Themes

Themes

Lonliness + Isolation
1. Everyone is lonely
  1. The men on the ranch are like orphans. George says 'They got no family'
  2. The bunk house guys blow their money every Saturday on prostitutes and booze
  3. It's unusual for ranchers to make friends, everyone comments on how George and Lennie travel together
    1. 'Funny how you an' him string along together'
  4. Crooks lives all alone
    1. He's segregated because he's black
  5. When Lennie pays Crooks a visit he doesn't seem to want his company
    1. He's used to lonliness and finds it hard to enjoy company
  6. Curley is lonely even though he's married
2. No One can think of an Answer
  1. Lennie and George think having their own place will solve anything
    1. George doesn't seem to think this will ever happen
  2. Lennie and George look after eachother
    1. George still seems lonely
      1. Tells Slim 'I ain't got no people'
  3. Animals provide a temporary solution
    1. Lennie kills them all
    2. Carlson shoots Candy's dog
3. Looking for Companionship can be Dangerous
  1. Ends in disaster
    1. Crooks and Candy try to grab hold of George and Lennie's dream
      1. Ends in bitter disappointment
    2. Lennie holding the girl's dress in Weed, and Curley's wife
  2. Curley's wife isn't happy in her father-in-law's house
    1. Tries to get a bit of companionship by flirting but it ends in disaster
  3. George mentions how his friend is in prison 'on account of tart'
    1. Looking for companionship was dangerous for Andy
Prejudice
1. Crooks is generally treated badly
  1. Treated with a mixture of contempt and indifference
    1. He is either picked on or ignored
  2. The boss is always giving Crooks 'hell'
    1. Easy target for his frustration
  3. Treated badly by characters with little power as he has less power than them
    1. Curley's wife threatens to have him 'lynched'
      1. As a married woman, her word is worth more than Crook's
  4. Candy calls him a 'Nice fella' but doesn't seem to care that the ranchers treat him badly
    1. Candy pauses with 'relish' at one of the ranchers picking a fight with Crooks
  5. Slim treats him with civility
    1. Doesn't talk down to him
    2. Only person to go into Crook's room (aside the boss) before Lennie and Candy
2. Makes Crooks bitter
  1. Angry that the others don't invite him to bunkhouse
    1. Won't let other ranchers in his room
  2. Crooks wants companionship
    1. Besides the impression of being 'proud' and 'aloof'
    2. 'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody'
  3. Dream of the farm appeals to Crooks
    1. Believes he will be treat more as an equal
    2. First one to realise the dream isn't possible
      1. So used to disappointment
3. No Respect for their Elders
  1. Candy is old
    1. Knows it wont be long before they 'can' him
      1. No one will employ him because he 'ain't much good with on'y one hand'
    2. Feelings don't seem important - not much sympathy when Carlson wants to shoot his dog
    3. Dog represents him - when he's too old to be useful he'll be got rid off
    4. Curley's wife dismisses him as 'lousy ol' sheep'
      1. See's him as no better than Crooks or Lennie

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	Created by chrishenry97 almost 11 years ago