Of Mice and Men - loneliness/friendship

Crooks

* Spends a lot of time reading - doesn’t compensate loneliness
* Segregated from rest of ranch
* Enjoys Lennie’s and Candy’s company
* Used to have friends, not be lonely
* Loneliness causes bitterness and misery

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* Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody to be near him”
* “I ain’t wanted in the bunk house and you ain’t wanted in my room”
* “Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone”
* “They was always near me. Always there”
* “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody”

Curley’s Wife

* Tries anything to interact with the men - flirtatious, uses the excuse of finding Curley
* Consistently rejected by the ranch, except Slim
* Only woman on the ranch
* Desperate for conversation

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* “I’m looking for Curley”, ““I better look some place else” she said playfully”
* “They were all closed against her”
* “Hi good-lookin’”
* “Ranch with a bunch of guys ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her”
* “Her words tumbled out in a passion of conversation”

George

* Friend to Lennie, father-like figure
* Concerned for Lennie
* Consistently defends Lennie
* Needs Lennie to avoid loneliness
* Mutually beneficial relationship
* Lennie is preventing him from becoming a worse person

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* “Imitated George exactly”
* “You try to keep away from him, will you?”
* “Lennie was jus’ scairt”
* “I want you to stay with me…stay with me…stay with me”
* “I got you to look after me and you got me to look after you”
* “After a long time they (people on ranches) get mean”

Lennie

* Affectionate towards George
* Hallucinates at end and feels guilty about the negative impact he has had on George
* Manipulates George and threatens to leave him alone
* Lennie forced by Crooks to imagine life without George

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* “I wouldn’t eat none…I’d leave it all for you”
* “You never give a thought to George”
* “If you don’t want me I can go off into the hills…I can go away any time”
* “”George gonna come back” Lennie reassured himself in a frightened voice”

Slim

* Questions lack of friendship in society
* Doesn’t mock G + L friendship like the other characters
* Critically comments on the unfulfilling lives workers have due to lack of friendships

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* “Ain’t many guys travel around together…I don’t know why”
* “Funny how you an’ him string along together”
* “Hardly none of the guys travel around together”, “never seem to give a damn about anybody”

Candy

* Friendship with dog
* So desperate for friendship he offers everything to G + L
* Uses friendship as a weapon against Curley’s Wife
* Thought of life without dog is upsetting
* Enjoys being included, even at the expense of Curley
* Left alone at the end, condemned to a life of loneliness

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* “I had him for so long”
* “I’d make a will and leave my share to you guys”
* “You ain’t wanted here…we got fren’s that’s what we got”
* “The old man squirmed uncomfortably”
* “Candy joined the attack with joy”
* “The sound of men grew fainter. The barn was darkening gradually…covered his eyes with his arm”

Context

* Jim Crow Laws - 19th to 20th century - legalised racial segregation 
* Woman were expected to work at home and not spend time with other
* Great Depression - led to a lot of loneliness