Juliana B.

English 10 Honours

What may be the result of isolation and loneliness?

The novella Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck implicitly shows how difficult dealing with loneliness and isolation can be. In the story, although the characters live together, they are at the same time alone and desperate for companionship. George and Lennie have a unique relationship, and although George seems to want to get rid of Lennie any chance he gets, when Lennie says “If you don’ want me I can g off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time” (Steinbeck, pg. 12), George answers quickly with “No—look! I was jus’ foolin’, Lennie. ‘Cause I want you to stay with me.” (pg. 13). This shows how deeply George cares about Lennie and that Lennie is the only best friend he’s got. Another example in the novella is Curley’s wife. She goes around trying to talk to all the guys on the ranch, and wishes she could go to a big city and have pictures taken of her instead of being stuck in one place with only migrant workers around. She is so desperate for a relationship that she is mean and sassy to almost everyone around her, which is one of the biggest things that result from isolation and loneliness. For instance, when Crooks simply tells her to get out of his barn, Curley’s wife retorts with “Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” (pg. 81). This novella shows that a desire for companionship can lead one to depression, sadness, and negativity.

Image source:

https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/321233385897133206/

Charlton. “Apartness.” Pinterest. N.p., 02 Feb. 2015. Web. 05 Apr. 2017.