Of Mice and Men - loneliness/friendship
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
“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”
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
