OMM LONELINESS Flashcards
(4 cards)
Importance
Most characters are isolated because of age, race, gender, disability, or social status.
The novel shows how loneliness leads to desperation, bitterness, and emotional suffering.
Steinbeck uses loneliness to criticize a society where people are disconnected and treated as replaceable.
Lonely Characters & How They’re Presented:
- Crooks – Isolated because of his race
Lives alone in the stable, excluded from social life.
Says: “A guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
Even when Lennie offers to include him in the dream, Crooks quickly backs out—he’s used to being let down.
- Curley’s Wife – Isolated as the only woman
Seen as trouble by the men, not given a real name.
Says: “I get awful lonely. You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley.”
Her loneliness drives her to seek attention, which tragically leads to her death.
- Candy – Left behind due to age and disability
Feels useless after his dog is shot.
Sees George and Lennie’s dream as a way to escape his loneliness.
“When they can me here I wisht somebody’d shoot me.”
- George and Lennie – A rare bond in a lonely world
Their friendship stands out because most men on the ranch are alone.
George: “Guys like us… are the loneliest guys in the world.”
Their bond gives them hope, but it doesn’t last—George ends up alone too.
Techniques Steinbeck Uses:
Setting: The ranch is isolated and lifeless—reflecting the characters’ emotional states.
Dialogue: Shows how characters hide or reveal their loneliness.
Symbolism: Candy’s dog represents what happens to those seen as no longer useful—discarded and alone.
What does Steinbeck say about loneliness?
Loneliness is a universal human experience, made worse by economic hardship and prejudice.
The dream of friendship or connection is precious—but often unrealistic in a broken world.
He criticizes a society that values work and strength over human connection.
