Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, throws a chilling spotlight of the lives of two men struggling through The Great Depression. George and Lennie, are unlikely friends who want the American Dream. They work as hired hands on a farm, but both long to own a farm of their own together. Unfortunately for Lennie and George, they are not able to achieve this dream because Lennie commits a murder. Lennie suffers from mental disabilities, and but he does have the support and friendship of George. The other characters in the novel are not so fortunate, and their lives are much like the Depression itself, hopeless and lonely. In his novel, John Steinbeck demonstrates the hopelessness of life in the time of the Depression by exploring the isolation and loneliness experienced by the characters of Candy, Curley’s wife, and Crooks.
Candy is a desolate old man who works as the swamper on the farm. Despite his old age and a physical disability, Candy is kept on as a swamper. Years before, Candy’s hand was cut off when he got it caught in a machine. Candy is like no other man on the farm, because he is very limited when it comes to work. Because of this, Candy fears that he will be kicked off the farm. When George and Lennie tell him about their dream of owning a farm in the future, Candy immediately wants to join in their plan and work on their farm. He explains to them, that if he could not get a job working on their farm, he would have no work. “I got hurt four years ago. They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunhouse they’ll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it.” (60, Steinbeck) Candy is an isolated man who wishes only to have a job and money in order to take care of himself. He does not want to be forgotten. Once Candy finishes telling Lennie and George about his situation, he decides to tell the two men what he is really feeling like. He tells them about his old dog, and how the other workers on the farm wanted the dog dead, and the dog was useless. Candy explains that he feels exactly like his dog. “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me.” (60, Steinbeck) Here it is shown that Candy’s age and physical disability have caused him to be excluded from the other workers. His disabilities have caused him to be lonely in his own sad world filled with worry and fear. This is why Candy puts all of his trust and support into the future farm with George and Lennie.
In the case of Curley’s wife, Steinbeck also shows how loneliness affects an individual. During the 1930’s, the time period in which this book takes place, a woman was viewed as a prize, which a man can keep. Women had no rights, and if a woman caused any trouble, she was looked down upon. Women could not vote or have jobs. Curley’s wife is one of these women who suffered in isolation, especially because of the sexism from the men on the farm. Curley’s wife is described as being a “tart”, and for being too much of a free spirit. The reader may be led to believe this; however, further on in this story, one learns that she is a human being. One afternoon, Curley’s wife decides to talk to Lennie and tries to find a connection between them. She discovers that they are not only both isolated, but they both have a dream. After she learns of Lennie’s dream of the rabbits and the farm, she decides to tell him her dream of being an actress. “Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in pitchers… He says he was gonna put me in the movies... Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it. I never got that letter.” (8, Steinbeck) She also explains that she “…couldn’t get nowhere or make something of [herself]” (88, Steinbeck) Later the reader learns that she was forced to marry Curley, and that she did not like him very much. From that passage, one can see that she is a human being who has a dream, but she is limited because of her sex. This limitation can be seen in another passage where Candy explains what Curley does with his left hand. “You seen that glove on his left hand? Well, that glove’s fulla Vaseline… Curley says he’s keeping that soft hand for his wife.” (27, Steinbeck) In conclusion, Curley’s wife is a person who has a dream, but it isolated from that dream due to her gender.
Lastly, Steinbeck reveals how loneliness changes someone, especially Crooks. Crooks is an African American man who is referred to as the “stable buck”. He is described as being very thin, dark, and is a hunchback from being kicked by a horse. Loneliness has had a negative affect on Crooks’ personality. For Crooks, the cause of loneliness is due to the racism that is a heavy burden for him on the farm. Because of his skin, he is not allowed to take part in any activities, he is made fun of, and his room is in the barn. The reader learns of Crooks’ condition and suffering when Lennie first meets Crooks. Crooks has to explain to Lennie his situation, and how that affects his social life on the farm. “I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… ‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play cause I’m black. They say I stink.” (p.68, Steinbeck) Towards the end of this tragic tale, we learn of an interaction between Crooks and Curley’s wife, which helps demonstrate how loneliness changes someone, especially Crooks. In one passage, the reader learns that Lennie and Candy invite Crooks to work on the future farm. For Crooks, this is a big opportunity. There, he might be included in the activities like cards, he could have his own room, and he could be treated like any other man. Suddenly, Curley’s wife visits Crooks, because she is “trying to find her husband.” When Crooks responds by telling her to leave his corridors, she immediately fights back with inappropriate and racist comments. She tells him to keep quiet, and if he speaks another word she could have him killed. “Well you keep your place then… I could get you strung up on a tree easy it ain’t even funny.” (p.81, Steinbeck) After Curley’s wife finishes with her rude comments, one can notice that Crooks suddenly becomes silent. Here one can see that the racism can have a negative affect on people and their personalities.
The Great Depression was a dreary and hopeless time. Steinbeck illustrates this by placing these lonely characters on a remote farm. Each character is lonely and isolated for reasons unique to themselves, but all are living in a time period of desperation. Even though they are all together they feel they are each alone. Candy is old and disabled, and he lives in constant fear that he will lose his job and have nowhere to go. Curley’s wife is in a bad marriage and is a victim of sexism. She has been forced away from her life filled with high hopes and dreams, and Crooks is perhaps the most isolated of all, because of nothing more than his race.
Candy is a desolate old man who works as the swamper on the farm. Despite his old age and a physical disability, Candy is kept on as a swamper. Years before, Candy’s hand was cut off when he got it caught in a machine. Candy is like no other man on the farm, because he is very limited when it comes to work. Because of this, Candy fears that he will be kicked off the farm. When George and Lennie tell him about their dream of owning a farm in the future, Candy immediately wants to join in their plan and work on their farm. He explains to them, that if he could not get a job working on their farm, he would have no work. “I got hurt four years ago. They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunhouse they’ll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it.” (60, Steinbeck) Candy is an isolated man who wishes only to have a job and money in order to take care of himself. He does not want to be forgotten. Once Candy finishes telling Lennie and George about his situation, he decides to tell the two men what he is really feeling like. He tells them about his old dog, and how the other workers on the farm wanted the dog dead, and the dog was useless. Candy explains that he feels exactly like his dog. “You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else. When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me.” (60, Steinbeck) Here it is shown that Candy’s age and physical disability have caused him to be excluded from the other workers. His disabilities have caused him to be lonely in his own sad world filled with worry and fear. This is why Candy puts all of his trust and support into the future farm with George and Lennie.
In the case of Curley’s wife, Steinbeck also shows how loneliness affects an individual. During the 1930’s, the time period in which this book takes place, a woman was viewed as a prize, which a man can keep. Women had no rights, and if a woman caused any trouble, she was looked down upon. Women could not vote or have jobs. Curley’s wife is one of these women who suffered in isolation, especially because of the sexism from the men on the farm. Curley’s wife is described as being a “tart”, and for being too much of a free spirit. The reader may be led to believe this; however, further on in this story, one learns that she is a human being. One afternoon, Curley’s wife decides to talk to Lennie and tries to find a connection between them. She discovers that they are not only both isolated, but they both have a dream. After she learns of Lennie’s dream of the rabbits and the farm, she decides to tell him her dream of being an actress. “Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in pitchers… He says he was gonna put me in the movies... Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it. I never got that letter.” (8, Steinbeck) She also explains that she “…couldn’t get nowhere or make something of [herself]” (88, Steinbeck) Later the reader learns that she was forced to marry Curley, and that she did not like him very much. From that passage, one can see that she is a human being who has a dream, but she is limited because of her sex. This limitation can be seen in another passage where Candy explains what Curley does with his left hand. “You seen that glove on his left hand? Well, that glove’s fulla Vaseline… Curley says he’s keeping that soft hand for his wife.” (27, Steinbeck) In conclusion, Curley’s wife is a person who has a dream, but it isolated from that dream due to her gender.
Lastly, Steinbeck reveals how loneliness changes someone, especially Crooks. Crooks is an African American man who is referred to as the “stable buck”. He is described as being very thin, dark, and is a hunchback from being kicked by a horse. Loneliness has had a negative affect on Crooks’ personality. For Crooks, the cause of loneliness is due to the racism that is a heavy burden for him on the farm. Because of his skin, he is not allowed to take part in any activities, he is made fun of, and his room is in the barn. The reader learns of Crooks’ condition and suffering when Lennie first meets Crooks. Crooks has to explain to Lennie his situation, and how that affects his social life on the farm. “I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… ‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play cause I’m black. They say I stink.” (p.68, Steinbeck) Towards the end of this tragic tale, we learn of an interaction between Crooks and Curley’s wife, which helps demonstrate how loneliness changes someone, especially Crooks. In one passage, the reader learns that Lennie and Candy invite Crooks to work on the future farm. For Crooks, this is a big opportunity. There, he might be included in the activities like cards, he could have his own room, and he could be treated like any other man. Suddenly, Curley’s wife visits Crooks, because she is “trying to find her husband.” When Crooks responds by telling her to leave his corridors, she immediately fights back with inappropriate and racist comments. She tells him to keep quiet, and if he speaks another word she could have him killed. “Well you keep your place then… I could get you strung up on a tree easy it ain’t even funny.” (p.81, Steinbeck) After Curley’s wife finishes with her rude comments, one can notice that Crooks suddenly becomes silent. Here one can see that the racism can have a negative affect on people and their personalities.
The Great Depression was a dreary and hopeless time. Steinbeck illustrates this by placing these lonely characters on a remote farm. Each character is lonely and isolated for reasons unique to themselves, but all are living in a time period of desperation. Even though they are all together they feel they are each alone. Candy is old and disabled, and he lives in constant fear that he will lose his job and have nowhere to go. Curley’s wife is in a bad marriage and is a victim of sexism. She has been forced away from her life filled with high hopes and dreams, and Crooks is perhaps the most isolated of all, because of nothing more than his race.