Examples Of Oppression In Of Mice And Men

Ella Lipscomb

English 9

Dr. Reuter

Tuesday March 21st, 2023

Oppression in the novel: Of Mice and Men

The realistic fiction novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is about two men, George and Lennie, that work at a ranch with many other men and one woman. Crooks is the only African American in the book and he works in the stable. The only woman is one of the worker’s wives. Lennie has an intellectual disability and Candy, another worker, has a physical disability. In his novel Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck argues that oppression can come in many forms and impact anyone.

Steinbeck claims that in society women are oppressed in many ways.

Towards the beginning of the book, in order to discourage Lennie from showing interest in Curley’s wife, George yells,“I seen 'em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her,” (Steinbeck 34). George refers to Curley’s wife as a piece

When Crooks stands up for Lennie and yells at Curley’s wife, she lashes back, ‘“I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny,’” (Steinbeck 81). Curley’s wife knows she has power over Crooks just because of his skin. She even threatens to lynch him just for standing up to her. She doesn't think of him as a person whatsoever. When Lennie questions why Crooks is all alone in the stable, Crooks responds, "'Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me,"’ (Steinbeck 69). Crooks is segregated into a small and lonely room where he has no company and only himself. He isn't allowed to go anywhere else and everyone looks down on him. Finally Crooks relieves his true feelings about living alone to Lennie, ‘“I tell ya,’ he cried, ‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick,”’ (Steinbeck 73). He obviously has deep emotional pain from being by himself and not having anyone to talk or feel things