In the harsh reality of the Great Depression, two displaced ranch workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, share a dream of owning their own land in Soledad, California. Their journey, marked by hard work and fleeting hope, takes a tragic turn when Lennie’s unintentional actions lead to serious consequences, testing their friendship and forcing them to confront the painful truths of their lives.
In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores the deep need for companionship and human connection during the harsh 1930s. The bond between George and Lennie is a rare source of comfort in a world filled with loneliness and struggle. As George puts it, “Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world,” capturing the isolation they face as migrant workers. This loneliness is reflected in other characters like Candy, an aging ranch hand who mourns the loss of his dog, and Crooks, the only African American on the ranch, who is isolated because of his race. Steinbeck uses these characters to show how difficult it is to hold onto dreams during such dark times and how the American Dream often remains out of reach for those on the margins of society.
Jasmine Bryant ’28 suggested that the novel Of Mice and Men highlights the deep need for companionship and the themes of isolation and loneliness. She wrote, “The author reveals this to us through the characters. For example, Lennie relies on George for guidance, love, and protection, while George finds meaning in caring for Lennie. Candy, an aging handyman, feels lonely after losing his dog. He fears abandonment, so he clings to George and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm. Crooks is not allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse and is forced to sleep with the horses. Barely anyone comes to visit or speak to him. At first, he embraces the idea of clinging to George and Lennie’s dream but eventually rejects it when he realizes that he would still be treated as an outsider because of his race. Finally, Curley’s wife, the only woman on the ranch, feels trapped in her marriage to Curley, the boss’s son, who is controlling and emotionally distant. Her loneliness drives her to seek attention from the men on the ranch, but they consistently ignore and dismiss her.”
Although the characters in Of Mice and Men struggle with loneliness, their sense of isolation is also shaped by the harsh social realities of the era. Crooks, for example, faces rejection because of his race. His separate living quarters and the way he is treated by the other men emphasize the racial discrimination of the 1930s. When Crooks briefly entertains the idea of sharing George and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm, he soon realizes that, no matter how much he desires to belong, his race will always prevent him from being accepted. Similarly, Curley’s wife feels alone. She tries to connect with the men but is consistently ignored because of her gender. Through these characters, Steinbeck shows how social barriers—whether based on race, gender, or age—keep individuals from forming meaningful relationships. Ultimately, the novel suggests that the American Dream, while a symbol of hope for some, remains a distant goal for marginalized people, highlighting the painful separation between desire and reality.
The tragic ending of Of Mice and Men, in which George takes Lennie’s life in an act of mercy to spare him from a more brutal death at the hands of Curley and the mob, crushes their dream and stresses the impossibility of hope for men like them during the Great Depression. Lennie, who has always depended on George for guidance and protection, becomes a victim of the cruel reality that prevents a better life. Lennie’s death ends their dream of owning a farm and reinforces the theme of isolation throughout the novel. With Lennie gone, George feels an overwhelming sense of loss, a painful reminder of the loneliness that defines their lives. Through Lennie’s death, Steinbeck highlights how the American Dream is out of reach for people like George and Lennie, who live in a brutal, unforgiving world that traps them.
