A wise man once said, “Racism is man’s gravest threat to man – the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason” -Abraham Joshua Heschel. Heschel in a high degree is true. Multiple examples demonstrate racism unjustifiably posing a “threat to man”. Whether discrimination is affecting someone because of their ethnicity, religion, or disability, it is all wrongfully imposed. It prevents people from completing tasks in life or doing what they want to do because they are shut down just because they are different from others. Through the examination of Lennie and Crooks’ characters from Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, discrimination and racism negatively affect their lives, ultimately tearing them from their dreams. Crooks, an African-American man, is one of the few that have had his dreams ruined by racism. He is suppressed by the people of his country for simply being different. In a conversation he has with Lennie, Crooks explains, “‘There wasn 't another colored family for miles around. And now there ain 't a colored man on this ranch an ' there 's jus ' one family in Soledad.’" (Steinbeck 70). Showing his situation, Crooks also explains how he has been in a sense, isolated from everyone due to his color and as a result racism surrounds him. It’s hard for Crooks to get anywhere in life because of the constant harassment he receives from the simple fact that he is “different” from your “average” person. In a heated confrontation Curley sullenly says, “‘Standin ' here talkin '
In modern society, most men follow the social construct of masculinity. Although men care about other men, social norms force them to repress emotions and feelings. However, in John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men, the characters George and Lennie defy this stereotype. Despite typical conventions, both men travel together and care for one another. Steinbeck uses the bond between these characters to reveal that true companionship could endure difficulties and hardships.
John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, depicts race as a critical factor to the dominance of people during this time period. Racism is presented most evidently in chapter four by the treatment of Crooks, the stable buck. Crook’s and his fellow workers discussed ambitions in his quarters, which happened to be separate from the others clearly due to his skin tone. As the men conversed topics regarding the near future, Curley’s wife abruptly barged into the area searching for her husband. Noting the peril with which Curley’s wife is associated with,
John Steinbeck published Of Mice and Men in 1937, portraying two struggling migrant workers on their tiring journey; George and Lennie. This narrative hugely reflects the time period in which it was written, since it was the time of The Great Depression (in the 1920-30s) where the stock market crashed. Therefore little jobs were available to citizens and those that were most probably meant travelling rather long way. This ties into Of Mice and Men through the concept of George and Lennie doing to work on the ranch. Also within this historical period there was a lot of prejudice, inequality and discrimination, Steinbeck intentionally mirrors these themes effectively.
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck conveys prejudice through how people act differently based on their relationships and the setting. Of Mice and Men is based during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, when jobs were scarce, as proven by Lennie, Crooks and Curly’s Wife: They all are rejected for different reasons. This makes people have fewer bonds with each other, as stated from the boss when George and Lennie show up. He says “well I've never seen one guy care so much for another guy.” (Pg 22) Which demonstrates that bonds like these are not common during this time.
In the novella “Of Mice and Men”' written by John Stienbeck, Steinbeck uses the characterization of two characters, Crooks a stablehand, and Candy another ranch worker, along with the internal conflicts that the two men experience to express the idea that isolation can have negative effects on people. These elements helped to add depth and substance to the novella. Steinbeck's characterization of Crooks lets his viewers understand him and his turmoil better. Crooks was a black stablehand who worked on a ranch in California. He had an old back injury from a horse kick that left him crippled and prevented him from ever leaving the ranch.
Lennie walks into Crooks’ room wonders why Crooks isn’t playing cards with the others and Crooks explains why he’s not wanted. Stenbecks writes, “...ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… cause I’m black… They say I stink” (Steinbeck 68). This proves Crooks becomes reconciled to discrimination by his peers because of his own race. Back then, men and women in color were mistreated so Steinbeck is giving a good idea on how people abused the basic human rights to hurt others physically and mentally.
Every day over 352,000 babies are born. The second these babies enter the world, the opportunities and privileges given to them vary but are set at their birth. Privilege constantly determines opportunities whether the individual can help it or not, and it is revealed constantly throughout our country's history. In the past privilege has affected minorities lives and their opportunities in careers, freedom of speech, and much more. Unconscious biases and privileges are still very well present today but not as obvious.
Sydney Votino Mrs. Daquelente English 2 12 May 2023 Formal Outline: Cause-and-Effect Essay Thesis: Lennie, Curley’s Wife, and Crooks are characters from John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men who struggles with mental issues, being used, and racism leading to broken dreams that negatively impacted their lives. Body Topic A: To begin, Lennie’s experience with mental issues ruined his dream and drastically changed his hopes for the future. Direct Quote
Crooks, who is the black man in the story, is treated differently because of his skin color. Crooks lives in a barn alone, separated from all the whites. Lennie asks Crooks about it and Crooks answered him; “I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.” “Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.
Steinbeck displays through the dialogue and characterizations that these characters experience isolation because of both social barriers and personal choice. Crooks being an African-American on the ranch, full of whites, struggles racially which causes his withdrawal from the society. Crooks explains to Lennie his when he’s accompanied by him “ A guy goes nuts if he ain 't got nobody. Don 't make no difference who the guy is long’s
Contrasting Crooks’ somber attitude with Lennie's undying innocence makes it clear where Steinbeck stands on the matter. For example, Crooks is temporarily seduced by the idea of Lennie and George’s farm, but is almost immediately brought down by reality, and Curley’s wife. She brings him back to the reality of a black man at the time, saying: "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny" (39). After this event occurs, Crooks disregards his rare idealism, saying that he “wouldn’ want to go no place like that” (41).
In life there will always be a time that you must stand up and justify a cause. You will be put in a position where you can either stand and defend this or continue to be a bystander and watch as things never improve. The choices you make will either push to better yourself or others People often stand up for themselves or others to help justify a cause. In the book “A Gathering of Old Men” a group of Black men stand up against racism. A white man is murdered due to his prejudice actions, when the group of men stand to defend each other they all claim they killed him.
Crooks is constantly being discriminated against which is the effect of being colored at this time. During the book talks to Crooks about the farm he desires, Crook says to Lennie, “S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy 'cause you was black. How'd you like that?” () Crook is at the bottom of the social hierarchy because of his race. This inequality is the barrier to his dreams of being
In the novel “Of Mice and Men” John Steinbeck portrays the theme of social injustice throughout the story in the lives of several characters that include Lennie, Curley’s Wife, and the stable buck, Crooks. All of these characters are mistreated in some way, shape or form. The hardships that these characters faced help guide us to see the social injustice that is prevalent in the story. Lennie is a victim of social injustice due to the fact that he is mentally disabled. He is not treated fairly when he was accused of rape.
Faris Ghandour Block D January 5, 2016 “Crooks, an Isolated Man” People never realize that biologically, there is just one human race. Back in the 1930s, that wasn’t what people thought. All races other than white were not considered to be not human. In John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”, Crooks was a significant man and more important of what society thought of African Americans.