The Theme Of Loneliness In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

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One theme found in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck mirrors the theme of “Waving through a Window” by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; both works describe loneliness. Many characters in Of Mice and Men describe their loneliness — most notably, perhaps, is Curley's wife. Throughout the novella, she says she has no one to talk to. “”Wha’s the matter with me?’ she cried. ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways? You’re a nice guy. I don’t know why I can’t talk to you. I ain’t doing no harm to you (Steinbeck 87-88).’” Curley’s wife is confirming that she has no one to speak to, and that she wants to be able to converse with someone. This mirrors “Waving through a Window” when the song bewails the main character, Evan Hansen’s, inability to communicate with others. “On the outside, always looking in/ Will I ever be more than I've always …show more content…

They got no family. They don’t belong no place (Steinbeck 13).’” This perpetuates the loneliness found throughout the novella. George feels alone without Lennie, and even then he can’t speak freely with someone who doesn’t understand. Furthermore, on page 41 of Of Mice and Men George talks with Slim about how farmhands who don’t travel with anyone else get mean from being alone. In “Waving through a Window” Evan says “When you're falling in a forest and there's nobody around/ Do you ever really crash, or even make a sound?/ Did I even make a sound?/ Did I even make a sound?/ It's like I never made a sound/ Will I ever make a sound?” Evan thinks that no one is around to notice anything he does and wonders if anyone ever will. He feels isolated and lonely, much like George and the other farmhands. Loneliness is a theme shown by many characters throughout Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, which parallels Evan Hansen’s loneliness in “Waving through a Window” by Benj Pasek and Justin

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