theme critical essay

• Seal one setting
• "a few miles south of Soledad..."
• Soledad when translated to English means Solitude
• Solitude


  The state of being alone
• Solitude represents how the people who live there feel alone and dependent on themselves rather than others
• Seal two: Candy - symbolism

  • well-hell! I had mum so long. Had hum.
  • since he was a pup. I herded sheep.
  • with him.
• Candy's only true friend is his dog

  • He is reluctant to let him be put down as it means he would have to face the world by himself
  • The dog also symbolises Candy's place on the ranch as those who aren't useful are left to be discovered
  • It also shows his own age, weakness and physicality separate him from the other men
  • The dog also symbolises what will happen to Candy in the future
• Seal three: Lennie - characterisation 


  "Ever' body went into town. I him and George and ever body. Greoige lays I gotta stay here on not get into trouble."
• Lennie is lonely as he is not included by the other men


  • He is treated as a child who is not allowed to go with the adults
  • Lenni also being told to stay out of trouble reinforces the idea of him being viewed as a child by the others
  • It also shows us George steps into a parent like roll when dealing with Lennie
• Seal four : Crooks - key incident


  "Maybe you guys better go... I ount sure I want you in here no more. A coloured man got to have some right even if he don't like em"
• Crooks doesn't like being separated from the others


  • But since it has happened regularly throughout his whole life, he prefers to find comfort and security in being himself and doesn't know how to cope comfortably with company
  • This highlights the sense of loneliness as look due to the colour of his skin is kept separate from society
• Seal five: curley's wife - characterisation

  "You can talk to people but I can't. talk but curley."
• Curley's wife has no friends, not anyone to talk to


  • She is desperate for a friend and tries to make friends by talking to the men on the ranch
  • However Curley doesn't allow her to talk with them due to his own insecurity
  • The men don't talk to her to protect themselves from Curley
• Sean Six: Curley's wife - symbolism


  "'curley's wife"
• Curley's wife symbolises the place of women in society at this time period


  • We never learn her name which symbolises the women's place in the 1930s as women were not independent but rather owned by their husbands
• Seal six: curley's wife- symbolism

  "I am used to hiring like this. I coulda made something of myself."
• Curly's wife feels robbed of her own life


  • She could have done more with it rather than being tied down with Curly
  • She is not allowed to live freely but rather is kept like a possession, following Curley's orders and not allowed new communication with anyone