"Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place. . . " How true is this statement with regards to the relationships presented in Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men'

A question with a good degree of scope to discuss the dependent, almost symbiotic relationship between Lenny and George. The environment is one which perpetuates lonliness - the Great Depression, a focus on work and not sentimentality. Another example is Candy's dog, shot becuase it is old and no longer useful. Temporary comraderie between George and Slim - relationships are fleeting and male orientated. Leads into a nice discussion of Curly's wife as innately lonely/ marginalized. Look to the end of the book, here we have lonliness and solitude accompanying George along a grave and doubtful path beyond the novel, with a trail of deaths (Candy's dog/ Curly's Wife/ Lenny) lying behind him. This question provides a nice opportunity to consider closely the meaningful character relationships, whilst situating them within the context of the Depression/ burgeoning mesogynist attitudes/ migrant worker lifestyle of the times. Lonliness is in itself the only lasting companion.