Curley's Wife And Crooks example essay topic

'Of Mice and Men' is a play written by John Steinbeck that focuses on life during the mid 1930's. This play has many recurring themes, and one of these themes is that of loneliness. This loneliness is because of the intolerance of society on those who are different. The underlying, yet stunningly obvious, theme of loneliness can be found in many characters with many examples.

This loneliness due to isolation and intolerance is found in the characters of Candy, because he is old and useless; Crooks, because he is black and crippled; and Curley's wife, because she is a beautiful woman and the only girl on and all guy ranch. The first character which has the theme of loneliness wrapped around him is Candy. Candy is an old man who is missing his right hand. According to his description in the play, Candy is 'A stoop-shouldered old man, dressing in blue jeans and a denim coat... his right hand is gone at the wrist' (p. 4). His handicap happened on the farm ' [Candy] lost [his] hand right here on the ranch. That's why they didn't can [him]. ' (p. 14).

Candy owns a dog. The other men on the ranch cannot stand the sight or smell of Candy's dog. When Candy is confronted by Carlson 'Gosh that dog stinks. Get him out here, Candy... You got to get him out here. ' (p. 11) he has no way to defend himself. In the end of this confrontation, Candy ends up being forced to let his dog be killed by Carlson 'I'll put the old devil out his misery right now and get it over with.

There ain't nothing' left for him' (p. 12) Candy lets Carlson kill his dog because he feels pressured into it. There is nobody that will come to his aid and tell Carlson to not kill the old mutt. Another example that Candy is isolated from the other men is apparent because we are always given the impression that Candy is left behind. When the men go into town to the cathouse, Candy is left behind, along with Curley's Wife and Crooks. Another example of Candy's isolation is when the men are on the hunt for Lennie, Candy is left behind in the bunkhouse. Candy is an isolated and lonely old man in John Steinbeck's play 'Of Mice and Men' because he has nothing to great to contribute to the rest of the ranch.

Another character that emphasizes the theme of loneliness is Curley's Wife. She is married to the son of the Boss and is the only woman on the ranch... In the play she is not given a name, this adds to the idea of her being Curley's possession and nothing more. The way she acts during the play shows that she is lonely. In the play she is always looking for some companionship ' [She] is just looking for somebody to talk to.

Don't your never just want to talk to somebody?' (p. 8) Sometimes she sneaks over to the bunkhouse under the premise of looking for somebody 'I'm looking for Curley' (p. 8) The rest of the men on the ranch see Curley's Wife as a tart or slut who is constantly looking for a man 'she got the eye' (p. 7), 'Seems like she can't keep away from guys. ' (p. 13). The men on the ranch are afraid of her because she is married to the son of the Boss. They figure that if they were to do anything to her that she would somehow get them fired 'Get going. We don't want no trouble' (p. 15).

Near the end of the play as she prepares to run away it is apparent that she is lonely and only sought a companion on the farm. She does not love Curley 'I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella. I might a stayed... but least night [Curley] and [The Boss] both lit into me. ' (p. 20), and prepares to run away to go to Hollywood. Before she dies, she and Lennie become friends. She has shared some of her innermost and secret ambitions with him which signifies that she likes him, trusts him, and thinks that she can confide in him.

Curley's wife is an example of isolation and intolerance of women during the 1930's and is portrayed as misunderstood and lonely. Not only were African American people isolated and not tolerated during the 1930's, they were also discriminated against. The character of Crooks is a good example of this in 'Of Mice and Men'. Crooks is a black man who has a crooked back. (hence the name Crooks) He is an outcast in the ranch. 'Why ain't you wanted? Crooks: 'Cause I'm Black' (p. 16).

His loneliness is apparent when he pretends to be angered at the intrusion into his bedroom. The stage directions state that Crooks 'tries to conceal his pleasure' (p. 17) when Lennie comes into his room. Crooks states 'Guys don't come into a colored man's room. Nobody been here... ' (p. 17). This shows how badly Crooks wants company. Crooks also poses the question of 'What if George don't come back... ' (p. 17) to Lennie.

This can be seen as an expression of the way Crooks feels. Crooks feels like he has been left behind and has nobody to turn to, nobody to help him or understand him. Another example of the character of Crooks being isolated is when the men are hunting for Lennie, Crooks doesn't get to go along. One of the men actually takes Crook's gun to go after Lennie with 'The nigger's got a shotgun. You take it Carlson' (p. 22). The final example of crook's isolation and the way he is discriminated against is by being referred to as a nigger.

Crooks is a character in the play that stands out because he is black where everyone else is white, crippled while everyone else is healthy, and good at horseshoes where nobody else is. Other characters that suffer from loneliness are Curley and Slim as well as Lennie. When looking at 'Of Mice and Men' it is awfully hard to not recognize the theme of loneliness. There is symbolism in this play.

Lennie is portrayed as slow, or mentally retarded. Candy is portrayed as old and a cripple who is unnecessary. Crooks is seen as a black man with a broken back which to me symbolizes the burden that society has laid through racism on the black people of North America. Curley's Wife is the other character that is isolated because she is different.

She is a woman in a man's world with nobody to understand or even comprehend what that is like. John Steinbeck portrays an allegory to the real world in his play. The theme of loneliness and discrimination is a strong one that is topped off by George killing Lennie. In the end, George is left alone with nobody to become a 'bindle stiff' who moves from ranch to ranch and spends his pay in a cathouse just like every other farm hand..