Of Mice and Men By john Steinbeck is a novel describing the lives two laborers in the great depression. The novel revolves around themes and make up the great novel and help us to better understand each character as a theme applies to every character in the novel. These themes include Loneliness and Friendship.
Candy is a character who deals with loneliness. He is the oldest man on the ranch and is crippled. The only work he can do is cleaning out the bunkhouse and other odd jobs. His only companion is his old dog who stays by his side. One night however, a fellow ranch hand named Carlson convinces Candy to let himself put the dog out of its misery. "If you want me to, I'll put the old devil out of his misery right now and get it over with," said Carlson in persuasion to Candy. Candy agreed and so his only companion was shot, leaving him sad and lonely.
George Street, Redfern
George Street, Sydney
English: John SteinbeckLater, Candy hears Lennie and George talking about the land which they wish to purchase, and wishes to be a part of that dream. Candy, overcome with loneliness and seeing no hope for the future, buys himself into a friendship by offering George money to pay for the land. This demonstrates how Candy is so desperately lonely after the death of his dog that he offers his entire life saving to two men he has only known a few weeks, and all this to go and live on their own ranch and have someone to talk always. Another theme in the book is Friendship.
Lennie's and George's friendship was possibly the most obvious thing in the book. Lennie treated George like he was a god, although Lennie often screwed up leaving him and George in tough predicaments, But George always stuck with Lennie, Even in the end George did what was right by shooting Lennie himself instead of letting the others shoot him leaving him to die slowly. It took George a lot of courage to do it but he did what was right, he loved Lennie so much that instead of having him suffer he killed him himself causing him a lot of pain. George wasn't always the nicest to Lennie but he still cared about him, Lennie was like a brother to George and it shows that he really cared about him. George even made up a place to give Lennie hope.
To conclude, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a great novel describing the lives two laborers in the great depression. The novel revolves around themes and make up the great novel and help us to better understand each character as a theme applies to every character in the novel.
Of Mice and Men
George Street - forwards south end, Sydney (NSW)
Grave site of John Steinbeck and family