"Guys who work on ranches are some of the loneliest guys in the world". How does Steinbeck portray loneliness in "Of Mice and Men"?

Almost everyone on the farm is lonely and the person that represents this the most is Curley's wife, one of the most pivotal characters in the book. I feel Curley's wife is the most despairing and lonely character in the book. She has no friends, no future, no respect; she doesn't even deserve a name. I really feel sorry for her, all she wants is someone to talk to, to converse with but in her …

…that he had his whole life. Carlson, a man on the ranch that didn't like it killed it. Candy gets depressed and out of loneliness, tries to join into George and Lennie's dream of having a place of their own: "'S'pose I went in with you guys'." Old Candy who was afraid of being alone wanted to have some friends. He offered to give up everything he had so that he wouldn't end up alone.