Of Mice and Men, a novella by John Steinbeck, is a story of two friends, George and Lennie, who are ranch workers in the 1930's. The story deals with their struggles and tragedy as well as other ranch workers during this time of depression. Steinbeck prompts the reader's response and social consciousness by including some very closely related issues such as inequality, loneliness and broken dreams. These themes are constructed through the use of techniques such as characterisation, setting, conflict and language.

Three main characters are used to portray the issue of loneliness throughout the novella including Curley's Wife, Crooks and Candy. Curley's Wife is alone because she is the only female on the ranch with no one to talk to. "I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely" (P. 18). Crooks is the only black man on the ranch and due to the early times...