How does Steinbeck convey the theme of loneliness in 'Of Mice and Men'?
How does Steinbeck convey the theme of loneliness?
As a socialist writer, John Steinbeck used his stories to show how unfair the world was under capitalism. In Of Mice and Men, he used the settings, characterisation and language to convey the theme of loneliness.
From the very first line, "A few miles south of Soledad" (Soledad being Spanish for solitary), the settings pay homage to the theme of loneliness. The first and final scene take place in a majestic clearing that will remain untouched by the tragedy that unfolds. This reinforces the theme of loneliness as whatever the humans do Nature remains unaffected.
George and Lennie find work on a isolated ranch and join the workers in the bunk house, which provides the stage for the story. Despite living and working close to each other there is no camaraderie between the characters that live in the bunk house. Each worker has a bed to himself and "nailed" to the wall "an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk". This description of the bunk house emphasises that every character feels alone and there is no sense of partnership.
Many of the characters are in some way handicapped: Candy is old with only one hand; Lennie is mentally retarded; Curley (who is short) and Carlson are violent and insecure; Crooks is both black and disabled and Curley's Wife is handicapped by being the only female on the ranch. However the main reason for the workers' loneliness is that they are divided by emotions: fear, envy, mistrust and prejudice. Steinbeck even recruits the concept of smell to show how deep the prejudice on the ranch runs. Candy's dog and the negro, Crooks, are separately described as "stinking", literally putting them on the same level.
Being both black and disabled Crooks knows all about prejudice and loneliness, yet also knows the value of human company;
"I seen it over an' over - a guy talking to another guy and it don't make
As a socialist writer, John Steinbeck used his stories to show how unfair the world was under capitalism. In Of Mice and Men, he used the settings, characterisation and language to convey the theme of loneliness.
From the very first line, "A few miles south of Soledad" (Soledad being Spanish for solitary), the settings pay homage to the theme of loneliness. The first and final scene take place in a majestic clearing that will remain untouched by the tragedy that unfolds. This reinforces the theme of loneliness as whatever the humans do Nature remains unaffected.
George and Lennie find work on a isolated ranch and join the workers in the bunk house, which provides the stage for the story. Despite living and working close to each other there is no camaraderie between the characters that live in the bunk house. Each worker has a bed to himself and "nailed" to the wall "an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk". This description of the bunk house emphasises that every character feels alone and there is no sense of partnership.
Many of the characters are in some way handicapped: Candy is old with only one hand; Lennie is mentally retarded; Curley (who is short) and Carlson are violent and insecure; Crooks is both black and disabled and Curley's Wife is handicapped by being the only female on the ranch. However the main reason for the workers' loneliness is that they are divided by emotions: fear, envy, mistrust and prejudice. Steinbeck even recruits the concept of smell to show how deep the prejudice on the ranch runs. Candy's dog and the negro, Crooks, are separately described as "stinking", literally putting them on the same level.
Being both black and disabled Crooks knows all about prejudice and loneliness, yet also knows the value of human company;
"I seen it over an' over - a guy talking to another guy and it don't make