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

Quotes

• “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

Quotes

• “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

Quotes

• “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

Quotes

• “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

Quotes

• “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

Quotes

• “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