How does the Great Depression impact the way characters behave in Of Mice and Men?

In the end, the Great Depression creates the conditions
that govern Lennie, George, and all of the characters in Steinbeck's work. The creation
of "bindle stiffs," men who would travel from ranch to ranch in a vagabond manner to
find work is a direct result of the agricultural challenges in the Great Depression. 
The fact that men were "trapped" to a certain extent is something that impacts the
characters in the novel.  Few, if any, are happy, as they are bound to their work
because of so little being present.  Lennie and George are representative of this. 
Their dream of owning a farm represents the desire for economic autonomy and
empowerment, something that was not present during the Great Depression.  The fact that
Curley's wife is able to spit so much of venom at Crooks and Candy in chapter four is
representative of the fact that both men need the work offered by the ranch and cannot
speak against her, as she is right in that a word to Curley will force them back to
unemployment, at best.  Such a condition where men are trapped and are in dire economic
straits helps to create an emotional climate where individuals do not truth one
another.  It is also the reason why Lennie and George's friendship is so unique,
something that strikes everyone that they meet.  In a time where so few bonds are
honored because of the desire for something better and something that feeds self
interest, Lennie and George demonstrate a bond that transcends their context and
condition.  It is only because of the Great Depression and the problems caused within it
that everyone, despite differences in background and experience, feels the same pressure
bearing down on them.