Theme: Trust & loneliness

BY: BLAKE, MARTIN AND LALCHHUAN

One particular quote that shows the element of trust between Lennie and George can be seen early on in the text.  Towards the end of chapter 1, Lennie asks George to tell him "how it's gonna be." George starts with something that he has said to Lennie time and time again.  When George tells Lennie how both of them are different, Lennie busts in with "'Cause I got you and you got me."  This idea of shared connection between both of them helps to enhance how trust is an essential part of their relationship.

Trust

Both men do not speak of trust in specific and direct terms because it is so implicit as part of their being.  In Chapter 2, Lennie pleads to George, "Let's get outta here- It's mean here."  Lennie says this to George because he trusts George to look out for him.  As a consequence, George responds with, "We gotta stay."  This is a statement in which George indicates that he trusts Lennie to trust his judgment.  The repetition of the farm that they are going to own together is a reflection of the trust that is evident in both of them.  They both trust one another to such a great extent that they can share their dreams with one another.  The ending's repeating of quotes that have already been stated is a culmination of this trust, a sad and yet beautiful condition in which one trusts the other with their very lives and souls.  It is this ongoing relationship where trust is embodied in more than words, but existing within the very being of the other.

Trust

Loneliness Steinbeck raises questions in the mind of the reader that the novel would be based on loneliness. The first line read "A few miles south of Soledad". This is a clever idea by Steinbeck as "Soledad" means loneliness in Spanish.

Steinbeck portrays loneliness through characterisation. He uses sexism, racism and ageism to get his message across.

One example of this is when George meets the old, decaying Candy and his antiquated dog, he tells him about the "black" man called Crooks. Candy stated to the inarticulate George "give the Stable Buck hell. Ya see the stable buck's a nigger". This was typical of 1930's America as black people were thought of as inferior to white people. This suggests that Crooks was friendless. He has his "own bunk in a separate nigger room" and "he scattered personal possessions around the floor; for being alone he could leave things about". Crooks is obviously suffering from racial discrimination as he is the only black man on the ranch and is not allowed in the bunkroom with the other men because of his colour.

He therefore, had a very lonely existence.

Steinbeck also uses Candy to portray loneliness. The disconsolate Candy becomes lonely after his beloved dog was shot. The men in the ranch describe the dog as a "stinking hound" and an "old b******d". Candy feels dejected as he says "I wish somebody would shoot me when I become useless".

This proves that Steinbeck describes Candy as a lonely character.

Loneliness Perhaps the loneliest character, which Steinbeck creates in the novel, is Curly's wife.

She is the only female in the ranch and although she is married, you never witness the distinct couple of Curly and his wife together; they are always searching for each other. Curly's wife is lonely and, as a result of this, she was endlessly trying to make friends with George and Lennie. She tries to convince Lennie to speak to her despite what George was declaring. Curly's wife remarked, "You can talk to me, don't listen to George". But, Lennie didn't agree with what she has to say. Another piece of evidence, to suggest that Curly's wife is lonely is that she had no name! This proves that no one ever stays long enough to get to know her. Curly's wife also flirts with the male workers of the ranch to seek attention. The workers think she is a "tart" but she is an insecure, lonely woman and this is shown when she tells Lennie "I never get to talk to anyone, or else, Curly gets mad". My personal opinion is that Curly's wife married Curly for company, not for love.

In conclusion, John Steinbeck expertly portrays the theme of loneliness in "Of Mice and Men" in an interesting and original manner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.