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The novel Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, tells the story of two friends, Lennie and George, who are forced to leave their homes because Lennie was accused of raping a girl from another town. The two of them go off to find work and end up working on a farm where some people suffer from some form of loneliness. Many of the characters are driven towards the curiosity of George and Lennie's friendship because they do not have that kind of support in their life. The characters on the farm, Candy, Crooks, and Curleys wife confide in Lennie and Georges relationship and expose their forms of loneliness to them because of a weakness keeping them from having companionship like Lennie and George. Without friends, people would suffer from loneliness and solitude.
Loneliness leads to low self-esteem and deprivation. The old swapper, Candy, has isolated himself on account of two factors. Candy lost his hand after getting it caught in a piece of machinery, and, as a result, he is forced to just sweep and clean the ranch. Also Candy's age adds even more of a feeling of uselessness. He looks at himself as an old worthless man wasting away his last few years. He is often invited to go out with the other guys, but he always refuses due to his low self-esteem.
He confides in George and Lennie and offers his life savings to them to help finance their dream of having their own farm. Crooks is a black man that is lonely on account of racism. He is rejected from every group of people and cant socially interact with others. He spends most of his days and nights either reading or working in the barn with the horses.
The book takes place in the early 20 th century and many treat Crooks unfairly because he is black and, eventually, since he cant vent his frustration, he lashes out at others who treat him badly. He cant take part in daily events or activities with white people or basically be around them. 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 stink to me, (pg. 75). He is really fascinated with George and Lennie's friendship and is striving to get sympathy from them by making them feel how he does when hes lonely with no one around. He likes being around them because he envies their friendship and offers his work to help if they ever need it. Curleys wife probably has the most obvious case of isolation and loneliness.
There isnt really a lot known about her, and she isnt even given a name, but is referred to as Curleys wife. Curly barely pays any attention to her, and she has a reputation of being flirty among the ranch hands whom she doesnt get good feedback from either. She dresses and acts kind of slutty because she believes she will feel wanted. She constantly is striving to find someone to confide in so she targets the only one who she could discuss her problems with: Lennie. One thing she didnt know about was Lennie's fascination and curiosity with soft objects. She asks him to stroke her hair but when she yells at him it made him pull her hair so tight it leads to her own death.
This could actually be thought of as a good thing because it ended her sorrow and suffering in loneliness. She struggled so hard to find someone with whom she could consult her problems with, but the one she thought she could vent to ended her madness. All people experience solitude and loneliness sometime in their life. In Of Mice and Men, all the characters are forced into this kind of depression on account of discrimination or some kind of judgment or prejudice against them to begin with. They all are constantly trying to make friends and are jealous of the friendship between George and Lennie. They wish they could have the type of close relationship they had because they are so lonely in their lives.
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Research essay sample on Low Self Esteem George And Lennie
