I ain't got no people. I seen the guys that go around on the ranches alone. That ain't no good. They don't have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin' to fight all the time. . . 'Course Lennie's a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin' around with a guy an' you can't get rid of him.

Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.

I think there are degrees of greatness," Adam said."I don't think so," said Samuel. "That would be like saying there is little bigness. No. I believe when you come to that responsibility the hugeness and you are alone to make your choices. On one side you have warmth and companionship and sweet understanding, and on the other – cold, lonely greatness. There you make your choice.

He stopped, feeling lonely in his long speech.

All great and precious things are lonely.

It's nice for a mediocre man to know that greatness must be the loneliest state in the world.

... but she was also bewilderingly lonely... Abra had lost her gift for being alone.

This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see? You couldn't remember it anyways. I seen it over an' over-a guy talkin' to another guy and it don't make no difference if he don't hear or understand. The thing is, they're talkin', or they're settin' still not talkin'. It don't make no difference, no difference.

A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ.