Category: Loneliness

Loneliness is becoming more common among all ages because of various links which include social, cognitive and behavioral factors. The idea of loneliness is when one doesn’t have any friends so they remain in a state of sadness. When one is lonely you don’t see them going out in public to make friends with strangers, they would rather sit on their phones and scroll through twitter, which is a problem. Socialization and relationships are important to our mental and physical health because it give our bodies a sense of life worth. Modern Loneliness is a rapidly growing problem in our world today due to social media, bullying and depression, but this can be solved by meeting the people in your community at local places to see what they are like.

Social Media has become a monster in our world today by effecting people in many aspects through the mind and behavior. Generalizations have been created by social media that people think they need to follow in order to fit in which then makes them change their lives to be someone they aren’t. In the article it explains, “Some studies have indicated that social media use may be tied to negative mental health outcomes, including suicidality, loneliness and decreased empathy”(Berryman, et al.). The use of some type of social media is common among almost everyone in our world today. Some of the things placed on social media can impact someones mental health. Individuals tend to use social media to express their lives and feelings. Also the article presents that, for instance, research indicates that one mechanism is the use of social media for negative social comparison which, alongside rumination, leads to later depression [[12] ]. By contrast, other research has found that positive use of social media, such as through authentic self-presentation, is associated with positive well-being in users”(Berryman, et al,). Social media is also a place for everyone to share their personal life, accomplishments and several things that make them the person they are. People should be proud to share their lives with others and on social media outlets, but people must also know that the individuals that see these posts much be impacted in some way, because their life isn’t so great and happy. But that one person could take this inspiration and make an effort to improve their life in some way. As a solution, some use this opportunity in life work for something they want to achieve but seeing other people do great things effects their mental health causing them to feel more depressed and lonely because they aren’t that successful. From a recent study it shows that, “Our results revealed that, overall, social media use is a poor predictor of mental health problems and concerns about social media precipitating a mental health crisis may be unwarranted” (Berryman, et al.). Social media might not be a direct effect to the mental health crisis but it is a factor in which one may be effected. Overall, if people just disconnected from social media and live in the now mental health would be on the rise positively. Many years ago when social media wasn’t present these mental health problems weren’t present but, people in our world today would rather live behind a screen.

Bullying has always been a problem in our world and today it has grown with social media becoming a new thing. People are more willing to bully online and through social media because they are behind a curtain. They are not with the person or seeing them so they are unaware how their actions are effecting the person on the other side. Bullying is defined as the act of when someone attends to hurt or harm another person or group of people with less power. An article states that, “Peer victimization directly targets adolescents’ self-worth, physical safety, and social relationships. Further, victimization may represent peer rejection, which damages self-esteem and impacts adolescents’ abilities to meet their needs for belonging” (Lopez & DuBois, 2005). One who is bullied by someone with higher status it automatically decreases their mental health and self worth because they feel they aren’t good enough as themselves and people dislike them. This causes the person who was bullied to want to hide away from everyone feeling that they are not good enough and leaving them with the fear that if they go out they will be made fun of. A study shows that, “In a predominantly White American, middle-income sample of late elementary students, both in-person overt victimization and cyber victimization were uniquely associated with concurrent loneliness and social acceptability” (Jackson & Cohen, 2012). Being bullied directly related to loneliness baed on this study and someones social relationships. After being bullied on social media individuals may develop social anxiety because of where it occurred and everyone having ability to see it. A person might worry if their friends judge them this way now, because in our world real friendships are hard to come by. In conclusion bullying is a terrible act in person or behind the screens and those doing it don’t think about how it is may impact the person they are bullying because they just think its funny, even though the person may be mentally and physically affected by the act.

Depression is a major key in modern loneliness because when people feel lonely they don’t feel the sense of well-being because of an absence of social relationships, which can significantly impact their health. In the article it states, “Loneliness is a strong risk factor for depression, over and above measures of objective social connection. Although the prevalence of loneliness varies with age, its association with depression remains stable across the lifespan”(Matthews, et al., 340). Loneliness and depression have a direct correlation according to studies, because of the causation the two terms effect each other. An person that is depressed may at first have friends but then they socially isolate themselves due to the lack of self worth. This can cause them to become lonely and many health factors decline at this point. In recent studies the link between the two can be solved according to the article from this statistic, “The relationship between loneliness and depression among middle-aged and older adults with SMI may be particularly important to consider. A survey of self-rated needs among middle-aged and older adults with SMI showed that, beyond the top-ranked item of improving physical health (endorsed by 79.2% of the sample), just over half of the sample reported a need for friendship (52.8%) and to feel more comfortable around others (50.0%)”( Auslander & Jeste, 2002). If people affected were given the support by their peers and felt loved by others that would help in solving over 50% of modern loneliness. The solution to this problem isn’t occurring because people who are depressed and lonely are socially isolating themselves. For almost all social situations give them anxiety and they fear rejection, which would staple their mental health even more. Individuals could obtain counseling help from a licensed therapist which would assist in helping them opening up regarding their feelings. This could help in overcoming negative feelings and thoughts to help overcome the fear of others and help them gain a sense of well being and possibly feel loved by someone. The link between loneliness and depression is becoming a larger problem in our world and it will keep rising unless those effected are helped by others around them along with being open to seeking help.

Loneliness, social isolation, depression, mental health issues are all on the rise in our modern world today, but there is a solution to make it go back on the decline. The young foundation writes, “We know that in the UK, social isolation and loneliness are comparable risk factors for early death as smoking 15 cigarettes a day” (Young). Social isolation is a terrible thing because in order to live a long life you need happiness, friends, and laughter. We can fix this issue of loneliness by creating a social place for those in the community to come and connect, express feelings, get help and make new friends. This plan can arise to many new things for example this article states, “the coffee morning has been run out of residents’ homes, and has led to a summer event at the local cricket club – the village’s only community hub” (Young). A town in the UK created a coffee location for people to visit and hangout. With this new activities are formulated and those who share the same hobbies like the cricket club come together. This can lead to forming of new relationships with others you didn’t know, because of isolation in ones home and unwillingness to meet others. Another positive to this solution is proven that, “When communities come together, through ideas and initiatives such as those supported as part of this work, then people have an opportunity to hear one another’s stories and break down assumptions about who we are, and what we experience as individuals”(Young). People make assumptions about people just from first impression these days instead of actually finding out who the person is but talking and getting to know them personally. This solution will work because, when you expand yourself into the community you see and meet others who are friendly and care of others. This helps to drive a feeling of value and self worth for many. The solution to modern loneliness is just as simple as getting out of your house and going to a local meet up place to get to know the people. Surrounding yourself with nice caring people helps to build self worth, creates friendships and gives you feeling of being liked or even loved by someone.

Social media, bullying and depression are all factors that contribute to the rise in modern loneliness. This can be solved through meeting people in your community at local places to see what they are like instead of just sitting behind a screen avoiding any social interaction. People need to stop using social media so often and get out to make memories and do what they want to do with their lives which will have a forever impact. If you just sit behind your phone, refuse to meet others and weep in depression the regret you will have in your decision making will have a lasting impact on your life. This activity will not allow you to have a full happy life and could cause health issues. The cure to modern loneliness is being more social and welcoming to those around you instead of just making assumptions due to appearance, because that is what most people do. Today we don’t see the inner personalities of those we are surrounded by. Mental health is a serious issue in our world that can lead to many physical factors. Improving what we do, interacting with others, establishing relationship and improving our overall life with interaction with people will definitely improve the overall health of our world. We will have more worth because we will be doing things that we make a difference and effect change.

Works Cited

1. Berryman, Chloe, et al. “Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults.” Psychiatric Quarterly, vol. 89, no. 2, June 2018, pp. 307–314. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s11126-017-9535-6.
2. Dell, Nathaniel A., et al. “Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms in Middle Aged and Older Adults Experiencing Serious Mental Illness.” Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, vol. 42, no. 2, June 2019, pp. 113–120. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/prj0000347.
3. Matthews, Timothy, et al. “Social Isolation, Loneliness and Depression in Young Adulthood: A Behavioural Genetic Analysis.” Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 51, no. 3, Mar. 2016, pp. 339–348. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s00127-016-1178-7.
4. Mehari, Krista R., et al. “Differential Longitudinal Outcomes of In-Person and Cyber Victimization in Early Adolescence.” Psychology of Violence, July 2019. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1037/vio0000250.
5. Young, Isabel. “Local Solutions to Loneliness and Social Isolation.” The Young Foundation, 12 Oct. 2018, https://youngfoundation.org/health-wellbeing/local-solutions-to-loneliness-and-social-isolation/.

Loneliness is an inevitable part of lifestyles, which many people war with. It is an emotional response to a lack of companionship and verbal exchange with others, which has a huge effect in a single’s normal conduct. Some impacted individuals can also try to stop their loneliness; others come to be hopeless and bitter. The topic of loneliness is supplied in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. The novel Of Mice and Men portrays loneliness as a complicated emotion that frequently drives people to behavioral extremes. Steinbeck uses characters, the most essential are Curley’s wife, Candy and Crooks, to mirror on the discriminative term that in the long run result in the characters’ loneliness and particular behaviors. Diving into a few examples we can look at Curley’s wife.

Curley’s spouse is a major individual in Of Mice and Men and is married to Curley, a very competitive ranch employee that proves his masculinity by using fighting different workers and marrying a bodily attractive lady; moreover, he turned into the boss’ son. Curley had a massive control over his spouse which became very not unusual in the course of the Great Depression, and the other ranchers. He had forbidden all the people from talking to his spouse. Desperate for attention and respect, Curley’s wife uses her splendor and standing with Curley to her gain. In chapter 4, she intimidated the people in Crooks’ room as of way for getting attention and threatened Crooks when he advised her to leave his room, saying that he could get “sprung up on a tree so easy, it ain’t even funny” (Steinbeck 81). Her new behavior resulted in discrimination and harassment. She became labelled as a “tramp” (Steinbeck 32), and other derogatory names. She felt powerless and lonely. The theme of loneliness can not be easily argued in this novel. It is very focused on depicting the Great Depression and the effects.

After reading different reviews I came up with Disenfranchisement ends in loneliness In contrast to the other bindlestiff, George and Lennie travel together, especially because George has promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara that he’s going to care for the mentally challenged man. Theirs is not so much a friendship as a symbiotic relationship: George is the brains and Lennie the brawn. The other ranch workers have no pals as their strangers to one another. Curley is separated from the others by virtue of being the boss’s son, and Slim have to remain relatively aloof as the mule skinner. Crooks, the black solid mate is marginalized with the aid of his color. It is hard to create a very argumentative essay when there are many examples of loneliness.

There are different motives why people have been discriminated and isolated, some of which incorporates ageism and ableism. Candy became the oldest ranch employee and misplaced his right arm in an accident. He became discriminated due to his age and disability, and became an outcast. He had no family, except for the canine he raised. His dog was of exceptional usefulness, however because the canine have become older, he has become much less useful and helpless. This resulted in him being shot via Carlson which intensified Candy’s loneliness. Candy’s canine is a top example of the social problem of ageism and ableism in society at that point. Workers have been expected to be productive on the ranch, and if one now not met that call for, due to age or ability to carry out sure obligations, they might be disregarded and left to suffer (Steinbeck 1937). Candy recognizes that the equal component will happen to him, and he tells George that “Jus’ as quickly as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll position me at the county” (Steinbeck 60). To escape his loneliness and eventual destiny of having kicked, Candy became quick invested in George and Lennie’s dream, providing a total of $350 closer to the dream farm. “S’pose I went in with you men. Tha’s 3 hundred an’ fifty dollars I’d put in. I ain’t a good deal precise, however I ought to prepare dinner and have a tendency the chickens and hoe the garden some. How’d that be?” (Steinbeck 59). He became very connected and hooked onto the dream of the farm, and endured to have the farm in spite of what took place with Lennie later within the novel. The farm could have removed his worry of being by myself, and broaden some other relationship worth cherishing. His cutting-edge function in society pressured him to broaden a selected mind-set to break out his vacation spot. Coming to an end in the novel it is very clear the message Steinbeck is portraying.

The Great Depression changed into a time of prejudice present in Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Curley’s Wife, Candy, and Crooks had been a number of characters who represented the loneliness and isolation added on via their time period. These characters faced social problems like racism, sexism, and ageism, reminiscent of the oppression of minority groups by using the discriminatory nature of their society. Each character identified his loneliness, and depending on what their present day scenario and position in society was, they took specific moves to combat against, or cope with it. Steinbeck has made it clean that the loneliness delivered on by using discrimination does significantly affect one’s conduct, movements and mindsets. Today’s technology better is familiar with the societal implications of loneliness and discrimination. It ought to be society’s goal to diminish all types of discrimination and be supportive of what others go through in their lifetimes to be able to lead a better, healthier, and more connected life for all.

Introduction

Matthew Pittman and Brandon Reich (2016) in the article for the journal Computers in Human Behavior “Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words” examined the relationship between the use of social media and loneliness. Particularly, they divided social media into three groups such as image-based (e.g. Instagram, Snapchat), text-based (e.g. Twitter, Yik Yak), and mixed (e.g. Facebook), and investigated effects of each separately. They reviewed works of other scholars on the topic and emphasized that intimacy and immediacy a social medium can provide are the key factors in identifying its impacts on loneliness. 253 students participated in an online survey and analysis of its results showed that image-based social media positively affect users’ psychological well-being, while two other types have almost no effect. Despite a small number of participants in the survey and skip of considering time as an important factor, Pittman and Reich generally use ethos and logos effectively and the article can be considered credible.

Rhetorical Situation

Audience

The main audience of the article is Americans or British who use social media often and English-speaking people interested in researching social media’s effects on users. There are social media related jargons used in the text, such as followers, tweets, likes, sexting, and etc., with no explanations, which implies that the authors suppose readers are familiar with them. Pittman and Reich provided some statistics about loneliness and usage of social media among Americans and British people which implies that the intended audience is most probably people living in the U.S. or the U.K. The fact that both authors are Americans and that the article was published in the academic journal in English in comprehensible language supports the above-mentioned claim.

Speaker

The article was written by Matthew Pittman and Brandon Reich, American scholars, in 2016. The lead author Matthew Pittman is an assistant professor at College of Communication and Creative Arts, Rowan University, USA. He obtained his Ph.D. in Communication at the University of Oregon, USA in 2017 (Matthew Pittman, n.d.). In the period between 2015-2018, he has worked on eight peer-reviewed journal articles and presented 12 papers that are mainly focused on the question related to social media and strategic communication. His Ph.D. dissertation’s topic was particularly related to mobile social media, personality, and loneliness (Matthew Pittman, n.d.). Brandon Reich is a Ph.D. student in Marketing at the University of Oregon, USA (The Conversation, 2018). His researches mostly focus on consumer well-being and behavior, and anti-consumption (ScienceDirect, 2016). In the same period of time, he has written 10 research papers and articles, of which “Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words” is the most cited one (Google Scholar, 2019). Thus, it can be said that both authors have experience in the research field, and since Pittman is focused on social media, Reich – on consumer behavior, together they consider the effects of social media on its “consumer’s’ well-being.

Message

The article is published in the academic peer-reviewed journal called Computers in Human Behavior established by Elsevier which mostly focuses on human-computer interaction and the effects of usage of computers on human behavior (Elsevier, n.d.). This certainly gives the article ethos and makes it more convincing. The journal article is, probably, the most convenient genre for this work, since it shows the correlation between usage of social media and individuals’ loneliness, with no call to action as might be expected, and makes a contribution to the topic by examining it from a new perspective. In addition, there are tables, graphs, and appendices with the results of the experiment which are more pertinent for a journal article.

Purpose and Exigence

In 2015 the Pew Research Center found that during their study about 90% of young adults who own mobile phones used social media at least once (Smith, 2015 as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016). In addition, Olds and Schwartz (as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016) and Griffin (as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016) show that people in America and the U.K. are lonelier than ever before, in spite of accessibility of social media. Works of different scholars from different time emphasize negative effects of loneliness on children’s (Asher and Paquette, 2003; Boivin, Hymel, & Bukowski, 1995 as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016), adolescents’ (Jones, Schinka, Dulmen, Bossarte, & Swahn, 2011; Mahon, Yarcheski, & Yarcheski, 1993 as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016), and adults’ (Cacioppo, Hughes, Waite, Hawkley, & Thisted, 2006; Patterson & Veenstra, 2010 as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016) well-being. Thus, Pittman and Reich “aimed to investigate the link between different social media platforms and loneliness” (2016, p. 158) by dividing social media into three groups (image-based, text-based, mixed) and examining each one’s effects on users’ psychological well-being.

Rhetorical Appeals

Ethos

Both the authors, message, and the text have ethos. As described above, the authors have experience in researching social media and human behavior, also the article was published by well-known academic publisher Elsevier in the peer-reviewed journal Computer in Human Behavior that, definitely, make the article more credible. Furthermore, most of the claims are cited using up-to-date sources. The graphs and figures produced by software called VOSviewer and tables with the results provide additional ethos to the text. However, they cited a work by Ruggiero published in 2000 to show the difference between the effects of social media of 20th and 21st centuries on users, whereas most of the currently popular social media were released after 2004 – birth year of Facebook (Pittman and Reich, 2016, p. 156). A small number of participants (253) also makes the outcomes of the experiment less credible and less applicable to all young adults.

Pathos

Pathos is not used in this text much, because as it was mentioned above the main aim of the article is not call people to use social media more often or rare, in one way or another, but to examine the effects of its usage on loneliness, happiness, and satisfaction with life. The only example that might have pathos is the suggestion of scholars that loneliness might increase death risk by 26% (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, Baker, Harris, & Stephenson, 2015 as cited in Pittman and Reich, 2016) which is used to emphasize the seriousness of the problem of loneliness. However, mostly, the authors focused more on ethos and logos, since they make a text more credible and convincing.

Logos

The authors often appeal to logic throughout the text. They divided social media into three groups assuming that their effects on loneliness would be different. Also, they suggested that intimacy and immediacy provided by certain medium are the key factors on its effects on loneliness (Pittman and Reich, 2016, p. 157). Assuming that images provide more intimacy and facilitate social presence, because people are likely to believe an image rather than a text and that they associate images with a real-world, Pittman and Reich derived three hypotheses: image-based social media usage will result in a decrease in loneliness and increase in happiness as well as in satisfaction with life (SWL). The main logos is the experiment they conducted with 253 participants who took a mixed-method survey. Then they analyzed the results using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and software called VOSviewer which visualizes co-occurrences of all terms. Their conclusions are made based on the results which are represented in graphs, tables, and figures.

Ideas Analysis

The main argument of the article is that image-based social media attenuate loneliness, whereas text-based and mixed social media has almost no effect. The experiment conducted to examine the relationship between usage of three types of social media and loneliness, SWL, and happiness revealed that image-based social media significantly decrease loneliness and increase SWL and happiness, because they provide both intimacy and immediacy, whereas text-based social media feature only the latter, thus causes almost no change in individuals psychological well-being. Despite the clear results of the experiment, still, there are certain limitations to it. A small number of participants from a quite similar society – students studying journalism and business at the University of Oregon – makes the conclusions less plausible and applicable to all young adults. Moreover, the time each student spent on using social media is not considered in the experiment. Thus, to make the argument more effective number of participants could be increased and usage time could be considered as one of the key factors.

Conclusion

The article, written by experienced scholars in the field, is intended for Americans and/or British who usually use social media as well as people who are interested in social media’s impact on individuals. Pittman and Reich identifying the aims and methods of their work have chosen an appropriate genre for their work. Even though, mostly the text has ethos, a small number of participants can be considered the main drawback of it. Pathos is not used much, as it is not necessary. Mostly, the text appeals to logic as it analyses survey results using different approaches and presents them in graphs, tables, figures. However, the fact that they did not consider time, participants spend using social media, as a significant factor makes their idea less effective. Overall, in spite of certain drawbacks and fallacies, Pittman and Reich’s article is credible because of the generally effective use of ethos and logos.

References

1. Asher, S. R., & Paquette, J. A. (2003). Loneliness and peer relations in childhood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(3), 75e78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.01233.
2. Boivin, M., Hymel, S., & Bukowski,W. M. (1995). The roles of social withdrawal, peer rejection, and victimization by peers in predicting loneliness and depressed mood in childhood. Development and Psychopathology, 7(04), 765-785. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0954579400006830.
3. Cacioppo, J. T., Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Thisted, R. A. (2006). Loneliness as a specific risk factor for depressive symptoms: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Psychology and Aging, 21(1), 140-151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.21.1.140
4. Elsevier. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-in-human-behavior
5. Google Scholar. (2019). Retrieved from https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-i5ngUsAAAAJ&hl=en
6. Griffin, J. (2010). The lonely society? London: Mental Health Foundation.
7. Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227-237. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352
8. Jones, A. C., Schinka, K. C., van Dulmen, M. H., Bossarte, R. M., & Swahn, M. H. (2011). Changes in loneliness during middle childhood predict risk for adolescent suicidality indirectly through mental health problems. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 40(6), 818-824. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2011.614585
9. Mahon, N. E., Yarcheski, A., & Yarcheski, T. J. (1993). Health consequences of loneliness in adolescents. Research in Nursing & Health, 16(1), 23-31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nur.4770160105
10. Matthew Pittman. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.matthewpittman.net/
11. Olds, J., & Schwartz, R. S. (2009). The lonely American: Drifting apart in the twenty-first century. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
12. Patterson, A. C., & Veenstra, G. (2010). Loneliness and risk of mortality: a longitudinal investigation in Alameda County, California. Social Science & Medicine, 71(1), 181-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.024
13. Pittman, M., & Reich, B. (2016). Social media and loneliness: Why an Instagram picture may be worth more than a thousand Twitter words. Computers in Human Behavior,62, 155-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.03.084
14. ScienceDirect. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563216302552?via%3Dihub#!
15. Smith, A. (2015). U.S. Smartphone use in 2015. Pew Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/03/PI_Smartphones_0401151.pdf
16. The Conversation. (2018). Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/profiles/brandon-reich-460048

In the novella, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck shows that loneliness is a recurring theme throughout. Loneliness is defined as sadness due to not having a friend or a companion. Without one, they can suffer with depression and solitude. During the period of time, the Great Depression and the discrimination of African-American People were still present. This was also a huge impact that could have caused the loneliness with the characters. Throughout the novella, many of the characters showed a very strong sign of loneliness and a need for companionship. Candy, Curley’s wife, and Crooks tried coping with their lives normally, but loneliness stepped them back from moving forward.

One of the characters, Candy, was very lonely. He was very old and crippled. Candy had lost one of his arms on the ranch; that is the only reason they let him stay and be a swamper. Candy would have been no help on the ranch for only having one arm. While in the bunkhouse, Candy heard George and Lennie talk about their American Dream. Candy started getting interested and said, “S’pose I went in with you guys. Tha’s three hundred an’ fifty I’d put in. I ain’t much good, but I could cook and tend the chickens and hoe the garden some” (59). Candy is willing to offer all he had to join George and Lennie on their dream; it was now his dream too. Candy immediately adapted to their plan to try to get rid of his loneliness. Candy had recently lost his companion, which caused his loneliness to become worse. Candy said, ‘ You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else…… I’d oughtta of shot that dog myself, George, I shouldn’t oughtta of let no stranger shoot my dog”(60-61). Candy lost his only companion and felt that it was his fault. He thought that he shouldn’t have let a stranger kill his dog. Candy’s only friend that he had was the dog and being killed by Carlson caused Candy to be more lonely. He tried coping with loneliness by adapting to the American Dream.

Another character who was lonely was Curley’s wife, being the only female on the ranch has its limitations. She is married to Curley, yet she is extremely lonely. She married Curley to get back at her mom for ruining her dream. He would restrict her from talking to other guys, but she would still try to talk to them. This made her seem flirtatious and they called her a “tart”. One day she encountered Lennie in the barn. At first Lennie remembered what George told him to stay away from Curley’s wife, she’s trouble. Then she said to Lennie, “Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely” (86). Curley’s wife admitted herself that she is lonely. She could never talk to other people because of Curley. She would try and try but that only create a name for herself. A way she tried coping with loneliness is by going around and looking for Curley around the ranch just to talk to the other men. That day, when she ran into Lennie; they started talking and she told him about her dream. She wanted to be an actress ,but that never happened but talking to Lennie ended her American Dream.

The final character who was extremely lonely was Crooks. During the Great Depression, the discrimnation of African-American people were still present. His race physically separated him from the other men and forced him to stay in the harness room. Crooks’ crooked back like Candy has limited social or work contact with the other men. One day, Lennie was in the barn and saw a light. He entered and saw Crooks, then they started talking about the land. After Candy entered looking for Lennie and joined the conversation. After having trouble with Curley’s wife, Crooks said,” Maybe you guys should go. I ain’t sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ‘em”(82). After having that conversation, Crooks felt that they should leave. He is only comfortable with some people. When other people come he feels threatened and he wants to still show that African American people still have the rights. After Crooks saw how he was treated, the only way he could deal with loneliness was to accept it. He can’t change the way he looks or how he is treated for his race, but he knows he still have freedom and rights. He is interested in the American Dream but later on said he doesn’t care; he realized that would never happen. Crooks has to accept being lonely and hope that it will later on get better.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Candy, Curley’s wife, and Crooks were the three most prominent characters to be lonely. Candy lost one of his arms on the ranch, which is the only reason they let him stay. He also lost his only companion, the dog. Candy felt that it was his fault. Curley’s wife, being the only on the ranch, is hard. She tried working around her loneliness by talking to other men, but that only ended horribly. Crooks, being African-American plays a big part in loneliness. He was separated from the other men because of his race. They all tried dealing with loneliness, but it was never successful. Loneliness can be hard sometimes, there are many ways to fix that. All people need at least a companion to talk to and to know that they are worthy. The characters in Of Mice and Men don’t receive that. They tried in there own ways to receive the love and care they need to not feel lonely anymore, but during that period of time loneliness is very common.

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, are some of the many means of communication that people have in the twenty-first century. Although these social media platforms make it very easy for people to interact with one another, I make it so that people are close to each other but alone at the same time. If people are talking to each other on social media it does not mean they are not lonely, in fact, social media can make people more lonely than if they were physically having a conversation with another person. Modern-day media makes people more lonely. Although the media has ways of bringing people closer together, the overall amount of loneliness that is developed because of the media significantly outweighs any good mental impact on individuals.

In the article “No More FOMO: Limiting Social Media Decreases Loneliness and Depression” by Melissa Hunt it is shown that people who use social media regularly are more likely to be lonely and become depressed. This article talks about an experiment: “After a week of baseline monitoring, 143 undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania were randomly assigned to either limit Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use to 10 minutes, per platform, per day or to use social media as usual for three weeks.” (Hunt, 2018) and “The limited use group showed significant reductions in loneliness and depression over three weeks compared to the control group” (Hunt, 2018)” In this quote, the experiment demonstrates that the more a person uses social media, the higher the chance of being lonely.

Another way that social media makes people lonely is that they might physically be in the same room together, but they might be on social media the whole time and have no interaction. In the article “Tech Disconnect” Brownfield talks about an example given by psychologist, Lori Gottlieb, that her daughter and two friends were together in the same room but they were each focused on their cell phones and not physically interacting. Lori Gottlieb says “Groups of people are ostensibly spending time together but are actually alone in their devices.” (Brownfield, 2019)

Social media usage and low-quality family communication leads to loneliness. In the article “The Role of Family and Computer-Mediated Communication in Adolescent Loneliness” by Lindsay Favotto, she explains how social media by itself can be mentally harmful. Lindsay also explains that computer-mediated communication combined with poor family and friend communication can be even more detrimental. “Based on the established association between strong family relationships and positive health outcomes, we speculated that engagement in various methods of CMC (e.g., internet, messaging) for daily contact with friends, as well as low quality of family communication, would each increase feelings of loneliness.” (Favotto, 2019) Favotto explains how strong relationships can protect adolescent minds from the harm caused by social media. “Strong family relationships protect youth from experiencing a wide range of adversities and mental health problems, including loneliness, and yet use of CMC to contact peers may leave adolescents feeling disconnected and lonely while also limiting the amount of time they spend with their family.” (Favotto, 2019) Lindsay explains how friends and family can protect the minds of the youth; however if the usage of computer-mediated communication is also the form of communication between these relationships, both the computer-mediated communication and the relationship can cause loneliness. Lindsay writes, “Based on the established association between strong family relationships and positive health outcomes, we speculated that engagement in various methods of CMC (e.g., internet, messaging) for daily contact with friends, as well as low quality of family communication, would each increase feelings of loneliness.” (Favotto, 2019)

Although social media can be detrimental to people’s minds it has positively impacted some individual’s health. “Loneliness has far-reaching implications in an aging world and contributes to a 26% increase in mortality” (Jarvis, 2019) says Mary Ann Jarvis in the article “This Phone Saved My Life’: Older Persons’ Experiences and Appraisals of an MHealth Intervention Aimed at Addressing Loneliness.” In this article, Jarvis explains “This qualitative study aimed to explore older persons’ experiences and appraisals of the utility of a mHealth intervention for reducing their sense of loneliness. Participants (n = 13; 86.42% females; age range 65 to 87 years) received training in the use of a smartphone and a social networking application (WhatsApp).” (Jarvis, 2019)

This is a study about the elderly who are lonely using the social media platform, WhatsApp, an instant messaging app, to communicate with others resulted in reduced loneliness. Jarvis states “Mobile phones and social networking appear to reduce loneliness experienced” (Jarvis, 2019) Mary Ann is saying that the use of social platforms by elderly people has the ability to make them less lonely. Mary Ann Jarvis says that social media is not the blame for loneliness but that social isolation is a contributor to loneliness, “Loneliness is not necessarily a sequential outcome of social isolation, but social isolation is a primary factor contributing to loneliness” (Jarvis, 2019) In the article “Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults” written by Chloe Berryman, it is explained how the quality of the usage of social media rather than the quantity is what determines the level of loneliness. Berryman writes, “Research results from individual studies regarding social media impacts on mental health have, in fact, been mixed. Although much of the public narrative on the effects of social media implies that mere exposure is related to mental health issues, the best evidence suggests that quality rather than quantity of use is more crucial” (Berryman, 2018) Chloe is saying that what it is that people are being exposed to on social media counts for more than the quantity of the intake when it comes to feeling lonely.

Modern-day social media is the cause of loneliness, although it is a great way to communicate with family and friends. Social media has made it possible to be close to one another while also being absent. People may seem like they are interacting with one and another even though they really are not because they are lost in their phones on social media. When people spend all their time on social media and are severely lacking physical communication with friends and family, it can cause them to be lonely and it could also lead to more mental illness. The longer people are on social media the less time they have to interact with their families and that also means that they will have less time to meet new people and potentially make new friends. Overall human interaction is going to be the best way to feel better if you have feelings of loneliness. Having interactions with your friends is a great way to make yourself feel better because human interaction is naturally a human need and there is no way for someone to get that on a social media platform. By limiting the usage of social media loneliness will be reduced and that will allow for more quality communication with our loved ones. The idea of social media can have the ability to make you think that you will be more connected to people when in reality you are separated by a screen.

The theme of loneliness is addressed throughout The Great Gatsby from the very beginning. The book is able to portray this sense of isolationism through its word choices used to describe certain characters. Even inanimate objects or the weather evokes a sense of sadness. The characters have something about them whether it is the words that they use, their reactions to life, and even the way that they carry themselves that points to their loneliness.

Loneliness and sadness in general is found as a distinct theme in the book, especially through the use of color. The words “gray”, “ash”, and “cement” are all colors used related to gray, a color associated with depression and emptiness. The color gray exudes a melancholy tone within the text. Some of the things that are mentioned as being gray are “upholstery” (27), and an “old man” (27). The narrator of the story, Nick Carraway is being shown as if he is seeing the world in gray, which can portray his loneliness. The reader can see the world through his eyes, his lonely eyes. Nick says, “Life is much more successfully looked at from a single window after all” (14). From the beginning of the novel, the reader can see that Nick has a distorted view of the world. He doesn’t want to see the whole picture, only a part of it. He also also doesn’t seem to think details and outside factors are important and he would rather stay a spectator and that he would rather stay a spectator, as implied when he says “from a… window”. This loneliness is also said directly in the book when Nick himself says, “I felt a haunting loneliness sometimes, and felt it in others” (56). Nick is so lonely that he even feels the loneliness in others.

Nick is a person who feels so utterly alone that anyone will do, even if he doesn’t actually want to be with that person. This is shown later on in the text when Nick compares himself to Gatsby and Tom stating that he is jealous of the fact that they each have someone and he is trying to trick himself into believing he does by getting closer to Jordan. Nick says, “I had no girl whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs, and so I drew up the girl beside me, tightening my arms” (80). He doesn’t have anyone who he actually loves or a connection to anyone so he tries to pretend by putting up a facade of a relationship with Jordan by constantly trying to be with her. He needs this closeness, this intimacy, or the illusion of it.

The character of Daisy Buchanan also undergoes loneliness. This is seen most clearly when she describes the day Pammy, her daughter, was born, “I woke up out of the ether with an utterly abandoned feeling… I turned my head and wept” (17). Though she is married, her husband, Tom, constantly cheated on her since the beginning of their relationship and doesn’t hide this from anybody. At this point in the book, Tom didn’t even show up to the hospital for Pammy’s birth. Daisy doesn’t love Tom, yet she yearns for something else to keep her from stopping to feel lonely. She is alone at home and within her family and friends, she has no one to confide in. When Nick says that he “followed Daisy around a chain of connecting verandas” (16) he is describing his and Daisy’s isolation. By using the word “chain” it implies that the characters of Daisy and Nick feel like they are stuck where they are in their lives. This metaphorical chain is holding them back from escaping their lonely reality.

Similarly, Gatsby, even though he is a rich and prosperous businessman, he also experiences loneliness. This is clearly shown when Nick first sees Gatsby “stretching his arms out toward the dark water… the only thing to be seen in his gaze was a single green light, minute and far away” (20-21). This green light is later shown to be symbolizing Daisy, the long lost love of Gatsby. He is portrayed in this quote as reaching for something that he is unable to hold onto. During Gatsby’s party, Nick notices how “girls were swooning… but no one swooned backward on Gatsby, and no French bob touched Gatsby’s shoulder, and no singing quartets were formed with Gatsby’s head for one link” (50). Nick feels Gatsby’s loneliness, and knows how it feels to be alone, and is able to feel empathy for him. Nick sees the love and acceptance that he was seeking in the smile of Gatsby, a stranger to him at the time. Nick says that Gatsby’s smile,

“It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it … it faced – or seemed to face – the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey “(48).

At the end of Gatsby’s party, as everyone is leaving, Nick observes that, “a sudden emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great doors, endowing with complete isolation the figure of the host, who stood on the porch, his hand up in a formal gesture of farewell” (55). The guests are leaving so the illusion of happiness is no longer seen. There is so much sadness coming off of Gatsby, that even Nick could feel all his sadness as it it visually manifested itself into the air. During a drive with Gatsby, Gatsby says to Nick, “I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me” (67). Gatsby doesn’t have many friends and doesn’t really try to make any, he just tries to forget the somber things that have happened in his life.

In this book the characters are all temporary to each other and no one shows any seriousness enough with each other to stay permanently together. The quote, “People disappeared, reappeared, made plans to go somewhere, and then lost each other, searched for each other, found each other a few feet away” (37) seems to best describe the situation. It shows that each of the characters is lonely, that they find and lose people,only to realize they are right next to them. The characters lost faith in each other since they don’t know if they are staying there or not. The characters can be “[decomposing] apathetically … all afternoon” (29) in a room full of people with no one to realize it. They are each, even in the company of others, utterly and truly lonely.

How many times in my own experience has this chilling killing feeling of loneliness come to strangle me as well? I can’t get away from it no matter what I do. Sundays, or long evenings, can be the loneliest times since everyone is busy with something else.

How could I not feel angry, miserable, and forlorn, since options for socialization are limited by a physical disability? Even if someone is not hindered by a disability, he may find himself in some other confining situation that can make life feel like a prison. Many times, I’ve struggled to accept this imprisonment. I feel stuck and trapped and want to break out of it! How I long to go for a hike in the woods or a drive on a pretty day, but physical mobility is not easy for me.

Before this awful Sunday came, I tried everything to avoid spending it alone. I even called casual acquaintances to go for dinner or a walk. But no one was available, and how the hours dragged!

Don’t get me wrong; I am not afraid of being alone. Oftentimes, being alone, for me, can be a great blessing. When I am in solitude I am comfortable with just being with myself. I have space and time to think about the exterior room and rich interior silence. In open space and silence, I can pray and reflect on my life. I can be with God, as with a friend.

No, I am not afraid of being alone, but loneliness and being alone are two different experiences. Being alone can give new life while being lonely kills. Isolation suffocates about a person has no air to breathe about starving, with no food or water. It is like a prison cell. There, I am cut off, stuck inside my little world. There is no one to connect with on a deeply human level, no intimate support of any kind.

While I am lonely, I cannot sustain hope. I find it hard to flourish, dream, and grow. In my desperation, I try to make the pain of isolation go away. But sometimes I may do that in all the wrong ways. I just get very busy, so I don’t have to feel or think. I fill up empty hours with endless work. And although there is nothing wrong with being busy or working hard, if I am compulsively grasping at things or activities, merely to not feel the emptiness, something is amiss. I may work so hard in a day that exhaustion swallows me up. Then I don’t have to feel that deep inner pain. Ministering to others who suffer in great need helped me to find joy and meaning in life. However, when I did this work, hoping to ease inner pain, I only felt deeper anguish, for suffering was everywhere I turned!

Cleaning out a closet, scrubbing out cabinets, or working on a long-due writing project about work like this, in and of itself, is healthy. But if, at the core, I am only driven to it because of a desire to avoid the emptiness I feel, then somehow I am running from what is most real. These are my attempts at defying loneliness. Other people may try to blot out loneliness by eating too much, drinking too much, or using any other habit to excess or distraction. None of these remedies for inner emptiness work, however, because, in the end, these methods cannot fill the void. When the busy work is over, when another morning dawns, loneliness comes back, and even more fiercely. Unless I try to find out what the loneliness is saying, I will be left with frustration and endless pain. What am I in need of and what (or who) am I thirsting for inside? When I am lonely, rather than panicking and trying to blot it out through compulsive activity (or through any other method), I must look that dreaded demon in the face, not run away from it by meaningless work or pursuit, which only fills the hours and not my heart. Rather, I must listen in silence, opening to God Who dwells within.

In my experience, the core of loneliness is a call from the God who loves me. It is yearning, a burning hunger God has placed into my heart. The hunger can only be filled by God’s great love. Nothing, or no one will ever heal this pain. The answer to loneliness is not busyness, but stillness. Therefore, I will go to God in times of need with trust. Like Saint Therese of Lisieux, I am God’s little daughter. Whenever she had a problem, no matter what it was, she about cast herself forth on the ocean of confidence and love as if she were a little boat on a mighty sea. Her little boat would then be carried by God to freedom and peace! She’d throw herself into God’s loving arms, a child forlorn and little. Doing as Saint Therese has done, I can trust with complete abandon. Just as a child is safe in her mother’s arms, so my soul will rest secure in God. When I place myself in God’s loving arms, I am happy, knowing that all will be well. In that safe, loving place, I can tell God everything, all my feelings, troubles, longings, and needs. God alone will satisfy the longing of my heart. God alone will comfort and sustain me.

Mrs. X repeatedly stated when I was interviewing her how she was grateful and lucky for the support she has at home whilst still living on her own and having independence. She said about her neighbors who check in on her, a son and daughter in law who lived nearby and who she sees regularly, as well as two daughters who ring her often. This made me think about patients who may not be as ‘lucky’, who live alone, may be socially isolated, lonely and what effect this could have on their health. There is a difference between loneliness and social isolation and they don’t always go hand in hand. For example, some people are constantly surrounded by people and so are not socially isolated but still feel lonely, whilst others (like Mrs. X) live on their own but do not feel lonely at all. Loneliness can therefore be described as perceived social isolation rather than objective social isolation. Although they are notably different, both social isolation and loneliness have been linked by research to an increased risk of several conditions, both physical and mental. In this essay, when I refer to social isolation, I will be assuming that the individual is also experiencing loneliness. I think this is a particularly important subject to explore, especially coming out of a years’ worth of lockdowns – where many people will have experienced very real social isolation with no way to socialize due to strict Covid-19 rules. This will have been especially more prominent is the elderly population, like Mrs. X who had to shield due to their age and the risk of Covid-19 to them.

Physical Health

Studies have suggested that loneliness increases the risk of early mortality by 26-32%, which is comparable to the risk of more known dangers like obesity and smoking. The physiology behind the physical effects of loneliness and social isolation are not fully understood but it is known that they are chronic forms of stress and so evidence has shown that as a result they activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis releases cortisol. Cortisol is commonly known as the bodies ‘stress hormone’. It’s the main glucocorticoid released from the adrenals, specifically the zona fasciculata layer. Glucocorticoid receptors are in the majority of tissues within the body and so cortisol level changes can have a wide range of effects. The chronic stress caused by loneliness and social isolation has also been seen to activate the sympathetic nervous system which activates fight or flight responses however the research around this is less consistent than activation of the HPA axis.

High-Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease

Research has suggested that there is a 29% increased risk of heart attack or angina and a 32% increased risk of stroke in people with poor social relationships, this is a shocking statistic and so I will explore the cardiovascular effects of being lonely below.

Hypertension is a condition where blood vessels have a persistently raised pressure. It is a serious condition which doesn’t present normally with any symptoms but can increase the risk of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. The main cause of increased blood pressure is an increased total peripheral resistance, studies have shown in young adults there is research showing an increased total peripheral resistance in those who are lonely over non-lonely individuals of the same age. Results from studies also show the association between hypertension and loneliness in older and middle-aged individuals. Loneliness may affect an individual’s blood pressure when feeling isolated as, like said earlier, it’s a form of stress which activates the HPA axis which will increase cortisol secretion which increases blood pressure.

As well as causing hypertension, there’s been a lot of evidence from animal studies which suggests that social isolation accelerates atherosclerosis. It’s suggestive that the molecular mechanisms behind this include the sympathetic nervous system over activation and physical inactivity, as well as enhanced vascular inflammation and oxidative stress. This means that loneliness activates the sympathetic nervous system without need. The sympathetic nervous system is for the fight or flight response. Atherosclerosis is a disease where a plaque, made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium builds up in arteries. This plaque develops over time and leads to narrowing and hardening of arteries. It is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, as well as other diseases such as chronic kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, and ischemic heart disease, therefore loneliness may contribute to all these diseases.

Immune System

As well as cardiovascular disease, because loneliness and social isolation can lead to chronic HPA axis stress response – releasing chronically high levels of cortisol – this also negatively affects your immune system. It’s been shown in a study which looked at gene expression, that participants of the study who were lonely had leukocytes with increased expression of genes involved in inflammation as well as lowered expression of genes involved in antiviral responses. Another study showed using three markers of inflammation (CRP, plasma fibrinogen and ferritin) showing that loneliness was associated with an increase in these markers of inflammation. This shows that lonely people may have decreased immunity and increased inflammation which could predispose them to various types of cancer underlying infections and inflammatory responses are linked to 15-20% of all deaths from cancer worldwide.

Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for a variety of different conditions which cause loss of memory, language, problem-solving skills, as well as other thinking abilities which interfere with the activities of daily life. Research has shown that loneliness is associated with a 26% increased risk of dementia and a 105% risk of mild cognitive impairment (a precursor to dementia). The theory behind why is poorly understood but researchers believe that lonely individuals may engage in less healthy behaviors, such as decreased exercise, poor diet, and drug and alcohol abuse. Loneliness is also associated with depression, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s (the most common form of dementia). People who are socially isolated also lack stimulation cognitively though socializing with others, which is not ideal when looking at the risk for dementia as increased cognitive activity reduces risk of it. There’s evidence that people who experience perceived social isolation also have higher levels of amyloid and tau build up in their brain. These build ups are directly associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Mental Health

The effects of social isolation on mental health have a more well-known risk. Most people know about the association between loneliness and depression, anxiety and suicide risk. From the US there’s evidence on how extreme isolation can affect mental health through looking at prisoners who spend weeks or months at a time in isolation. They are in small, windowless cells. This deprives the prisoners of sensory stimuli and all social interaction. Information gained from these individuals shows that this kind of isolation leads to difficulty with memory, obsessive thinking, difficulty thinking, hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms. It was also found to have an increased risk of long-term mental health risks as well as a higher risk of suicide. This is a very extreme representation of social isolation but shows an association between isolation and mental health decline none the less. Loneliness has been associated with personality disorders and psychoses, suicide, impaired cognitive performance and decline, and increases in depressive symptoms.

Depression

Depression is believed to be multifactorial and not one thing causes it. Things that play a role in the development of it are: biological factors, psychological factors, individual circumstances and particular life events. Loneliness can contribute to depression as it translates to feelings of social isolation or feeling unsatisfied with interpersonal relationships and this can all contribute to feelings of depression.

Loneliness and disrupted sleep also have a relationship. However, it is also unclear which causes what. Some studies suggest that lack of good quality sleep can result in social isolation and loneliness. Whereas other studies point towards loneliness causing sleepless nights. This also overlaps with depression causing lack of sleep. All three (loneliness, depression and lack of sleep) may therefore cause a vicious cycle between them.

Secondary Effects on Health

As well as directly affecting health, loneliness can affect health indirectly as well. This is due to people turning to addictive habits to help avoid the problem, like smoking, alcohol abuse and drug abuse. These addictions in terms leads onto a whole host of different conditions and diseases.

Covid-19 Isolation

Loneliness was already a major issue recognized in the United Kingdom, even previous to Covid-19, which many people faced.

Conclusion

In conclusion, loneliness and social isolation has been associated with increased risk of death, cardiovascular disease and stroke, hypertension, impaired immunity, cognitive decline and depression. During writing this essay I was shocked to find out all the adverse effects of loneliness and that they were comparable with known health risk factors like obesity and smoking. These more well-known factors have major public health campaigns to try and avoid them. Coming out of a year of lockdown’s with Covid-19 I think now is a really important time to put a lot of emphasize on making people aware of the health risks associated with loneliness and isolation, to try and battle it.

A major problem and issue with today’s world is loneliness and the many ways it can be cultivated by society. John Steinbeck explores this idea in his historical fiction novel, Of Mice and Men through three different characters that show three different literary elements of loneliness. These characters live on a farm in Soledad and each one is discriminated by others based on their unchangeable characteristics . Steinbeck uses them to show the struggle of being looked down upon by society, eventually creating loneliness and maturing it more and more everyday. Through conflict, setting, and discrimination, Steinbeck concludes that loneliness can drive a person mad.

Steinbeck first uses the conflict with Candy to show that society looks upon him as a subhuman and isolate him to himself, leaving him with his feelings, and eventually cultivating loneliness. Candy was once a much respected, well treated worker, and is now only referred to as the “Old Swamper” after a “work related injury” involving his right arm. To supplement Candy’s loneliness, he keeps his old, smelly dog along to accompany him. Candy has spent so much time with this dog that it feels as though he has completely forgotten how one’s word choice can affect a person. As it shows when he converses with George and figures out that the dream of “living off the fatta the land”, won’t happen after Lennie murdered Curley’s Wife, Candy questions, “You and me can get that little place, can’t we? George? You and me can go there and live nice, can’t we, George? Can’t we?” (Steinbeck 93). When he gets no response, the mood changes back to dark and lonely, and Candy feels more alone than ever. Another big part of his life, and the only reason why he still wanted to be alive, was his dog. After a stranger shoots Candy’s dog for him, he feels regret and a deep sense of depression. It alters his personality and makes him even more isolated from the rest of the guys and he never feels the same as when his dog was around, which could symbolize Lennie’s death and how George might have felt afterwards.

Steinbeck then uses Curley’s Wife as an example of loneliness through setting, as she has no interactions with another woman, because of her isolation from the world and her life at the farm, ultimately making her lonely and on her own. Even with her husband, she never feels comfort and is constantly going around trying to find it, however it usually gets herself or someone else in trouble. She is never given a name other than Curley’s Wife, to show her lack of sovereignty and that her identity rest in the fact that she is married to Curley. When she talks with Lennie, minutes before being murdered, she describes, “I get lonely, You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?” This scene in the novel is very ironic as she complains about not being able to talk with anyone, else she gets in trouble, and because she talks with Lennie, she dies. The only reason she talked to Lennie is because all the other men knew her as a problem, and wouldn’t dare to open their mouths to her, further proving her isolation and loneliness from the setting of which she is trapped in without other women.

Steinbeck lastly uses Crooks to show lonliness through discrimination, and isolation of society. Crooks, an Afrian American stable buck, is looked poorly upon by the people at the farm. He is discriminated by his color by the white people and not allowed to go in the bunkhouse, and he spends most of his time alone, reading. Crooks loves to read and it seems as though he uses it to escape from reality. After Lennie stumbled into Crooks’ room, Candy tried to enter and Crooks even put up a little act to not look so eager to have company by declaring, ““Come on in. If ever’body’s coming’ in, you might just as well” It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger” (Steinbeck74). Later on when Curley’s wife enters the barn, she shows her power against him after he tells her to get out of the barn by stating, “Well, you keep your place. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” (Steinbeck 80). Crooks is discriminated and isolated to himself because of how society sees him and it cultivates his loneliness.

Ultimately, Steinbeck shows a harsh reality of how easy it is for society to cultivate loneliness on a person based on their gender, color, and their conflict. It shows in Curley’s Wife being the only woman on the farm, and that even the places we call home can cause loneliness. It shows in Candy with his work related injury, being isolated from the other men on the farm, and with Crooks being discriminated only because of the color of his skin. Steinbeck proves that loneliness isn’t something you are born with, but rather a disease that society spreads like a wildfire to those who are less fortunate than the upper class of the white man.

Loneliness is one of the most horrible feelings in the world. The definition of Loneliness is, the sadness because one has no friends or company.A profound part of what contributes to the feeling of loneliness is a lack of emotional connection with others. Loneliness has the power to cloud one’s behavior, and ultimately changing him or her as a person. In “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck, Steinbeck makes his theme of loneliness clear in his story through the friendship of George and Lennie throughout the story

One of the characters in the novel who experienced the effects of loneliness was George Milton. For the entire story, we see George as Lennie’s caretaker/guardian since Lennie suffered from his mental condition and was unable to take care of himself. The struggle of being with Lennie was that Lennie always unknowingly got himself into trouble, causing both him and George to lose every job they received. As a result, they never stayed in any one place for long, causing George to never develop relationships with anyone else. In addition, he never could connect with many other ranch hands either saying, “I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time’ (Steinbeck 41).

George expressed his frustration with the other ranch hands, and it was obvious that he does not have a solid friendship with any of them. Two ranch hands he particularly never got along with were Curley and Carlson. Curley and Carlson were the kind of people who were never in touch with anyone’s emotions. After George killed Lennie, Carlson noticed that he was saddened by Lennie’s death and responded by saying, ‘Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?’ (107). The lack of empathy created a barrier between George and Carlson, along with other people just like him. The only person that George cared for and viewed as his friend was Lennie. But, due to Lennie’s mental condition, he only served as a physical companion for George, despite how George always told him that they have each other, George was never able to connect with Lennie on any kind of level since Lennie had the mind of a child. George’s sense of loneliness was often showed through his solitaire games; he was so lonely he played a card game by himself.

Finally, at the end of the novel, George lost his only source of care and company when he had to shoot his only true friend. At that point, George lost something even more than just Lennie; he lost his purpose in life as well. This was George’s final onset, for he has now reached a new high of loneliness in life, which is an empty hole covered with crushed hope