Theme Of Companionship In Of Mice And Men (Essay Example)

Companionship is one of the most significant aspects of life and helps to motivate people through troubling times. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, companionship is a prominent theme. It is especially noticeable in George and Lennie’s complicated relationship, Candy’s connection with his dog, and Curley’s wife’s desire for friendship. These characters are constantly seeking a companion of some sort to prevent loneliness. Throughout the novella, Steinbeck demonstrates that to stay motivated, people seek connections as a remedy to their loneliness.

George and Lennie rely on each other for a sense of security. Steinbeck depicts the father and son-like relationship between these two characters by showing how Lennie needs George to survive. When Steinbeck first introduces these characters, he implies that Lennie is in some way mentally disabled, and that George takes care of him. However, George also relies on Lennie as a confidant in his life. The life of migrant workers is outright horrible, moving from ranch to ranch doing strenuous labor, and being taught to not worry about anyone but themselves. Consequently, most people on the ranch do not have many friends. When discussing their fellow migrant workers, George and Lennie appreciate having someone who “gives a damn” about them (Steinbeck 14). They discuss the importance of having a connection of some sort, because they will grow extremely lonely without each other. Although it may feel as though George’s only relationship with Lennie is as his protector, it is crucial to see how George has “‘[Lennie] to look after [him]’” (Steinbeck 14). Furthermore, Steinbeck elucidates how George’s top priority is to ensure that Lennie is safe. Due to Lennie’s disability, Lennie engages in child-like behavior and often makes mistakes with harmful consequences, while George acts as Lennie’s father figure that gets him out of trouble. He constantly makes it clear that “[he] ain't gonna let ‘em hurt Lennie’” regardless of whether or not the blame lies on Lennie (Steinbeck 95). From the get-go, Curley does not like Lennie. Curley is portrayed as a hot-headed character who will not hesitate to pick a fight. However, George’s devoted character is revealed by showing how he will not let Curley hurt Lennie.

Companionship is delineated between Candy and his dog. Until the death of Candy’s dog, it was he who gave Candy some sort of comfort. Candy, like the other migrant workers, continuously moved around. His dog made whatever unfamiliar place he moved to feel like home. When Carlson offers to kill Candy’s dog, Candy tries to persuade him otherwise, trying to argue that he has “‘had him since he was a pup’” (Steinbeck 44). Carlson, however, does not care. Similar to other migrant workers, he has no understanding of companionship. He believes that since the dog cannot benefit the ranch, he is simply a waste of space. After the death of Candy’s dog, he grows extremely isolated and depressed. The dog was seen as “‘no good to himself nor nobody else’” (Steinbeck 60). Candy’s character is represented through his dog, as he is also growing old and becoming a castaway. Candy’s dog is an accurate display of the fate of migrant workers who have outlived their usefulness. This displays the importance of companionship because if these workers had an understanding of connections, Candy’s dog would have survived. Additionally, now that Candy has nobody, he will grow more depressed, making his life on the ranch worse than it already is. Forming connections is the only way to prevent loneliness, and losing these connections causes people to fall into despair.

Curley’s wife is constantly seeking companionship throughout the novel to combat her loneliness and fill the void in her life. Steinbeck makes it clear that the marriage between Curley and his wife is not a happy one. Curley’s wife is viewed as property of Curley, hence why Steinbeck does not give her a name. She is ignored by those on the ranch and has no defying characteristics, that is, besides being flirtatious. Curley deprives his wife of any involvement with those on the ranch, causing her to grow extremely lonely. He does not allow her to talk to “‘nobody but Curley, else he gets mad’” (Steinbeck 87). She expresses these feelings of hers to Lennie, in hopes of finally being able to confide in someone. Although her flirtatious behavior may temporarily help her feel less lonely, she desires a true confidant. However, the migrant workers continuously use derogatory language towards Curley’s wife, believing she “‘can’t keep away from guys’” (Steinbeck 51). Companionship is so rare in this environment that it goes unnoticed, and is only seen as her flirting. Steinbeck displays Curley’s wife’s isolation from the rest of the ranch, signifying the different barriers to friendship whether it be race, gender, etc. Ultimately, Curley’s wife is an accurate representation of someone who attempts to fix their loneliness by making friends.

These characters forming connections serves as a remedy to the exhausting life they live. Considering they will never really settle down in one place, having some sort of friendship makes their work a little less dreadful. Despite Lennie being an obvious burden on George, he is the only person that gives George some sense of familiarity in a new place. The death of Candy’s dog displays how the workers determine others' worthiness by how useful they still are, contradicting the idea of genuine companionship. Curley’s wife represents the role of gender on the ranch. She is automatically an outcast in the environment, thus lacking companionship. Steinbeck conveys how people seek some form of companionship to stay motivated through their work.