Of Mice and Men- Friendship and loneliness The theme of friendship and loneliness plays a large role in laying out the story. It can be seen on varying levels from the start of the story. The harsh depression of the 1930's brought along with it a wave of fear, insecurity, instability as well as poverty.
Conditions became rough, setting the race for itinerant jobs and forcing men to grow selfish and see other men as nothing more than competition. With this ideology in place it became almost impossible for the men to form any lasting relationships, or allowing themselves to get too close to any other individual.The lonely, isolated lives they led drove many of them to acts of aggression, attachment to other things which pose no threat, or they simply started thinking within a different mind frame to escape their dismal reality. This leads us to the 'American dream' in which various characters in the story prove that they find their escape from the harsh, uncaring world through these almost unachievable dreams. The relationship between George and Lennie becomes a matter worth consideration, since it goes against most of the conditions in which other men were living.Unlike most, George and Lennie actually share a lasting relationship, which unravels through the story.
The boundaries and type of the relationship unfolds gradually and it is difficult to identify a single bond that ties the two men together. However, without a doubt an element of friendship and unconditional caring is present within the relationship, a rare element during the time. In chapter one an initial insight to this rare element can be seen: "Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world.They got no family. They don't belong no place.
... With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.
" Here it clearly states what the average man lives through – are the loneliest guys in the world – while also stating the vast difference between what George and Lennie have – a future, someone who cares about them. Lennie also understands this concept, happily replying with: " Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why. The relationship between George and Lennie is a phenomenon other men found quite difficult to comprehend or assess.
Initially, this stems from their ignorance in any other form of life besides that in which they experience. This can be seen in the thoughts the boss has while first questioning the two men: "Say – what you sellin'? " "What stake you got in this guy? You takin' his pay away from him? " "I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. I just like to know what your interest is. "Clearly the boss is having some difficulty understanding the concept presented, showing how strange and uncommon it really is. A similar manner can be found in Slim's initial judgment of the relationship. Slim comes across very differently than the other men.
Friendly and understanding, he invites George into conversation. When discussing how George and Lennie travel together, Slim remarks: "Ain't many guys travel around together,' he mused. I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.
" This shows once more shows the rarity of the concept in the men's lives.It also gives a small inclination to why this may be so; with everyone afraid of others since they might be the ones to 'steal' the job. During the conversation, George also explains to slim saying: "We kinda look after each other. " Another indication to the internal feelings of caring and bonding George and Lennie share. Slim is much more open than most of the men on the ranch, and a marked contrast to Curley, whose can only communicate with fighting.
Slim attempts to construct a relationship with George the first chance he gets.When George tells Slim how he used to play tricks on Lennie, beat him up, and generally abuse him for his own amusement, we get a very different picture of Lennie and George's friendship. George admits one reason why he behaved such: "Made me seem God damn smart alongside of him. " This confession from George allows us to delve deeper and ultimately find a new angle to the relationship between George and Lennie. It suggests that behind George's care and fear for Lennie lays a more personal side based on personal gain and superiority.
This suggests that on another level, both of the men are in fact lonely and are leading a relationship of mutual benefits. However, it is inaccurate to consider this a dominant aspect in their relationship considering George's later regret for his cruel actions and the sacrifices he makes to protect and care for Lennie. The loneliness of the other characters is not only found in their interpretation of George and Lennie's relationship but is also found in many of their personalities and actions. This is clear in the case of Curley's wife.She lives on a ranch pre-dominantly run and controlled by men. She lacks attention, has nobody to talk to and is abused in an unloving marriage.
She suffers from loneliness maybe more than anyone else. In reaction to this, she resorts to the only way she believes possible to gain attention; sexually appeal to the guys to lure them into speaking with her. She works on nothing more than perfecting her appearance to achieve this: "She had full, rouged lips, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages.
She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers. " She also uses suggestive and flirtatious body language. However, she fails to appeal to the men and continuously lives through a hatred of this rejection further indicating her immense loneliness and feeling of isolation. Moreover, she later shows how she escapes her reality using her own dream of fame and luxury in the movie business. Clearly, she suffers from the dilemma which came along with the depression.
