Themes
1. Friendship versus Loneliness
Most characters in the story are lonely, even though they are surrounded by other people.
The effects of loneliness shown in the novel are aggression and illness, both physical and psychological.
People are so desperate to be heard that they hardly even notice if the other person is listening.
All characters have a deep need for affection, and Candy and Crooks show a renewed interest in life when kindness is shown to them.
2. Dreams versus Reality
Daydreaming is important to most characters.
G & L’s shared dream to own land and be free is a common dream among ranch hands.
Curley’s wife dreams of being an actress; Crooks wants friends and family; Curley wants to be feared and respected by everyone.
No one's dreams in the story are transformed into reality.
Despite this, dreams have a positive effect in the book in that they prevent characters from falling into despair.
3. Injustice
The ranch hands work hard and for long hours but spend their lives in poverty and despair.
They are rootless men with no homes and when they get too old to work, they are let go.
Crooks is discriminated against because he is black; his fellow workers pick on him and his boss bullies him. When he stands up to Curley’s wife, she threatens to have him lynched.
Most characters in the story are lonely, even though they are surrounded by other people.
The effects of loneliness shown in the novel are aggression and illness, both physical and psychological.
People are so desperate to be heard that they hardly even notice if the other person is listening.
All characters have a deep need for affection, and Candy and Crooks show a renewed interest in life when kindness is shown to them.
2. Dreams versus Reality
Daydreaming is important to most characters.
G & L’s shared dream to own land and be free is a common dream among ranch hands.
Curley’s wife dreams of being an actress; Crooks wants friends and family; Curley wants to be feared and respected by everyone.
No one's dreams in the story are transformed into reality.
Despite this, dreams have a positive effect in the book in that they prevent characters from falling into despair.
3. Injustice
The ranch hands work hard and for long hours but spend their lives in poverty and despair.
They are rootless men with no homes and when they get too old to work, they are let go.
Crooks is discriminated against because he is black; his fellow workers pick on him and his boss bullies him. When he stands up to Curley’s wife, she threatens to have him lynched.