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Of Mice and Men Loneliness is a feeling of emptiness inside you that affects everyone at one time or another. Sometimes you feel isolated from everyone, inaccessible to the people you would like to have contact with. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Candy, Curley’s wife, Lennie, George and Crooks are all experiencing loneliness. What factors contribute to these characters feelings of loneliness? Candy is left alone when his dog is killed, Crooks is isolated because of his race, Curley’s wife is rejected by everyone at the ranch, and George and Lennie, who work at ranches, are the loneliest type of men around. These factors that represent the characters feelings of loneliness are due to the fact that they are not free. The characters are good examples of how loneliness can affect an individual’s life forever. People of any age may feel lonely, but elderly people have a higher risk because most of their relationships are destroyed by death. Candy was a character who felt the misery of loneliness when his best and only friend was killed. His friend was an old sheep dog who would always keep him company and remind him of the old days when he was young. Candy would have been alone for many years if it hadn’t been for that dog. He loved him and that is why Candy could not stand the thought of putting him down even though it would have been best for his dog. Carlson tries to convince Candy to shoot his dog, “ He ain’t no good to you, Candy. An’ he ain’t no good to himself” (Steinbeck 44). Candy continues to say no to Carlson but then Slim says, “Carl’s right, Candy. That dog ain’t no good to himself. I wisht somebody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple” (47). At last Candy said softly and hopelessly, “Awright – take im” (47). This torn Candy apart and made him feel like he had no one to live for anymore.
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