First published in 1937, Of Mice and Men is a classic American novel by John Steinbeck. George and Lennie are two ranch hands that travel together, with George watching over the mentally inferior Lennie. When they start work at a new ranch, several different characters are introduced. One affliction that seems to face several characters is loneliness, created by factors such as the character's lifestyles and by social standards of the time period. Steinbeck's theme that loneliness is unhealthy and dangerous to a person's well being is emphasized throughout the novel. …