Many times, Curley's wife has been mentioned, but we never know what her name is because she has no real friends or future. It gives an idea that people don't care about females and that they are treated like objects. Despite Curley's wife having a husband, she is restricted from going anywhere and has no choice but to stay in the house all by her lonely self. Curley's wife believes she has a higher authority than other people, but she is weak and lonely throughout this book. Her gender represents pure loneliness and desperation. .
Crooks, who is the only black man living by himself on the ranch doesn't expect Lennie and Candy to come into his room. "Guys don't come into a colored man's room very much" (75). Crooks acknowledge that he is being discriminated because of his race which symbolize loneliness. He is the only black man in this story who isn't treated equally as other workers. Crooks isn't involved in any activities on the ranch and is completely left out. After many years of being isolated, he is so accustomed to it that he got suspicious of anyone that tried to be friends with him like Lennie. Despite Crooks being isolated, he still desperately wishes for a friend but no one wants to communicate with him because of his color. It is his loneliness that forces him to give in when Lennie talks to him. Crooks worries Lennie by saying that George won't come back implying that Crooks wants Lennie to feel just as lonely as he does. Candy's dog was useful until it got older and is now hated by many of the workers like Carlson because of its stench. "Come boy. Come on, boy, He won't even feel it." (48). His dog is his most important companion in life and the death of the dog symbolizes loneliness. Both of them had similar characteristics like being old and crippled. Candy didn't want to shoot his dog because he knew that he would become alone once the dog died but Carlson did it anyways.
