for someone to talk to, although no one wants to speak to her. Almost every man on the ranch considers her a “tramp” and a “tart.” She is much more complex than the men comprehend. Before marrying Curley, she dreamed of being an actress in Hollywood. She still fantasizes about appearing on the silver screen. She is not satisfied with living on a ranch. She talks about how she feels to Lennie, saying, “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely” (86). Admitting her loneliness reveals a more human side of her, in contrast to the red-hot vixen she seems on the surface.

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