Jacksonian Democracy Case

During the 1930s, after the crash of the stock market, America experienced one of the greatest economic collapses of its time. During this devastating time, a significant piece of literature was written. John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men tells about the struggle of two very lonely men traveling together from farm to farm trying to survive the tribulations of the devastating economic state. Being published over 70 years ago, this prevalent novel continues to be a best seller decades later due to the reoccurring theme of loneliness. Steinbeck's narrative is able to be loved by every generation as a result of being so relatable.

The first instance of the pertinent theme of loneliness can be found within the opening sentence of the novel. Steinbeck describes a setting of the story which is a few miles southward of Soledad. In Spanish the word Soledad means, "loneliness". The author from the starting point of the story implies this major idea to the audience reading this novel. The characters throughout this story demonstrate several instances of loneliness. For example, George and Lennie, the main characters, are obsessed with the idea of having something to call their own. They are always planning for the future to try and forget about how lonesome they truly are. Lennie always asks George to remind him about their dream and George tells him: "We'd jus' live there. We'd belong there. There wouldn't be no more runnin' round the country... No, sir we'd have our own place where we belonged and not sleep in no bunkhouse" (Steinbeck 57). He wishes for a place both him and Lennie could do the things they love most without having to constantly try to survive on a regular basis. George wants to be able to mange his own crops and not have to work for anyone

Meyers

while Lennie just longs to tend to his own rabbits.

Certainly, at a time like the Great Depression George and Lennie were not the only characters experiencing a sense of separation from society. Crooks is an African American character who also works on the ranch. Being of color he is considered beneath everyone else and treated differently. Crooks exclaims to Lennie, "S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy 'cause you