...How does Steinbeck portray the theme of loneliness and isolation? In Steinbeck’s novel ‘of mice and men’ there is much emphasis on loneliness and isolation. The novel ‘of mice and men’ was set and written in 1920’s America during the great depression. The great depression was the time in which professional workers became migrant, and caused many of them to turn to working in farmland harvesting wheat, and others had to go and possibly try and find work on a ranch. Loneliness and isolation can be defined as when a person is on their own and don’t have anyone to talk to or not allowed to do things, for example, in the novel it mentions that the workers are playing solitaire, “George cut the cards again and put out a solitaire lay…” Solitaire is a one-player card game, so this also emphasizes loneliness. In this essay I will explore how Steinbeck creates loneliness and isolation in his novel ‘of mice and men’. Steinbeck uses a lot of past tense, for example, at the end of the novel, Curley’s wife is talking to Lennie and she said that she ‘had’ a dream, and she could have become famous. Curley’s wife is perhaps the loneliest person of all on the ranch. Since she is the only female on the ranch, she is set apart from the others. She doesn’t have a name because she is a female and women have lower statuses than men. As she is the only female on the ranch, Curley’s wife is lonely and sad- something her marriage to Curley only makes worse she reveals throughout the course of the...
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...Because loneliness is more deadly than obesity, wellness experts want it to be considered a public health risk. After American researchers analyzed 218 studies, they found that people who have bad social connections have a 50 percent higher risk of dying early, The Sun reported. In contrast, obesity raised death risk by 50 percent. The deadly consequences of social isolation stem from the fact that being connected to other people socially is widely considered a fundamental human need. It is crucial to well-being and survival, Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology at Brigham Young University, explained. Experiencing isolation regularly While there had been reports of extreme examples of loneliness – such as babies in custodial care who do not have human contact fail to thrive and often die – it is ironic that a growing number of Americans are currently experiencing isolation regularly, Holt-Lunstad noted....
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...Throughout Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, the theme of loneliness and isolation can be seen through the characters Victor Frankenstein and the Monster as well as some smaller role characters Robert Walton, Elizabeth and Safie through each of their experiences in life. A key character in the book, Victor Frankenstein is depicted multiple times as suffering through loneliness and isolation in his young life, his career and from the aftermath of his decisions. The Monster as well is depicted going through the struggle of loneliness as soon as his creation, all the way to his death. Robert Walton can be seen suffering loneliness on his journey to the north while Elizabeth and Safie can be seen suffering through loneliness in their lives. Through these characters the theme of loneliness and isolation is seen in each of their stories. A key character in the book Victor Frankenstein can be seen suffering through the constant theme of loneliness brought on by others but many times him. The first time in the book where Victor feels the suffering of loneliness is when his mother dies before he sets off to school in Ingolstadt. When hearing the news of his mother’s death he is quite shocked and come to a tough realization, “I, who had ever been surrounded by amiable companions...was now alone. In the university...I must form my own friends and be my own protector” (34). Victor had always been cared for by his parents and now with his mother gone and him moving to a new place made him feel...
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...Prevalence of Social Isolation and Loneliness among Elderly Children’s, Women’s and Seniors Health (2004) explained that loneliness is defined by deprivation of social contact, lack of people available to share social and emotional experiences or a state where an individual has the potential to interact with others but not doing so. As for social isolation, it is defined as the absence of or a decrease in the number of social interactions, contacts and relationships with other people together with low level of involvement in society (Ibrahim, Momtaz, & Hamid, 2013). In Malaysia, the findings from the present study by Ibrahim, Momtaz, & Hamid (2013) showed that prevalence of social isolation and loneliness ranging from 2% to 49% and from 3%...
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...Social isolation in community-dwelling seniors Abstract In early August 2007, the Medical Advisory Secretariat began work on the Aging in the Community project, an evidence-based review of the literature surrounding healthy aging in the community. The Health System Strategy Division at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care subsequently asked the secretariat to provide an evidentiary platform for the ministry's newly released Aging at Home Strategy.After a broad literature review and consultation with experts, the secretariat identified 4 key areas that strongly predict an elderly person's transition from independent community living to a long-term care home. Evidence-based analyses have been prepared for each of these 4 areas: falls and fall-related injuries, urinary incontinence, dementia, and social isolation. For the first area, falls and fall-related injuries, an economic model is described in a separate report.Please visit the Medical Advisory Secretariat Web site, http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/providers/program/mas/mas_about.html, to review these titles within the Aging in the Community series.AGING IN THE COMMUNITY: Summary of Evidence-Based AnalysesPrevention of Falls and Fall-Related Injuries in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based AnalysisBehavioural Interventions for Urinary Incontinence in Community-Dwelling Seniors: An Evidence-Based AnalysisCaregiver- and Patient-Directed Interventions for Dementia: An Evidence-Based AnalysisSocial Isolation...
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...Teen loneliness Loneliness is a feeling of isolation, and abandonment, in the story, “Of Mice and Men” loneliness is one of the many themes. Steinbeck’s novel is about two men, George and Lennie, during the great depression. They want to start a ranch, but are delayed by many trials, and hardships along the way. Loneliness is very present throughout this novel; on the most obvious level we see this isolation when the ranch hands go into town on Saturday night to ease their loneliness with alcohol. Others examples of emptiness, are when Lennie goes into Crook's room to find someone to talk to, Loneliness is very real and present today, especially in the lives of teens. Although the loneliness of teens may not be the same isolation as seen in Steinbeck s novel; it is still serious. Society today is much more complex than it was during the great depression. For example, there is technology so advanced that you do almost anything on your I-phone or whatever the case may be. Loneliness is a growing problem, because many teens think that they can use technology to get friends. You may think teens aren’t lonely? Your teenage years are the best years of your life? But let me explain just how a teen can feel unwanted, and lonely. I think the biggest thing is not feeling accepted, which brings us back to Steinbeck s novel, where Lennie feels unaccepted because he is different. Technology is another big problem, connecting teens with each other over the phone instead of face to...
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...Loneliness in “Of Mice and Men” Friends are needed in a person’s life for emotional stability whom without would lead to a life of loneliness and solitude. In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the characters Crooks, Candy and Curly’s wife exhibit a form of loneliness. They are driven to George and Lennie’s friendship because they lack support and that emotional stability in their own lives."A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't matter no difference who the guy is, longs he with you. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick" (Steinbeck, 13). Throughout his novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck shows that victims of isolation crave to fulfill a companionship to fill in that void of loneliness. Firstly, Crooks, a handicapped black man, experiences isolation because of his race and disability and seeks to be a part of someone’s life. Crooks is physically separated from the other men as he has his own room in the barn and has limited social contact because he tends the horses. Crooks’s loneliness forces him to translucently share his bottled thoughts to Lennie when he comes into his room, and asks to be a part of the dream George and Lennie share, "...If you...guys would want a hand to work for nothing--just his keep, why I'd come an' lend a hand..." (Steinbeck 88). This shows that Crooks wants to be engaged with other people in his life despite his inability to see beyond the prejudice and discrimination he has always experienced. Secondly, the character...
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...Technology has been a boon to mankind and it is a blessing in disguise. It has made the life of humans simple and easy to live. The effects of technology have largely been positive on human life. We have reached this modern era because of technology. The various technologies around us have made this world modern. In this modern life technological innovations have become integral to our lives Technological innovations are the most important aspect of human life and it is impossible to even think of our life without them. Technology is the greatest creation of humans and it has also enabled humans to create whatever they desire. I think that technology is indispensable in our modern life and it is a great positive force in our lives. The creativity in the field of technology has always resulted in remarkable innovations. We would not have reached such heights of development without the help of technology. Technology has influenced people in a positive sense. It has instigated people to create better and better innovations. We can never think of our lives without the basic amenities which technology has provided us with. Without such technology we would still be in the pre-historic age. We should be thankful to technology for our metamorphosis from a cave man to the modern man of present age. This modernism is the result of technology and it has made our life better and better with time. It is best tool that the humans have ever invented for self help. The technological inventions...
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...Loneliness and isolation; the unfortunate reality of having the slightest chance of success. All people face the provocation of having no one by their side, yet facing a world full of challenges. Every person must fend for themselves in order to achieve the great American dream. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows loneliness and the need for companionship through characters, conflict, and setting. Steinbeck depicts the effects of loneliness through characters in Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife is possibly the loneliest character demonstrated in the book Of Mice and Men. She says, “I never get to talk to nobody.” (Steinbeck 86) This quote suggests it isn’t just Lennie and George who distance themselves from Curley’s wife; it is...
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...writing,, they often try to give the reader certain ideas that would help them to understand the tale indirectly without giving away the idea or moral of the story. For example, the theme of isolation and loneliness. The theme of isolation is a very popular idea in many works of literature like Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, and even Acquainted with the night by Robert Frost. These four works of literature all carry the theme of loneliness and isolation, whether it is Bartleby refusing to interact with anyone and shutting himself away from the rest of the world, Emily who seemed to isolate herself from the rest of her village after her father’s death, the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper having to spend all her time in the a room she hates because of her disease, or the narrator of Acquainted with the Night strolling through the nightly city all by herself in solitude. All of these stories contain the very popular theme of loneliness and isolation,which are shown using various literary devices of each author’s choosing. Throughout the whole story of A Rose for Emily, the setting seemed to be very eerie and unnatural; the author gave the readers a feeling that made them almost sense the loneliness emanating from the protagonist, Miss Emily:“That was two years after her father’s death and a short time after her sweetheart-the one we believed would marry her-had deserted her. After her...
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...Mentoring and Isolation Name: Institutional Affiliation: Mentoring Mentoring is defined as a process of encouraging other people to be in a position of managing their learning to maximize their potential, improve their performance as well as develop their skills and become the person that they want to be (Gloria & Irene , 2009). It is a powerful empowering and personal development tool that help individuals to progress in their career. Mentoring is recently becoming popular as its potential is being realized. Mentoring is referred to as a mutual relationship that exists between two people. (Mentor and Mentee). A mentor is a person who is mentoring while mentee is the individual being mentored. The two individuals are usually in the same field or are sharing similar experiences. The mentor guides mentee in finding the career direction as well as solving career issues along the process. They usually rely on experiences that are similar to gain empathy and understand issues with the mentee. The whole process provides an opportunity to the mentee to evaluate their career progress and options. A mentor helps to boost the confidence of mentee and to believe in themselves. The mentoring process has several...
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...Eager 1 Tabitha Eager Ms. Kazlauskus FHE 5 17 December 2013 Isolation Longing and loneliness can be overwhelming even when surrounded by other people. In Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, he illustrates how the alienating actions of the migrant field workers cause the characters to become isolated and withdrawn, leading to desperation and extreme loneliness. Steinbeck’s story takes place in the depression era 1920s when racial discrimination and discrimination against the mentally challenged was more of a norm than an exception to the rule. Characters in this novel such as Crooks and George share the same longing and desire to not feel so alone and misunderstood. Each have been alienated by those around them for the differences they can not control; the color of their skin, how they choose to live their lives and the secrets that they covet, that alienation has led to isolation and the inevitable loneliness that follows. Crooks is the black stable hand that is caring, empathetic and intellectually sharp, however he has grown defensive and bitter from the years of segregation. In the 1920s being black meant that you were not treated as equal. Crooks was not permitted to bunk, eat or generally socialize with the other field workers. Steinbeck depicts this when Lennie enters Crooks’ room one evening “smil[ing] helplessly in an attempt to make friends” as his giant body filled the door (Steinbeck 68). From years of being shoved aside Crooks had built up a wall of defense, he responded...
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...In The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, isolation is a common theme that contributes to character development throughout the novel. Junot Diaz, in his narration of Oscar’s life through the eyes of Yunior, induces the idea that isolation is a self-imagined way for a character or person to justify his/her differences from society and the people around them. While there are outside forces that contribute to the feeling of isolation, such as cultural differences, immigration, and gender stereotypes and expectations; in the end, Diaz firmly believes that a person’s feeling of isolation is a crutch to reason why he/she does not fit in. Diaz believes that the feeling of isolation is a self-imagined feeling that helps a person justify why he/she is an outcast in society. In the novel, the theme of isolation is common throughout all the main characters; Oscar, Lola, and Beli. To start with, Oscar begins as a typical Dominican male. As a child, Oscar was considered “a Casanova” who was “a ‘normal’ Dominican boy raised in a ‘typical’ Dominican family” (11). Oscar eventually grows “fatter and fatter,” develops “zits,” and gets “self-conscious” because his “interest in “Genres...bec[o]me[s] synonymous with being a loser...” (16, 17). Because Oscar suddenly turns into an outcast, he blames his dorkiness and homely appearance for his lack of acceptance by the outside world. What Diaz underlines, though, is that Oscar has control over his life, but isolates himself by letting...
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...storm in “The Painted Door” serve as a metaphor for Ann’s sense of isolation. Sinclair Ross, the author of the short story, intelligently uses imagery to add atmosphere to the story and enhance the readers understanding of the emotions and mood of the protagonist, Ann. The isolation of the farmland is made abundantly clear as we learn the closest neighboring farm is “five miles away,” and even then it would seem longer as the roads are “impassable.” However, Ann’s isolation is not entirely physical, she also feels very emotionally isolated from the one person who is supposed to be there with her. The emotional setting of Ann is that of the physical environment, isolated, bitter, and cold. Ann cannot seem to surpass the emotional blocks John has put up. Her words are “chilled” as she speaks to John indicating how she has turned cold and indifferent toward her husband. Ann’s geographic isolation eventually intensifies her feelings of loneliness to the point where she feels even alienated from her own husband. Although John knew the they “could expect a storm,” he left Ann alone amongst the “ever-lurking silence” to go help his father. Ann is feeling alienated from John and the storm is representing that alienation physically “isolating her [there] alone.” The earth is entirely “snowswept”. The bareness and simplicity of the surroundings, the “clear pale sun-chilled sky”, serve to “intensify a sense of isolation”. They compare to the lack of emotion John is showing towards Ann and...
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...I utilized Ovid MEDLINE database to answer my PICO question: How does social isolation affect comorbidities in older adults in nursing homes. Ovid MEDLINE (R) without Revisions and PsycINFO were selected as resources to narrow the search. Evidence was found using ‘social isolation’ and ‘elderly’ as the two constant search term in all of the searches, using the ‘combine selections with and’ tool to add the phrases, ‘comorbidities’, ‘hypertension’, and ‘diabetes’. Joining the search terms narrowed down the extensive results to 56, 107, 122, respectively. I found six viable journal articles that will support my PICOT question that were all published approximately five years ago. Using Appendix E of the John Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based...
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