A Tree Grows In Brooklyn Theme Of Loneliness

In the books A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, there is a reoccurring theme of loneliness. In A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, the theme focuses more towards how loneliness shapes a person, while in Of Mice and Men the authors focus is in how loneliness is a dreadful thing, and the cure to loneliness. In A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith the author illustrates how loneliness shapes you as a person through her character Francie. Throughout the novel Francie is shown experiencing loneliness many, many times. For example, she is written to be playing alone as a child, telling herself stories instead of talking to the other girls. And then again, when she is older and desires for a lover, but feels as though there is no one out there for her, the loneliness consumes her.

One of the main characters, Candy, is a prime example of this. Candy has had a dog since it was a puppy, seemingly the only one of his few companions he was very close with, and when the dog is being put down he becomes completely unreadable. Which tells the reader that Candy is now isolating out of sudden loss and following loneliness. He cures this be befriending George and Lennie and joining their plans for the future. However, after Lennie accidentally kills Curley’s wife, Candy becomes desperate when he asks George if they’re plans still remain the same. The author shows this man’s desperation by writing, “Now Candy spoke his greatest fear. ‘You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we George? You an’ me can go there an’ live nice, can’t we George? Can’t we?’” (Steinbeck 94). His panicked tone indicates his fear of having to be alone again. His loneliness was cured before, but it is unclear to all what Candy would do without George and Lennie’s plan. Thus placing the curse back unto