"Of Mice and Men" - John Steinbeck Crooks, Lennie, Candy, and Curley's wife...outcasts who although are lonely and seek each others companionship, ostracize each other nevertheless.

In Chapter 4 of "Of Mice and Men," John Steinbeck portrays Crooks, Lennie, Candy, and Curley's wife as outcasts who although are lonely and seek each others companionship, ostracize each other nevertheless. Each of said characters seek companionship, are outcasts, and as a result abase one another.

Crooks, Candy, Curley's wife, and Lennie are lonely and therefore seek companionship. Crooks is a very lonely character, and may in fact be the most diverse due to both his handicap and race. When he gets company, he tries to conceal his pleasure with anger; he does not welcome others into his abode because they discriminate against him (his impediment is therefore seen as a spiteful retaliation), but at the same time he is delighted to have company. When Crooks sees Lennie standing at the doorway smiling at him, Crooks gives in and allows him to stay, telling him "you can come if ya want."

English: John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men

Grave site of John Steinbeck and family

Lennie is also lonely, for he is drawn to Crooks' stable when he sees the light on; when he approached Crooks, he "smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends." Candy later comes in to the stable, as Crooks allows him to come in; he is modest about Crooks's welcome, saying "of course if you want me to." Candy is a passive man virtually unable to take any independent action and his one major act in the book, offering Lennie and George money in order to go in on a piece of land together, is a means by which he can become dependent on them; this is a result of his impeding loneliness. Lastly, Curley's wife enters the stable. Her presence is almost nomadic; she wonders around the whole ranch, seeking company and then parting. Generally considered to be a tramp by the men at...