Most of us at some point in our lives have experienced loneliness. For some it's temporary, perhaps triggered by particular events or transitions, while for others, it seems to be a permanent fact of life.
Ever since his wife died, just two weeks after their 60th anniversary, 84-year-old Bert has been practically housebound. If asked, he says "Oh, I'm OK, a neighbour pops in now and again, and kindly helps with shopping". He cleans the house and makes his own ready meals in the microwave. But lying in bed at night, or when he sees her hairbrush on the dressing table, or looks up from reading the newspaper ready to share a thought, he is overwhelmed with emptiness.
Joan is 19 and half way through her first year at university. "Everyone says their years at university were the best time of their life, they made lots of friends, went to parties. But for me, it's not like that. I am quite shy and find it hard to mix. I feel lonely and apart. I hardly see my housemates."
These two examples describe how loneliness can arise from either the loss of connection to others, or being unable to form new connections.
Emily White, author of the book "Lonely: Learning to Live with Solitude", also gives examples in her blog of how certain times of year can intensify loneliness:
"Thanksgiving can be a lonely time. Or, more accurately, the notion of everyone else getting together with loved ones can bring loneliness raging to the fore, leaving you feeling marginalized, isolated, and suffocating with feelings of disconnection."
Ever since his wife died, just two weeks after their 60th anniversary, 84-year-old Bert has been practically housebound. If asked, he says "Oh, I'm OK, a neighbour pops in now and again, and kindly helps with shopping". He cleans the house and makes his own ready meals in the microwave. But lying in bed at night, or when he sees her hairbrush on the dressing table, or looks up from reading the newspaper ready to share a thought, he is overwhelmed with emptiness.
Joan is 19 and half way through her first year at university. "Everyone says their years at university were the best time of their life, they made lots of friends, went to parties. But for me, it's not like that. I am quite shy and find it hard to mix. I feel lonely and apart. I hardly see my housemates."
These two examples describe how loneliness can arise from either the loss of connection to others, or being unable to form new connections.
Emily White, author of the book "Lonely: Learning to Live with Solitude", also gives examples in her blog of how certain times of year can intensify loneliness:
"Thanksgiving can be a lonely time. Or, more accurately, the notion of everyone else getting together with loved ones can bring loneliness raging to the fore, leaving you feeling marginalized, isolated, and suffocating with feelings of disconnection."
However, she is also critical of society and media's role in marginalizing aloneness:
"Valentine's seems to have emerged not just as a day to celebrate all things romantic, it's become a day of getting hysterical about the risks associated with loneliness."
Crooks is a black stable hand with a crooked back who, because of the colour of his skin, is forced to live in solitude, away from the other men. He has an abrasive sense of humour, and comes across as bitter and proud. He wants to be friends with Lennie and proposes he come and live with him and George and hoe the garden when they get their plot of land, but he also taunts Lennie with tales of men he has seen come and go with empty dreams about owning their own plot of land.
Curley's wife is bored and lonely and dreams of becoming a film star: although she is married, her husband doesn't love her and she doesn't love him, and being the only woman on the ranch, she tries to make friends with the working men. Candy is an aging worker with an old dog that gets shot by another ranch hand in a supposed act of mercy that Candy thinks he probably should have done earlier but kept putting off, fearing the loss of his only companion. He worries about being lonely in old age, and persuades George and Lennie to let him join their plan of buying their plot of land, which could be made possible because he has some savings.
"Valentine's seems to have emerged not just as a day to celebrate all things romantic, it's become a day of getting hysterical about the risks associated with loneliness."
Crooks is a black stable hand with a crooked back who, because of the colour of his skin, is forced to live in solitude, away from the other men. He has an abrasive sense of humour, and comes across as bitter and proud. He wants to be friends with Lennie and proposes he come and live with him and George and hoe the garden when they get their plot of land, but he also taunts Lennie with tales of men he has seen come and go with empty dreams about owning their own plot of land.
Curley's wife is bored and lonely and dreams of becoming a film star: although she is married, her husband doesn't love her and she doesn't love him, and being the only woman on the ranch, she tries to make friends with the working men. Candy is an aging worker with an old dog that gets shot by another ranch hand in a supposed act of mercy that Candy thinks he probably should have done earlier but kept putting off, fearing the loss of his only companion. He worries about being lonely in old age, and persuades George and Lennie to let him join their plan of buying their plot of land, which could be made possible because he has some savings.
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