of+mice+and+men

__In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, loneliness is a major theme that affects almost every character__. I'd like to relate the quote "It is loneliness that makes the loudest noise; this is true of men as of dogs", by Erik Hoffer, to many characters. Allow me to explain.

Crooks, a stable buck is lonely throughout the book. Many people discriminate against him for being African American. This causes Crooks to feel so isolated, that when Lennie unknowingly wanders into his room, he is secretly overwhelmed with joy. Crooks even said himself __"A guy needs somebody to be near him... A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody"__ (p.72). Crooks often comes off as rude, but really his attitude is born from his loneliness, and craves for somebody to talk too.

Curley's wife is another prime example of Steinbeck's portrayal of loneliness in his novella. People thought so little of her, that throughout the book, she isn't even given a name; simply being referred to as the wife of Curley. She is social by nature, however Curley, as well as his manipulative, abusive, and controlling attitude towards her often prevents her from talking with anybody. She seemed to pick up Curley's attitude, as well as his name, because she was often spiteful and obnoxious throughout the book. She even finds some pleasure in talking to Lennie, for a brief while. She said __“ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody__" (p. 87), in the dreadful tone she often speaks in.

My third and final example is an elderly ranch-hand named Candy. Candy had a constant fear of "being canned" throughout the novel, and his feelings towards his own self-worth are almost non-existent. He practically jumps at the opportunity to hoe in the garden at George and Lennie's fabled ranch. He said __"when they can me here, I won't have no place to go, an' I can't get another job__" (p.60). When George and Lennie's plans for the future fall through, Candy is crushed, bearing the weight of knowing his future of loneliness.

I think Eric Hoffer's quote about loneliness relates to the examples of Crooks, Curley's wife, and Candy in many ways. In a way, Crooks' personality makes the loudest noise, because it is heard by the people around him. It relates to Curley's wife, because workers at the ranch are often annoyed with her petty attitude towards them. And finally, Candy's feeling of loneliness literally makes the loudest noise, when he discovers that he may very well be spending the rest of his life alone. In conclusion, I think Steinbeck's portrayal of loneliness is tragic, but necessary to project the central theme of friendship.