Of+Mice+and+Men+Essay

"It is loneliness that makes the loudest noise. This is true of men as of dogs."--Eric Hoffer. Loneliness. This is something three major characters suffer from in the book __Of Mice and Men,__ by John Steinbeck. Throughout the book Crooks, Candy, and Curly’s wife show loneliness in their lives. Candy, one who got his hand caught in a machine, Curlys wife a very flirtatious woman, and crooks an old dusty stable buck. I guess the little ranch in the Salinas valley is known for the loneliness.

In this book one of the most well known characters for being lonely is Crooks.” A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guys is, longs he’s with you. I’ll tell ya.” He cried, “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”(pg.72-73) As you can tell, Crooks is in need of a friend. He has nobody and never had anybody; he is desperate for some company.

Also, another lonely character is Curlys wife. She is the only woman on the ranch and has no friends also; she’s extremely flirtatious and is married to the meanest guy there. In one part of the book she explains how she could be living a great life instead of living in a hell hole like she lives in now. “I get lonely “she said. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curly, else he gets Mad.”, “How’d you like not to talk to anybody?”

Lastly there’s Candy. He’s the oldest one on the ranch and craves one moment of happiness in his life. He has nothing left in his life after Carlson shot his dog. “I get lonely, I won’t have no place to go an’ I can’t get no more jobs” (pg.60) Candy is pretty much worthless and wants any company he can get. “I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn’t of let no stranger shoot my dog.” (pg.61) Candy needs some hope in his life. In conclusion the quote “it is loneliness that makes the loudest noise. This is true of men as of dogs” Throughout people lives they deal with loneliness and sometimes it can be solved and sometimes I can’t be. So people hope for a miracle for a friend.