Loneliness

Loneliness affects everyone at one time or another. Loneliness changes the way a person thinks and behaves. Seclusion can have various effects on a person, for example, the person may become bitter and suffer from denial of the friendships that he/she needs. Loneliness can also develop from several places within an individual. A person will isolate themselves away from others because that person thinks they will be hurt. This situation is similar to Crooks' situation in Of Mice and Men. Then there are those that are unable to be sociably compatible, such as, Lenny's because of his mental condition and Curley's Wife's because of her actions. They may be overtly cruel or even not popular in society because of their condition. Being cruel to others or not being popular in society will make other people not relate with them. Loneliness can change the way a person acts, thinks or behaves in everyday relationships or situations. In John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, loneliness alters Crooks, Lenny, and Curley's wife in numerous ways.

Loneliness has made Crook's a very bitter and isolated individual. He is not able to leave this situation because of his race. The other men at the ranch do not relate with Crooks unless he is working because he is black. Other than when they are working, the other men shut Crooks out off almost all of their activities. He has become bitter and known to lash out at people because of the loneliness that he has. Crooks' emotions are displayed to the reader when he talks to Lenny in his room about having no one to relate to and communicate with. He states, "Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he's goin' to come back. S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy `cuase you was black...A guy needs somebody--to be near him" (72). In a way, everyone needs someone to talk to, whether it is a friend, family member, or even a pet. This is a source of comfort and wealth for the person. Crooks does not have any of these sources. This has affected Crooks greatly. He has become bitter and has obtained a passionate bitterness toward everyone. He has a certain conflict with everyone due to the way he is treated because of his race. In addition, Crooks also does not know how to relate and function normally anymore because of how his loneliness has effected him. Crooks' bitterness was exemplified when Lenny comes into his room unannounced. He greets Lenny with, "Come on in and set a while...'Long as you won't get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down." Crooks has been lonely for so long that he expects people not to talk to him. When Lenny comes in and does not intend to hurt him, he realizes it and he lets his guard down. It may seem that he does not desire friendships or affection, but he no longer knows how to deal with his loneliness. It has made him into another person, one that obtains a relentless unfriendliness toward anyone and everyone that gets close to him.

Curley's wife's loneliness has altered her demeanor towards others tremendously, making her overtly insecure and excessively flirtatious. Curley's wife has become virtually another person because of loneliness. The men on the ranch avoid her because of her flirtatious personality to keep out of trouble. No one understands her situation and how loneliness affects her. Her insecurity is evident by the way she dresses and utilizes her make-up. She uses her appearance to receive attention like when "[Curley's Wife] was standing there looking in. She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton housedress and red mules, on the steps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers" (31). Curley's Wife feels she must dress this way for people to acknowledge her and give her attention. Her dressing-up is unnecessary because they live on a farm and this is not the typical clothing. The way she dresses proves her insecurity and her inability to feel good about whom she really is. Curley's Wife dresses inappropriately along with acting in flirtatious ways. This is another attempt for the attention she believes she does not get. Curley does not give his wife