Of Mice and Men Alienation free essay sample

In John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men, Crooks, a black stable buck, endures alienation due to racial discrimination. Racial discrimination also hinders him from any type of success. Despite the hardships, he overcomes these obstacles and faces this struggle head on. Forced into isolationism, due to segregation, alienation becomes Crooks companion. This describes Crooks all the way. Hes self-educated and meek yet frustrated, indignant, and angry by his helplessness as a black man in a racist culture. 2Hes also very wise and observant and also listens with cynicism. For Crooks the American dream represents 3independence and self-sufficiency. Racism defeats his hope for reaching the American dream. 4Racism makes him powerless and forces him to become an outcast. 5 Money and success eludes him. Alienation and segregation contain him. His mental abilities and state of mind set him free. Candy Candy also feels the burden of loneliness and shows it by his relationship with his sheep dog. The dog, being described as ancient, stinky, and half-blind, had been in Candys life for a very long time and Candy had grown attached to it. Once the other farmhands had finally gotten fed up with it and stated that the dog needed to be put out of its misery Candy was extremely reluctant to turn it over and let him go. After hearing the shot ring outside, all Candy could do was turn his face towards a wall and not look around. Certainly Candy found this dog to be a loyal companion of his and he had developed a strong relationship with it over the years, which helped him cope with his loneliness on the ranch. Whenever one is taking a deeper look at Of Mice and Men one will probably get a sense of how depressing and dismal the ranch really is. Candy gives Steinbeck an opportunity to discuss social discrimination based on age and handicaps. Candy represents what happens to everyone who gets old in American society: They are let go, canned, thrown out, used up. Candys greatest fear is that once he is no longer able to help with the cleaning he will be disposed of. Like his old dog, he has lived beyond his usefulness. Curleys wife Curleys wife knows her beauty is her power, and she uses it to flirt with the ranch hands and make her husband jealous. She is utterly alone on the ranch, and her husband has seen to it that no one will talk to her without fearing a beating. The Ranch Steinbeck reinforces the theme of loneliness in subtle and not so subtle ways. In the vicinity of the ranch, for example, is the town of Soledad. The towns name, not accidentally, means solitude or alone. Also, the others reactions to George and Lennie traveling together reinforces that, in Steinbecks world, traveling with someone else is unusual. When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, four other characters — the boss, Candy, Crooks, and Slim — all comment on the suspicious nature of two guys traveling together. This companionship seems strange and, according to at least the boss and Curley, the relationship is sexual or exploitative financially. George While George can be very rational and thoughtful, he also gets frustrated and angry with Lennie because the big man cannot control his strength or actions. George repeatedly gets angry, so much so that Lennie knows by heart what it means when George gives him hell. But Georges anger quickly fades when he remembers Lennies innocence and his inability to remember or think clearly. George, unlike other men, has a companion and friend in Lennie. Because of this, Lennie makes George feel special. They are different from all the other guys, and George realizes only too well that they have a special bond. At the ranch, George often plays solitaire, a game for one. Without Lennie, George would be a loner. Even though George gets frustrated by Lennies mental weakness, he also feels compassion for his friend. Lennie offers George the opportunity to lay plans, give advice, and, in general, be in charge. Without Lennie, George would be just like the other hands, but with Lennie, George has a strong sense of responsibility. Their dream also sets George apart from the others because it means he and Lennie have a future and something to anticipate. Unlike Lennie, George does not see their dream in terms of rabbits; instead, he sees it in a practical way. Their farm will be one where they can be independent and safe and where he will not have to worry about keeping track of Lennies mistakes. They can be secure and in charge of their own lives. However, Lennie is the one who adds the enthusiasm because George never really believed they could swing this farm of their own. He mostly uses the story to give Lennie something Lennie Georges taking care of Lennie and the dream of the farm are attempt s to break the pattern of loneliness that is part of the human condition. Similarly, Lennies desire to pet soft things comes from his need to feel safe and secure, to touch something that gives him that feeling of not being alone in the world. For Lennie, the dream of the farm parallels that security. George is going to give me hell or George wont let me tend the rabbits. He is devoted to George like a dog is devoted to its master, and he tries to follow Georges commands. There is a childlike wonder in Lennie that can be seen when he first sees the pool of water and slurps down huge gulps of water like a horse. Only when Candy offers the stake does George actually begin to see that this dream could come true. But, realist that he is, George tells Candy over the lifeless body of Curleys wife, I think I knowed from the very first. I think I knowd wed never do her. He usta like to hear about it so much I got to thinking maybe we would [be able to have the farm.]