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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