"Of Men and Mice" by John Steinbeck

Poverty comes in all types and exists in all forms. It is poverty when you don't have enough to eat and we see it every time we pass a homeless person in the city. Poverty surrounds us; it is in the very air we breathe. However, when we talk about poverty, one doesn't usually think in terms of emotional needs. Mother Teresa once said, "The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved." Loneliness is a prime example of poverty [obviously]. It is described as a feeling of bleakness and desolation. John Steinbeck's story, Of Men And Mice, is a perfect story about loneliness and abandonment. This is a story about two men who have found a job at this one ranch. George is a small man who has been asked to look after Lennie. Even though he whines a lot, we know that he appreciates the bond he has with Lennie. Lennie is a big guy, can't understand anything except the most basic of emotions - one of them being loneliness. …