Of Mice and Men - Isolation and Loneliness

Loneliness and Isolation

Steinbeck himself gives us a huge hint to the theme of Loneliness, by calling the nearby town 'Soledad'. This means 'Loneliness' In Spanish!

QUOTES

• Slim says ranch workers "get so they don't want to talk to nobody"
• George says ranch guys "are the loneliest in the world"
• Crooks says "A guy needs somebody- To be near him"
• And he also says "A guy goes if he ain't got nobody"

Basically everyone on the ranch is lonely

• All the bunkhouse men are single - they are pretty likely to be lonely
• They're like orphans. George says "They've got no family."
• George plays solitaire- A game for one.
• Lennie and George look after each other, but George still feels lonely.
• It is like an unequal marriage. George has all the responsiblity.

Curley

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