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The Relationship Between Crooks In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

305 Words2 Pages

In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the word nigger is used to develop the complex personality of Crooks. The story is centered around two migrant farmers; Lennie, who has a mental disability, and George, who watches over and protects Lennie from getting into any trouble. Crooks is a black man who works on the same ranch as these two men. Crooks is constantly discriminated against by his fellow workers because of his darker skin color. This unjust division has oppressed Crooks’ emotions, bringing forth a lack of confidence and strength within him. One afternoon, while most of the men have gone out into town, Lennie, while searching for his puppy, stumbles upon Crooks’ room, which has been isolated from the bunkhouse at which all the white men sleep. …show more content…

After much failed persisting, Crooks begins to explain why he isn’t wanted or accepted at the ranch by saying “‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it?” [...] “This is a nigger talkin’ [...] So it don’t mean nothing, see?’” (Steinbeck 71). By saying this, Crooks reveals his sensitivity towards this harsh label. When the word nigger is used by those on the ranch to describe Crooks, he doesn’t take it lightly. Instead, he goes against his will by distancing himself far away from others, leaving both himself and his deep emotions in solitude. If Crooks continues to bottle up his emotions, he may never be able to properly express his hope to join George and Lennie on the journey to turn their dreams into a reality. This is why the word nigger is the most signifigant word used in chapter four of the novella Of Mice and

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In the 1930s, African Americans were casted away from all white people, leading them to loneliness. This topic is explored in John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. The story takes place in California during the 1930s, a time when black people were hated by the majority of white people. Crooks, a black ranch worker lives in his own bunkhouse because most of the white ranch workers do not want to live with a black ranch worker. Most ranch workers dislike Crooks, and Crooks despises all of the ranch workers.

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Steinbeck uses the historical setting of the Great Depression to help characterize Crooks as hopeless. First, the disdain with which the other men show towards Crooks. When George and Lennie first arrive at the ranch Candy introduces Crooks by saying, “Ya see the stable buck’s a ni***r” (Steinbeck 20). Crooks is generally referred to only as the n-word, as seen in this quote.

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The Character Of Crooks In The 1930's '

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First off Crooks is the character that is held back in his journey towards freedom by his race. There are many examples where Crooks is insulted by his race, but there is this specific incident where George is laying down his cards and hears someone calling : “Stable buck, oooh stable buck!” And then, “Where the hell is that goddamn nigger?” This proves that in the 1930’s people were still racist and used to call African Americans names like nigger. And Crooks can’t really do anything because if he does he would probably get tortured or starved, and he can’t quit because it wasent his job, he was a slave.

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adding to that, Crooks didn't have any friends. Moreover, Crooks had no friends, no one to play with, Crooks did his work around the farm and once he was finished he would go back into his room, racism was towards him since he was the only black person at the Bunk. In addition, Lennie and Crooks become friends, when most of the guys were out to town, Lennie went into crooks is room uninvited, Crooks thought about kicking him out but the didn’t because he hadn't had any company for a long time now(). Crooks is lonely and he is the only black men at the Bunkhouse he is totally an

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Idealism In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

400 Words | 2 Pages

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).

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This shows Crooks is treated unfairly since he is the only African American man working in a ranch full of white men. When Crooks tells Curley’s Wife to leave his room and that she doesn’t have a right to be in there, she gets angry and threatens him by saying, “Well, you keep your place then,

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How Does Steinbeck Present Crooks Discrimination

282 Words | 2 Pages

Crooks is a black man who has been given the nickname because of his crooked back. He is another character in the novel that is discriminated against. Similarly, as Lennie and Candy are discriminated because of their weakness, Crooks is discriminated because of his race. For example, he says how he “ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… can’t play [cards] because I’m black” (68). His race causes him to be separated from everyone else and be isolated in his own room.

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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

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He has this big dream of living at a ranch, with his own family, and what a typical ranch has. Unfortunately, he cannot pursue his dream. Crooks is African American. The setting of the novel is during the 1930s which is America's time of the Great Depression. Therefore racial equality by law has a long way to go.

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Crooks is an African American farm worker that works with horses on the land. Being a colored person in this era was harsh, and the color of your skin automatically determined the amount of power you would have, so African Americans did not have power compared to everyone else in society. “Lennie watched her, his mouth half open. Crooks had retired into the terrible protective dignity of the negro.” (79;ch.4).

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768 Words | 4 Pages

Of Mice and Men “listen, nigger,” she said. “you know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” (pg.80). This shows how the word “nigger” is used to control a black person. In the book of Mice and Men the word “nigger” is used quite often but towards crooks, since he is the only black person in the book.

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513 Words | 3 Pages

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.

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