In John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, what details of loneliness and isolation prevail in the setting?Consider the description of setting:...

In John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and
Men, loneliness and isolation are predominant themes, supported by the
physicality of the story's setting, in California, during the Great
Depression.

George and Lennie's trip to the ranch is a long
one, on foot. They pass through country that has been well traveled by others also
passing through, but they are alone as they arrive, except for animals hidden in the
brush.

They camp the evening (before joining the ranch
hands the following morning) in a secluded area next to a pool of water. It is an
isolated spot. George says he prefers it that way, but it may simply be a chance to
redirect Lennie in what he will say the next day. George is not a man who enjoys forever
being on the road or the loneliness of it, as seen in his dream of owning his own place
one day, but dealing with Lennie is a difficult task in that Lennie often cannot keep
his mouth shut, and they need to get jobs at the ranch the next
day.

When the men arrive, the bunk house is made up of
bunks along three walls. Each set of beds is the same, with a shelf made out of the side
of shipping boxes, to hold personal items. There is no individuality shown in any of
these beds, and workers come and go too often for it to be anything more than a hotel.
In the middle of the room is a large table, but even this offers nothing welcoming, just
old playing cards abandoned across the table top.

Crooks'
room is attached to the barn and is very small. He lives there, alone, isolated because
he is black. The room is certainly more his, containing materials to mend harnesses and
such, but it is a prison in that he is cut off from the fellowship of other men. The
only visitors he ever has are Slim and the boss.

The ranch
does not offer anything that would make it much different than other ranches of the same
kind. Like the people who live and work there, there is little depth and less character
to the place.

All of these areas approaching the ranch and
the ranch itself, reflect the isolation and loneliness brought to so many people who
have been devastated by the Great Crash of 1929. The line of individuals passing through
is endless—they are a faceless blur, all searching for a better life, a place to live
and work and settle down. None of these are to be found in the story's
setting.