The Structure Of Solitude : Ontological And Social Constructions of Isolation In Steinbeck's "of Mice And Men"

Author(s)	Ms. Deeksha S Rao
Country	India
Abstract	This paper explores the relationship between existential and social isolation in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men," placing the novella within a theoretical framework that incorporates George Herbert Mead's symbolic interactionist framework, Erving Goffman's dramaturgical sociology, and Martin Heidegger's ontology of "being-with" (Mitsein). In Steinbeck's world, which is emotionally and economically devoid, his characters are not just individuals; they are also products of displaced social roles. Here, the novella—which is frequently interpreted through a sentimental or socio-historical prism—is considered as a phenomenological investigation into the impossibility of genuine coexistence in the context of late-industrial capitalism. The ontological and systemic isolation in "Of Mice and Men" is not coincidental.
Keywords	alienation, ontology, dehumanization
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On	2025-08-24
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.54464
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g9x344

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International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research