OMAM

Theme
Loneliness
How does
Steinbeck
present the
theme of
loneliness in Of
Mice and Men?

Characters used
to explore theme

Candy (after dog death)

Curleys wife
Crooks
George (after Lennie)
All characters

Key events

George is tired of looking after Lennie, but also

doesnt want to lose him
Slim has never seen ranchers travelling together
before;
Candy doesnt want dog to be shot then turns
to the wall;
Curleys wife talks to weak ones in Crooks room
out of her loneliness, and then Lennie in the barn
(she is pretty once shes dead!)
Crooks talks to Lennie, seeking understanding;
George is heart broken after killing Lennie, and
Slim tries to comfort him. The other men dont
understand
The men go out to Suzys to have fun because
although they live together in the ranch, they
have to try and suppress their loneliness by
messing around with women.
Curley wife doesnt have a name which highlights
how nobody has ever gotten to know her well,
and how lonely she must be.

Key quotations

Companionship

George
Lennie
Candy
Crooks
Curleys wife
Slim

Dreams

George
Lennie
Candy
Crooks
Curleys wife

George and Lennie are not like other men like us

Other men are attracted by George and Lennies
dream
Candy doesnt want to lose his dog as he had him
since he was a pup
Crooks describes the importance of having
someone to talk to, to Lennie in his room
Curleys wife talks about how desperate she is to
have someone to talk to, to Lennie in the barn
Slim is somewhat close to the other workers
because they view him as a godly presence to
respect.
Slim also has dogs, so this provides a strong
companionship which stops him from getting sick
(as crooks puts it)
George kills Lennie out of kindness and
companionship

George and Lennie have a dream that they are

both clearly entranced by
Curleys wife had a dream
Crooks still remembers what his old man had
Candy and Crooks are attracted to George and
Lennies dream
Curleys wife talks about how every man shes
ever met has had a dream
George ends up admitting that way back in his
head he always knew his dream was never going
to happen
The American dream was a very common ideal to
have at the time because people had nothing.
Generally their lives were spent being itinerants.
George dreams of having power in his own house.

Steinbecks message

Guys like us who work on ranches is the

loneliest guys in the world - George
We kinda look after each other p57 George
Aint many guys travel around together,
he mused Maybe everbody in the whole
damn world is scared of each other. P57
- Slim
I ain't got no people. I seen the guys
that go around on the ranches alone. That
ain't no good. They don't have no fun.
After a long time they get mean. They
get wantin' to fight all the time. . .George
No, I couldnt do that. I had im too
long. Candy
I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets
sick. Crooks
Think I dont like to talk to somebody
ever once in a while? Curleys wife
I never get to talk to nobody. I get
awful lonely. Curleys wife
Guys like us got no fambly George.

Steinbeck seems to want to emphasise how

much men and women ache for friendship
when they are denied it, and to want to
show how life on the ranches during the
Great Depression had this effect. He also
shows how fear and prejudice create these
divisions. Lennie is the only happy
character throughout most of the novel
because he has a friend, (George), but also
doesnt adhere to the social boundaries that
keep the other characters apart: he happily
tells his secrets to Candy, takes Candy into
Crooks room, (which hes never been into
before), and ends up sitting close up to
Curleys wife and stroking her hair.
However, there is a danger to his knowing
no rules.

We got a future. We got somebody to

talk to that gives a damn about us.
George
I got you to look after me and you got
me to look after you. Lennie
No, I couldnt do that. I had im too
long. Candy
Frens, thats what we got. Candy
We got eachother Lennie
Come on, George. Me an youll go in an
get a drink. Slim
A dog is a mans best friend.
A guy got to sometimes - Slim

Steinbeck suggests that although you can

have companionship, ultimately, it doesnt
work due to the hostile environment and
nature of labour shortages during the time
period. The message is that we all need
companionship and we should strive for it,
but at the end f the day, it is better for
the other, we should let them go.
Sometimes it is the kindest thing to do.

wed have our own place where we

belonged and not sleep in no bunk house.
George
if we dont like a guy we can say, get the
hell out George
This thing they never really believed in
was coming true.
I think I knowed wed never do here. He
usta like to hear about it so much I got
thinking maybe we would.
he was gonna put me in the movies
Curleys Wife
so I married Curley
Coulda been in the movies an had nice
clothes all of the nice clothes like they

Steinbeck seems to suggest that the best

laid plans of mice and men are doomed to
fail. All of the characters in the novel that
have a dream and something to live for, are
disappointed. Lennie doesnt get it, Curleys
wife doesnt get it, Candy doesnt get it
and ends up crying into his arm in the hay.
Crooks family, who once had what the other
men want, had his dream taken away
through racial discrimination. Perhaps
Steinbeck thinks that a degree of cynicism
is necessary to avoid these

Prejudice and
isolation

Crooks
Curleys wife
Candy
Lennie

George had discovered a patch of land that

fitted his requirements but was unsure of
whether it would be a possibility until candys
savings made it a reality.
Curleys wifes death gave george a reality check
as all his doubts returned.
George admits his dreams were fiction for
lennies benefit.
Lennies dream mirrors Georges because he likes
to copy him.
Lennies dream is driven by a desire for small
furry animals he wants to have rabbits and
feed them alfalfa.
Lennie enjoys hearing about the dream as it is
something to hope for and is an incentive to
behave.
Curleys wifes dream was to go to Hollywood and
be in the pitchers.
She was met by a man who said he would make
her dream real, but he never wrote her a letter.
She married Curley as a second resort, living in a
ranch was not her dream and she didnt want to
be there.
At the beginning of the novel, candy didnt have
big dream. He was worried about what he would
do when he couldnt work anymore but took no
action against it.
Candy believes in the possibility of him being
able to buy land with George and Lennie, but like
Lennie, relies on George to do it.
He is completely dependent on his dream, and is
therefore angry when Crooks doesnt believe
him.
Candy would also like privacy (like all the other
ranch men) and praises crooks for his privacy.
However, as Crooks is a negro, he is always
secluded and isnt allowed to socialise with the
others. He is the opposite and would love a
shared room.
Crooks dreams of equality. He is very resentful
when he remembers his childhood and how he
was equal to the other children when they
played.
Crooks dreams of being allowed into the
bunkhouse so he has someone to talk to and has
company.
When Lennie and candy arrive in his room, he
finally has equals to talk to Lennie is simpleminded, whilst Candy is handy-capped and old.
Crooks almost joins Lennie and Candy in their
dream but decides against it after realising it
probably wont happen, he didnt want to get his
hopes up for nothing.
Crooks is forced to sleep in the bunkhouse
Curleys wife is forced to remain separate and
alone away from the other men
Candy will be thrown away soon because he wont
be any use any more
Crooks is threatened to be lynched by Curleys

wear. An I coulda sat in them big hotels

and had pitchers took of me. Curleys
wife
I dont like curly, he aint a nice fella.
Curleys Wife
We could live off the fatta the lan.
Lennie
An rabbits, Lennie said eagerly
I wont let you tend the rabbits.
George
Tell me. Please, George. Like you done
before. Lennie
Now maybe George aint gonna let me
tend the rabbits. Lennie
Jus as soon as I cant swamp out no bunk
houses theyll put me on the county.
Candy
You damn right we gonna do it. George
says we are. Candy
Must be nice to have a room all to
yourself this way. Candy
a busted-back nigger Crooks
Sometimes I went to play with them.
Crooks
Spose you couldnt go into the bunk
house and play rummy cause you was
black. Candy
It was difficult for crooks to conceal his
pleasure with anger.
if youguys want a hand to work for
nothing - Crooks
Well, jus forget it. - Crooks

disappointments, as George and Crooks both

seem to come out of the story fairly well,
although they dont get what they want. At
the end of the novel Slim seems to keep up
the dream.

cause Im black - Crooks

I could get you strung up Curleys wife
He sat back down on his bunk and drew
into himself.
Theyll can me pretty soon. Candy
I aint got the poop no more Candy

Steinbeck uses this theme to create a

contrast against todays society where
equality amongst sexes, nationalities and
complexions in more commonly found.
Priestley tries to create an accurate

Death and
Violence

wife
Crooks has fond memories of being treated
equally a s child, but this equality dissipated into
his adulthood.
Crooks withdraws into himself
Candys age and disability excludes him from
socialising with the others
Candy cant protect his dog
Curleys wife is a victim of sexism
She has no name and is known as Curleys
possession, being named as jail-bait, tart,
floozy and even a bitch after her death.
She is forbidden to speak to the other guys so
they exclude her, making her lonely. They see
her as trouble.
Lennie is vulnerable to societys lack of
understanding about his mental illness.
As a simple-minded ranch worker. He would not
be able to hold down a job without George.
Curley is quick to see Lennies weakness and
picks on it.
Lennie doesnt have the mental maturity to share
the same experiences with the guys, yet
ironically, the guys speak normally to him and
confess to him because they know he wont go
blabbing.

George and Lennie are run out of Weed after

Lennie attacks a woman
Lennie kills mice at the beginning of the novel
Slim drowns his pups (out of kindness because he
knows they would die anyway due to harsh
conditions
Curley intimidates and threatens Lennie and
George
Carlson shoots Candys dog
Curley attacks Lennie
Lennie crushes Curleys hand in an act of self
defence
Curleys Wife threatens Crooks to get lynched
Lennie kills his pup
Lennie kills Curleys wife
Search party go out after Lennie to find and kill
him
George shoots Lennie in the back of the head as
an act of mercy

Good and Evil

Lennie

Slim is established as the moral voice of the

She looks from face to face and they

were all closed against her.
Think I like to stick in that house alla
time? Curleys Wife
You aint wanted here. Candy to
Curleys Wife
Hes jes like a kid aint he? Slim about
Lennie
Dont make no difference who the guy is,
long hes with you. Crooks
a guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody.
Crooks
Standin here talking to a bunch of
bindle stiffs an likin it because there
aint nobody else. Curleys wife

representation of what life would have been

like for the less abled, mentally impaired or
even black people. He makes no attempt to
cover up the prejudice that was not
uncommon at the time.

I slang four of em right off. She

couldnt feed that many. Slim (about
the puppies)
Take im out and shoot him right in the
back of the head. Carlson (about
Candys dog)
He jus wanted to touch that red dress,
like he wants to pet them pups all the
time. George
Jus a dead mouse. I didn kill it. Honest!
Lennie
He glanced coldly at George and then at
Lennie. His arms bent at the elbows and
his hands closed into fists. (about
Curley)
Curley attacked his stomach and cut off
his wind.
His closed fist was lost in Lennies big
hand.
I could get you strung up on a tree so
easy it aint even funny. Curleys wife
Lennie sat in the hay and looked at the
little dead puppy that lay in front of him.
Then she was still, for Lennie had broken
her neck.
Curley gonta want to get him lynched.
Curleyll get im killed. Candy
Ill kill the big son-of-a-bitch. Curley
The hand shook violently, but his face
set and his hand steadied. He pulled the
trigger.

Steinbeck tries to show here, with this

themes, is the pure destructive and harsh
nature of the ranches and itinerant
workers. The time period resulted in a lot
of death, people starved and people were
killed due to the lack of control that
seemed to be present. Priestley tries to
show that one almost had to use violence to
protect oneself from others and to uphold a
status which ultimately bought you respect.

He moved with a majesty only achieved

Steinbeck shows here that the hostile

Curley
Curleys wife
Slim

The abuse of
power

Curley
Curleys wife
Smitty (over crooks)
George
Carlson

Life on the
ranch
Steinbeck
presents the
ranch as a
dangerous and
violent place.
To what extent do
you agree with
this statement?

George and Lennie

The Boss
Slim

novel early on
Slim states that Lennie aint mean (there is
constant repetition)
Lennie soon decides that the ranch is mean and
wants to leave
Lennie is kind and forgiving to George when he
George abuses Lennies trust
Lennie doesnt know what to do when others are
mean to him: he doesnt fight back when Curley
attacks him
Curley is mean to everyone: especially Lennie and
his wife
Curley does not suffer, but Lennie and Curleys
wife do
Slim says that George hadda kill Lennie, and
also approves of the killing of suffering things
Curley abuses his power over his wife and Lennie
Curley beats Lennie up unnecessarily
Curleys wife abuses her power over crooks by
threatening to have him hung and says that no
one will listen to candy or Lennie if they ty to
defend him
Smitty abuses his power over crooks by beating
him up.
Smitty wasnt allowed to use of his legs to fight
crooks because crooks back gave him a slight
disadvantage
George abuses his power over Lennie by telling
him to jump in a river off a bridge when Lennie
couldnt swim
As a result, Lennie almost died.
Carlson abuses his power over candy by forcing
him into letting him kill his dog.
Cruel
Results in death
Harsh nature of the times of the great
depression in America after the wall street
crash in 1929
Loneliness
Men would receive their money then blow it on
prostitution and alcohol

by royalty and master craftsmen.

The prince of the ranch.
I can see Lennie aint a bit mean. Slim
I dont like this place george. This aint
no good place. Lennie
He was so damn nice to me for pullin him
out. Clean forgot I told him to jump in.
George
Make um let me alone George. Lennie
He was too frightened to defend
himself.
No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at
me. Ill show ya whos yella. - Curley
A guy got to sometimes. Slim
You hadda, george. I swear George, you
hadda. Slim

environment led to divisions being created

in the Ranches. Some men adhered to
normality and status quo, whereas other
gave in to temptation and to become a high
rank member of a group, used violence.
Priestley uses slim as a vehicle to express
that evil is not necessary and to remain
human one must treat others equally and
with respect. Slim does this and is thus
respected by all the men. Even Curley.

No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at

me. Ill show ya whos yella. - Curley
I could get you strung up on a tree so
easy it aint even funny. Curleys wife
Little skinner by the name of Smitty
took after the nigger. Done pretty good
too. Candy
The guys said on account of the niggers
got a busted back, Smitty cant use his
feet. Candy
I was feelin pretty smart. I turns to
Lennie and says jump in. - George
He damn near drowned before we could
get to him. George
He aint no good to you Candy. An he aint
no good to himself. Whynt you shoot
him? - Carlson
I dont like this place, George. This aint
no good place. I wanna get outa here. Lennie
a ranch full of men aint no place for a
woman - George
I tell ya, a guy gets lonely, an he gets
sick. Crooks
We go into ol susys place. Hell of a nice
place. Whit

Steinbeck is keen to show here that one

often would abuse their power for fun or
for status because people simply had
nothing better to do with their lives.

Steinbecks message was, at the time, the

earth was cruel because everyone had to
live the same life and everyone struggled to
get by. As someone who lived thought this
time period, Priestley knows of the troubles
these men would have gone through and
writes Of Mice and Men to illustrate the
harsh nature of the period.