Steinbeck's
has a lot to say about loneliness. In fact, even the town near where the
men work, Soledad, means "solitude." Even though they work in the town of Solitude,
they are not alone.
I think one thing Steinbeck is trying to get his readers
to understand is that people need each other, even if the relationships may not fit the
conventional paradigm that society might expect.andare the obvious example here. One man is
short and "street-wise", while the other man is huge and simple-minded. All the same,
the two men need each other, compliment one another (one provides "the brains", the
other provides "the brawn"), and share a common dream.
Another
thing Steinbeck wants us to know about loneliness is that sometimes people can be together and
yet still be alone. Curley and his wife are the main example here. They are husband and wife,
yet their relationship is clearly damaged, even though they have only been married a very short
time. Curley's wife has already "got the eye" after only a few weeks of marriage.
Curley is already jealous of his wife and doesn't even seem to know where she is half the
time.
Carlson said casually, Curley been in
yet?No, said Whit. Whats eatin on Curley?
Carlson
squinted down the barrel of his gun. Lookin for his old lady. I seen him going round and round
outside.Whit said sarcastically, He spends half his time lookin for her,
and the rest of the time shes lookin for him.Curley burst into the room
excitedly. Any you guys seen my wife? he demanded.
Thus, in Steinbeck's novel, we are presented with a number of
characters who experience lonliness in a variety of ways. In the end, though, I think Steinbeck
realizes that people need each other, despite their feelings that sometimes they want to be
alone:
George looked quickly and searchingly at him. I
been mean, aint I?If you don want me I can go off in the hills an find a
cave. I can go away any time.Nolook! I was jus foolin, Lennie. €˜Cause I
want you to stay with me."
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