Loneliness is presented in ‘of mice and men,’ in many ubiquitous forms. 2 characters, who are overly dominant in the world of loneliness, are George and Crooks. ‘We are the loneliest guys in the world. ’ As this statement is said, the audience is under realisation of the true meaning behind the novella. As well as personal loneliness, there are forms of physical loneliness, such as the setting of the book, which takes place in a town, known as ‘Soledad,’ which ironically enough, is the Spanish word for ‘Solitude. ’ The existence of loneliness outlines the engagements of the assorted characters in the book.
George, the semi- protagonist, sharing his leading role with Lennie, is emotionally stable, quick witted, and toned. This misconception creates a rather large effect on how the audience perceives him. George and Lennie are attempting to repel against loneliness, by not living in the lifestyle of an itinerant worker. George is considerably lonelier than most suspecting characters. ‘No, you stay with me, your aunt Clara wouldn’t like you running off. ’ Steinbeck has used an imperative word, and a form of repetition.
As he engages with the word ‘No’ it clarifies that George is conscious of his loneliness, therefore inducing Lennie to stay with him. Because George was stuck within the years of the great depression, he has a general idea of the structure of how life would change his personality. Because of this, George has unwillingly created this unusual bond with Lennie. There are numerous amounts of points within the book, where George becomes emotionally stressed, as a result, unleashing his anger, towards Lennie. “Give it here! Lennies closed hands slowly obeyed.
George took the mouse and threw it across to the other side. ” Steinbeck insinuates that Lennies actions, engenders the central anger of George. This quote is one of many, which describes George showing signs of anger, for the actions of Lennie. As George, almost in a coercing manner, says “Give it here,” The audience understands how their forged relationship, creates mixed feeling for George, therefore not taking time out to remember the lack of intelligence, Lennie holds. Because George doesn’t attempt to develop the relationship, he realises that loneliness is his true companion.
At one particular point within the novella, George becomes inspired and motivated by Lennies behaviour towards their dream. This idea develops greatly, to the point, that subconsciously, George has become strongly optimistic. This eventually becomes their undoing. ‘We could swing her, he repeated, I bet we could swing her. ’ At this point, Steinbeck is hinting how the ending of the novel will turn out, by using repetition, which creates determination, or intimidation for this dream that George seeks for. This will either be an accomplishment, or become a complete miscarriage.
Hence, allowing the theme of loneliness to blend into the character of George, not allowing the audience to grasp onto the fact that George will ultimately, become lonely. George has many successful and dominant assets. His leading asset is intellectual strength. George is one of the only characters that are capable of synchronizing with his current locations. By exploiting this; he is able to clearly sense his way out of these situations. ‘The first man was small and quick, dark of the face, with restless eyes. ’ Steinbeck illustrates an accurate picturesque render of George.
Even though George is described by his physicality, the words ‘quick’ and ‘dark of face’ could also suggest his cerebral talents. Because his intellectual abilities cannot be read, or understood by Lennie, there is no challenge of intelligence, therefore the relationship, boringly, would be preserved, and unchanged. Although these abilities of George are applicable and relevant towards many successful outcomes towards situations, for example, George and Lennie’s escape from Weed, it also leads him to the death of Lennie. As a result, George feels immense desolation and guilt.
George and Lennie together are indestructible, strong minded, and intertwined. ‘Me an you, you… an me’ ‘Everybody gonna be nice to you. Aint gonna be no more trouble. ’ From this quote, it is clear how Steinbeck symbolizes the true bond and relationship that these two men possess. As Steinbeck uses inclusive nouns, such as ‘You’ and ‘Everybody,’ it shows George feeling a strong bond of friendship. This foretells the outcome of the story, because George will know at this point, if he takes Lennie’s life, Curley will not be content with the impossibility of torturing him.
Crooks on the other hand, is a complete variable, when in comparison with George. In the story, Crooks is a minutiae character, whom creates his high status in the world of loneliness throughout the duration of the book. Crooks is isolated because of the neglect, inflicted by the ranch workers. Because Crooks is of the opposite skin colour, he is spurned by the other workers. By revealing his true pain, Steinbeck demonstrates how emotional pain imposes more damage, than physical pain, in this case, Crook’s spine injury, opposing his mental stress, consciously overdosed with loneliness.
As Crooks’s constant train of thought becomes alleviated, by Lennie’s dream of the farm, Curley’s wife ruptures the feeling of interest and liking towards the plan, by her unkind remarks. Doing this, reinserts crooks’s reputation and self esteem back down, thus, being inferior to Curley’s Wife. Falling back into the contexts reality by Curley's wife, Crooks declines to say she is wrong. Instead, he accepts and understands that he will live with an everlastingly amount of racial discrimination. He reassures the other men, by saying that he had forgotten his role in society, because of the amount of amiability he was treated with.
"Jus foolin” Crooks says this quote right after Curleys Wife leaves, therefore abandoning the dream. At the end of the scene, he quietly answers to Candy, revealing the fact that he was interested in his own freedom and happiness, by their dream. Unfortunately, Crooks is not a regular character within the book, however, the words he speaks with his short amount of time, completely transforms the views and thoughts of the character. ‘I got a right to have a light. ’ Crooks shows signs of confidence and bitterness. ‘I aint wanted in the bunkhouse, and you aint wanted in my room.’
Here, Steinbeck exemplifies the fact that Crooks is just a useless ‘Nigger,’ who owns no rights. To the audience, it is clear that Crook’s personality was shaped by his considerably gruelling past. Because of the fact that Crooks has been living in solitude, it is possible that he has come under the realisation that he will never live or work in companionship with anyone in his local radius, this is why Crooks has mainly become ignorant towards other workers on the ranch. The high amount of authoritarian ranch workers, refuse to allow Crooks to reach for social contact, therefore compelling this never-ending journey of loneliness.
It is arguably true that Crooks is the most intellectually gifted worker on the farm. ‘A mauled copy of the California civil code from 1905. ’ Steinbeck clarifies the fact that Crooks vigorously studied this book, in order to learn the human rights that everyone was entitled to. The word ‘mauled’ also illustrates his dedication of interest for the book, even though, realistically, the code did not apply to him, despite the fact that he desires the rights. This is one if the countless reasons for why Crooks is identified and considered as a lonely being.
Crooks has been developed in such a drastically overwhelming way, from the start of the novella, where he is perceived by miner descriptions, by other characters, to where he obtains the right to speak at the end. ‘Remember, what I said, just foolin. ’ When Crooks says this line, it clarifies his main role and purpose throughout the book. As Steinbeck allows the character of Crooks to develop, the audience can understand his main goal in life, which is to open up to someone, alleviating emotions, therefore releasing his psychological conflict with solitude.
There are two main characters have both been living through the traumatically lonely context, of the great depression, nevertheless, who is the loneliest? Although George has the necessity of a close relationship with Lennie, he is deprived of the equilibrium of emotional stability. This can be classed more important to George. Whereas, Crooks is unprivileged enough to have no right of physical or emotional relationships, mainly because of his fixed, motionless profession.
However, Crooks, even though unable to find anyone to talk to, was not the one to commit the traumatic event, of murdering his dearly devoted friend. What can be determined is that the theme of loneliness possesses the power to be shaped within different forms, in individual people; therefore, George and Crooks both suffer the same quantity of loneliness. In ‘of mice and men,’ loneliness is a key aspect and theme of the novel, mainly because Steinbeck perceived the 1930’s to be particularly and abnormally desolate.
