Of Mice and Men Thematic Essay
Of Mice and Men Thematic Essay In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explains a story about two migrant workers who travel together during The Great Depression. The Great Depression was a period of loneliness for everyone. Of Mice and Men presents the theme of loneliness in the story. For instance, Lennie is different from everyone else which isolates him. In the novel, Lennie is George’s traveling partner in California. His mental disabilities make him an outcast to his fellow workers on the ranch. “He won’t do it, Lennie cried.” “George wouldn't leave me.”(p.71).In the novel, Crooks was inquiring to Lennie about what he would do if George did not come back. This frightened him to even think about this. This shows how Lennie is isolated. Unfortunately, in his rank of society, he is not valued because of his mental disability. Because of this setback his intelligence is lower than others; thus causing him to seem dumb to others. In particular, Curley’s wife is secluded from the rest of the ranch. She is the wife of the boss’s son. Curley’s wife is lonely and just wants to get out of the house. “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever once in a while?”(p.77). Curley’s wife declares this after she wanders in to Crook’s room and feels unwelcome by the others. In the 1920's and 30's, women were acknowledged as the inferior gender during those times. This explains why Curley’s wife lives a very solitary life on a ranch in a ranch full of men. She is valued but considered property and has low rank in society. Crooks, the lonely African American stable hand on the ranch. lives in a small room by himself isolated from the other workers. The other workers keep away from because of his race. “Now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch.”(p.70). In the novel, Crooks is saying this to Lennie who came into his room. He is explaining how alienated he feels living here being the only African American there. As a result, Crooks happens to be not valued in