Explication Analysis of Steinbeck's Novel Of Mice and Men - Book Report/Review Example

Loneliness is defined by Steinbeck through different characters and the dimensions of age, sex, and race affecting their state of isolation from society. The novel revolves around characters that are unable to get out of their lonely lives and the reality of their isolation only builds around them gradually. Humans desire contact with others to give their life meaning, and Steinbeck has displayed the human emotion of loneliness by explaining its presence in the life of almost all the characters of the novel.

Steinbeck has backed his novel with a strong sense of isolation within the ranch workers and inhabitants, which gives the reader a strong sense of their solitude and misery. Steinbeck writes in his novel, “A guy needs somebody to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make any difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, a guy gets lonely an' he gets sick”(80). Steinbeck has emphasized that a complete sense of deprivation from society and seclusion makes a person feel gloomy and hopeless.

They have no forward goals in their life and they do not see any ray of happiness. Every human yearns for human communication and mingling. Nearly all the characters including George, Candy, Lennie, Crook and Curley’s wife admit that they have a profound sense of solitude in their life. Each of these characters desires for a friend or a loved one to give them attention and love. However, they would also agree to settle for any stranger’s attention, further emphasizing their deep sense of isolation.

Steinbeck has also used the notion of characterization and portrayed loneliness through ageism, sexism or racism. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and is encountered with ignorance and lack of attention from her husband, who prefers ‘his boys’ over her. She is treated as an object by her husband rather than a human being longing for love and companionship. She talks to Lennie, portraying her insecurity and loneliness, “I never get to talk to anyone, or else, Curly gets mad” (87).

She tries to gain the attention of other men, but they also avoid her, fearful of her husband Curly. Crooks is another worker on the ranch who is isolated by the other ranch workers because of his black color. Furthermore, he is physically handicapped and is forced to live on the periphery of the ranch. When Lennie tries to interact with Crooks, he responds quite rudely, “You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me”(68). He has developed a sense of mistrust and suspicion towards others because of his solitude and loneliness.

He tries to read as much as he can, in an attempt to pass his lonely hours. One of the characters, George explains his feelings of misery by saying, “Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place” (13). Steinbeck has set the novel at the background of Soledad, California. The town name itself means “solitude” in Spanish. Steinbeck has also portrayed the stemming of loneliness from the rejection of society due to physical and mental deficiencies.

The character Lennie is both mentally retarded and is quite big and physically strong.