It is a melancholic feeling which everyone tries to triumph over and experiences at least once. Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is a novella which expresses the theme of loneliness. George, Crooks, and Candy try to overcome their loneliness by having items or companions that distract them from being morose.
George overpowers his loneliness by having Lennie by his side. Although George does not receive any advantages in return for taking care of Lennie, George still keeps Lennie by his side as a friend. In the beginning of the novella, Lennie threatens George about running away into a cave and living alone when George is frustrated by how Lennie keeps messing up, but George then starts to get worried about being alone and decides to talk Lennie out from leaving. George says to Lennie, “No-look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is you always kill’em." (pg.14) George disheartens Lennie from parting by saying he was just kidding. …show more content…
He is constantly solitude because he is alienated from the others(white men) on the ranch due to his black skin. This forces him into obsessing over books in order to soften the pain . Crooks is the smartest person on the ranch but is always aloof from the others. This shows that Crooks is solitude but also clever, because he spends all his time with complicated books due to his isolation. Crooks complains to Lennie, “’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well I’ll tell you, you all of you stink to me.”(pg.75) Crooks quotes that he can’t do certain things and is demeaned because he is black, which implies that he wants those privileges in order to not be