How does Steinbeck present loneliness in ‘of mice and men’? Essay

How does Steinbeck present l onenessliness in of mice and men? During the Great Depression in the 1930s in the USA many migrant workers went to atomic number 20 in search of work. In the novel Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck deals with the loneliness which affected these characters. One of the of import symbols of this, is the setting of the novel is in Soledad, which translated from Spanish means solitude. Steinbeck point to the cause of loneliness being from discrimination, and the loneliest person on the working ranch would likely be the black stable buck Crooks, this is proved by his actions and his attempts to make friends. You first understand him when he expresses his loneliness to Lennie, a guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody.Dont make no difference who the guy is, longs hes with you. I tell ya a guy gets too nongregarious an he gets sick. (page 82) This indicates he has become mentally ill overdue to his extreme loneliness in his room. As an Afri base American he is not allowed into the bunk house or to play cards with the white ranchers. Crooks tells Lennie it is Cause Im black. They play cards in there, but I cant play because Im black. They say I stink. Well I tell you, you all of you stink to me. (page 77) This shows that he longs to link them in playing cards and feels bitter and raving mad that he cant. This was a very racialist time in America.Crooks was the only black person on the ranch and there was only one other black family in the area. As Crooks says If I say something it is just a nigger sayin it. (page 80) Crooks at first turns Lennie away from his room saying you got no right to come in my room. (page 77) but due to Lennies disarming smile (page 77) he gives in and invites him in. When Crooks realises about the dream of the farm he wants to be part of it, offering to work for nothing. If youguys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. I aint so mettlesome I cant work like a son-of-a-bitc h if I want to. (page 86) This shows how desperate Crooks is to dominate his loneliness and be part of something.However, this dream is stopped by Curleys wife who threatens to accuse of him of encroachment so that he will be hung. She reminds him that everyone will believe her saying Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint even funny. (page 91) This makes Crooks remember that he is not able to be anything else and that the dream is futile. He returns to being angry and bitter. Steinbeck does not offer any solution to Crooks loneliness. He simply gives an observation on life and how lonely it can be for some people. He shows how racism can cause loneliness and isolation and this can cause people to be very bitter and angry.