Theme of Alienation in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men

Abstract

Of Mice and Men (1937) is a novella written by Steinbeck. He has expressed his strong concern for the impoverished and disadvantaged, particularly migrant labourers. He depicts believable individuals in this work to show a glorious past. He has been acquainted with the poor, notably migrant agricultural laborers, both American and Mexican, since arriving in California in the 1930s, and has written from their perspective. His main purpose is to provide a genuine portrait of these people. One of Steinbeck’s most recurring themes is loneliness. Every character in Of Mice and Men, for example, is dealing with loneliness and isolation in some way; the two main characters, George and Lennie, have no families, no social circle, and no background to speak of. They've displaced ranch employees who appear out of nowhere at the start of the tale, with nowhere else to turn but each other. They currently constitute a single entity, each complementing the other. But Lennie is physically strong but intellectually frail, George is mentally strong but physically frail; Lennie is a spendthrift, whereas George is a saver. Lennie has no notion what the ramifications of his actions will be; he acts on instinct. George, on the other hand, is always trying to restrict him and giving him advice on the dos and don’ts of social interaction. Even this George and Lennie team is shattered by the novel's conclusion when George is compelled to murder Lennie to spare him from a far more terrible death. George’s loneliness and isolation must be palpable now that Lennie isn't at his side to keep him company and make him feel alive.