Of+Mice+and+Men+Essay

===="Hardly none of the guys ever travel together." (Page 39) Loneliness is the main theme in John Steinbeck's novella, __Of Mice and Men__. Eric Hoffer once said, "It is loneliness that makes the loudest cry. This is true of men as of dogs." This quote relates to the book because many people are lonely, they don't have friends, and they can't trust anyone but themselves. The people that have the loudest cry in this novella are Crooks, Candy, and Shirley.====

====Crooks is an African-American man with a crooked back. He is a lonely man because back then, many people weren't friends with African-American people. Crooks was so desperate and lonely that he was happy to talk to Lennie. Crooks said, "Long as you won't get out and leave me alone,you might as well set down." (Page 69) He didn't care if Lennie wasn't paying attention, he was just happy he has someone to talk too. Crooks didn't care because he rarely has the opportunity to talk to people and most people don't even bother to listen to him.====

====Candy is an old man, who has lost one of his hands in a farm accident. His best friend was an old smelly dog that he has for awhile. Candy didn't have any relatives or any loved ones, but he always has his dog. One day Candy let some stranger shoot his dog, because it was old and no good. After the dog was shot and killed, Candy regretted what actions he chose because he became lonelier. He said to George, "I ought to of shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't ought to of let no stranger shoot my dog." (Page 61) When Candy's dog as alive, he wasn't alone because his best friend was always there for him. When his old, smelly dog died he was lonelier than ever and no one was closer to him than his dog.====

====Shirley is Curley's unhappy wife. She is also the only woman on the ranch. Shirley has the loudest cry in this novella because she had dreams. Her dreams were about being in the movies, but she ended up a marrying a man that doesn't love her back. She says, "Wha's the matter with me? Ain't I got a right to talk to nobody?" No one likes to her because she ends up flirting with every man she talks too. Also, her neediness pushes people away, because they don't like to deal with her. If they did, they would have to deal with Curley too. No body would like to deal with Curley, because he's a big piece of work. Shirley doesn't have a friend or a real husband to love; she has nothing.====

===="It is loneliness that makes the loudest cry. This is true of men as of dogs." Crooks, Candy, and Shirley are the loneliest of all people in John Stienbeck's Novella, __Of Mice and Men__. They have the loudest cry because they don't have anyone else. They just have themselves and their dreams.====