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Which to choose?  Friendship or Isolation...

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Which to choose?  Friendship or Isolation...

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In this novella, George and Lennie represent THE ideal male friendship.  They don’t talk about how they feel about each other or why they should stay loyal – they just stand by each other, and that’s that.

In contrast, everyone else is isolated from one another.  Everyone seems to get along quite well together by talking about how isolated they are, even though the men on the ranch are constantly together and chatting.

Although they are always together, George and Lennie are isolated from the rest of the world. Friendship is a negative relationship in the novella; every time any character gets close to any other, something goes wrong.

Friendship:

LENNIE exclaimed, "But I wouldn’t eat none, George. I’d leave it all for you. You could cover your beans

with it and I wouldn’t touch none of it." (p.13 in pdf)

Isolation:

LENNIE whined, "If you don’ want me I can go off in the hills an’ find a cave. I can go away any time." (p. 14 in pdf)

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The American Dream:  a reality or an illusion?

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The American Dream:  a reality or an illusion?

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Of Mice and Men captures the feel of rural America during the Depression. Different outlooks are presented:
--the never-will-be starlet trying to make it to Hollywood,
--the isolated black man born and raised in California,
--a ranch full of men that like to go to whorehouses, play pool, and drink away their earnings
--men that are constantly bouncing from job to job just shy of making ends meet.

The America of Of Mice and Men is populated with dreamers who are constantly struggling to achieve their dreams.

This novella argues that there is no single America. Rather, there are many different groups

(women, blacks, farm workers, farm owners), each with their own unique struggle.

Quote:

GEORGE complained, "…If I was bright, if I was even a little bit smart, I’d have my own little place, an’ I’d be bringin’ in my own crops, ‘stead of doin’ all the work and not getting what comes up outa the ground."
(p. 40 in pdf)

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Of Mice and Men deals with many of America’s age-old, hot-button issues, including sexism, racism, ageism, and discrimination against those with disabilities. Most importantly, this prejudice isn’t ever explicitly noted or fought against – those who are discriminated against accept the prejudice against them as a way of life.

Prejudice is a fact of life on the ranch because it was a fact of life everywhere in America at

that time.

Crooks said darkly, "Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much." (p. 76 in pdf)

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"But not us! An’ why? Because .... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why."  (p.15 in pdf)

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“Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.” (p.36 in pdf)

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“A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick.” (p.73 in pdf)

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“Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head. They’re all the time talkin’ about it, but it’s jus’ in their head.” (p.75 in pdf)

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“We could live offa the fatta the lan'.” (p. 59 in pdf)

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“George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before. 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to.” (p.15 in pdf)

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“Ain’t many guys travel around together,” he mused. “I don’t know why. Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.” (p.36 in pdf)

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“Lennie begged, "Le's do it now. Le's get that place now."
"Sure right now. I gotta. We gotta.” (p. 106 in pdf)

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"I ain't wanted in the bunk house... because I'm black" (p. 69 in pdf)

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"there ain't a colored man on this ranch"(p.71 in pdf)

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"there ain't a colored man on this ranch"(p. 71 in pdf)

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"They'll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog"(p. 73 in pdf)

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"Well, you keep your place then, Nigger" (p.81 in pdf)

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"Think I don't like to talk to somebody ever' once in a while?"(p. 78 in pdf)

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"I been here a long time... an' Crooks been here a long time. This's the first time I ever been in his room."(p.76 in pdf)

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"we'll shove off and go up the American River and pan gold"(p.37 in pdf)

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"When Candy spoke they both jumped as though they had been caught doing something reprehensible"( p.60 in pdf)

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"We're gonna have a little house"(p.16 in pdf)

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"Coulda been in the movies, an' had nice clothes"(p. 88 in pdf)

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“Me an’ him goes ever’ place together.”(p.71 in pdf)

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"George gonna wish he was alone"(p.99 in pdf)