Explore the methods Steinbeck uses to demonstrate the effects of isolation on people in Of Mice and Men.

Steinbeck demonstrates and develops characters through the idea of isolation, effects he uses contribute to the development of characters such as loneliness, prejudice, the American dream, broken dreams and relationships between individuals at that time.

“S’pose you had to sit here and read books”. Isolation in this novella is frequent and builds dramatic and frictional relationships between characters. The quote I have used directly demonstrates isolation for the only black character; he is purposely isolated for one reason, the colour of his skin. “This is just a nigger talkin’ an a busted-black nigger so it don’t mean nothing, see?” This indicates that the isolated black man, named ‘Crooks’ has been removed and isolated from the mainly white group for such a large period of time that ‘Crooks’ has lost self-confidence and is beginning to doubt his position and roll at the ranch. This also shows that Crooks has not been able to have a personal conversation with another individual that he lacks the confidence to express his feelings to someone who will understand and capture what he is expressing. Crooks is only expressing his deep thoughts and emotions because the character he is having this conversation with, called ‘Lennie’, is not intelligent enough to contain what he is saying.

Loneliness links with isolation as the isolated characters are seen as the loneliest. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley”. This expresses that Curley’s wife has feelings of loneliness and needs comfort and a relationship with someone other than her husband. She has also been isolated from the group, as she is the only female on the ranch and is seen as a very flirtatious woman who is often described as a ‘Tart’. “A guy needs somebody near him” Crooks is also a character who has been isolated from the group and is openly suffering from loneliness. This shows the link between isolation and loneliness, in which that the characters being isolated are openly expressed as the loneliest. Loneliness is an effect which can dramatically affect the severity of isolation, as if a character is acceptant of being isolated and is not effective emotionally or mentally by this then the feelings towards the isolated character change to a less sympathetic view. Whereas if the character affected is seen as ‘emotionally unstable’ or simply upset then the readers feelings change to a more sympathetic outlook and the severity of the isolation is increased.

“S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ‘cause your black”. Prejudice is a very important element that contributes to the demonstration of isolation, as prejudice is the main reason for the isolation of some characters. This quote is a clear example of prejudice as the group at the ranch are ‘prejudging’ the isolated black man ‘Crooks’ mainly for the colour of his skin and not his personality. At that time (1930’s) black people were not seen as part of the society and were separated from the 100% white group. “Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live.” Curley’s wife is also suffering from prejudiced as she is a woman and is a very aggressive characters wife so workers at the ranch avoid a relationship with her so that a drama will not occur due to Curley’s jealousy. This is prejudice as they are also ‘Prejudging’ a character without depth knowledge on what she is actually like, her real personality and not just the flirtatious front she puts on to attract attention for a relationship with someone other than Curley to flourish.

“We got a future” Many people during The Great Depression believed in the American dream and dreamt of ‘living of the fat of the land’ but rarely did they achieve it. “We’re gonna have a little house and a couple acres an’ a cow and some pigs and…” These aspirations demonstrated willing isolation between characters as they individuals involved purposely separated themselves in order to keep the secret of them being close to achieving what was seen as the impossible. This isolation is much different from the isolation of the minority, such as Crooks because he is black or Curley’s wife because she is a woman. It is different as there is no evident force being pushed against them to isolate themselves like in the other cases but they are willing to do so. This can rapidly turn into a negative or conflictive situation as keeping such a secret can arouse suspicious. This could also cause isolation as if the other characters became suspicious then they could isolated the suspected characters as they would lose a certain amount of trust towards them.
“Nobody ever gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s all in their head” A lack of determination due to failure is evident. In modern society in America people still believe in the power of the American dream, a recent successful basketball player in America stated that ‘ if you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome’. This shows the dream is still alive but in 1930’s as the Great Depression was at its peak the dream slightly faded which caused broken dreams as them failing caused others to lose the enthusiasm to strive for their goal and what they believe in. “ I see “I see hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads” Crooks is clearly a realist and is acceptant of the fact people will not and have not in the past fulfilled the American dream.
“I said what stake you got in this guy? You takin’ his pay away from him?” The relationships between people in 1930’s were emotionless, as people did not want to get attached to someone or even something. A good trustworthy relationship was very rare and if seen, would have been suspected of misleading. In this quote it demonstrates that people who did have such a bond without the ‘strings attached’ such as one individual was claiming the entire wage were always suspected of something. Relationships of that time were strictly work relationships and did not have any emotional attachment. “I’ll put the old devil out of his misery right now and get it over with. Ain’t nothing left for him” If someone or something such as Candy’s dog has no physical purpose then it is seen as no use for anything anymore. The men working at the ranch have no appreciation for the emotional bond Candy has with his dog, they cannot see past the fact the dog is old and withered and will not be able to help with the practically tasks anymore.
John Steinbeck demonstrates isolation in many ways but each effect adds to the severity of isolation.