Barriers In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“Wha’s the matter with me?’ she cried. ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways?” (Steinbeck 87) In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is discriminated against because she is a woman living in the 1930s when few females could live economically independent of men. By choosing not to name her, Steinbeck reinforces her insignificance on the ranch and her dependence on Curley. While a misfortunate victim of isolation, Curley’s wife exerts unexpected power attempting to mask her pain.

Crooks himself says, “This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see? You couldn’t remember it anyways. I seen it over an’ over” (Steinbeck 71). His words show the prejudiced and unsympathetic opinions of society towards blacks. Nobody cares about what he says, simply due to his skin color, revealing an external conflict between Crooks and white society. In addition, Crooks further explains his treatment on the farm: "'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, all of you stink to me'" (Steinbeck 68). He is denied entertainment and the company with the fellow farm workers. "They say I stink" refers to their disapproval of Crooks, likely due to his race. However, Crooks shows his own negative feelings towards others on the farm when Lennie tries to talk to him, saying “‘Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room’” (Steinbeck 68). Since the whites on the farm physically isolate Crooks, in return, he dislikes any of their attempts to enter his room. For Crooks, his internal and external conflicts stem from racism, and the suffering that results is described

As a contrast with George and Lennie, Crooks, a black man never wants anyone to go into his room. He sets an invisible wall between him and the rest of the world. He’s like a prisoner, in a world with one person, himself. He never talks to anyone; he never wants anyone to talk to him. He thinks that he’s a black, no one would want to talk to him. So he had his own room, and wanted everyone to keep away from his little room. Although he seems like he doesn 't want anyone to talk to him, but still at the deepest place of his heart, he wants to talk to someone, he wants a friend. He cried in front of Lennie, he told all these things in his heart that no one knows to Lennie, he knows Lennie won’t understand so he won’t go out and blab about it. He just wants to relieve his feelings. Crooks wants a friend as well, everyone needs a friend: ”a guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don 't make no difference who the guy is, long he’s with you. I tell ya.”(Steinbeck, p72). Everyone needs a friend, even the people who say they don 't.

“So you forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you again , do I ? Jesus christ, you're a crazy bastard!” George says (4-5). You can infer that the two characters have some issues with each other. In Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck shows the weaknesses that most of the characters have and the trials they face with those weaknesses. The characters such as Lennie, Crooks and Candy all have something that happens to them in the story that brings out their weaknesses. John Steinbeck portrays the effects that weak people reveal through the characters Lennie, Crooks and Candy.

One night when George goes out with the other men he leaves Lennie alone to play with his pup when he wanders into Crook’s room. Even though the majority of the time Crooks plays mind games with Lennie he ends up expressing his dream of equality. At this time period black people are still heavily discriminated against which effects how others treat him and how he accepts others. "'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 ___). Even though Crooks is just like all the other men on the farm he is still viewed in a negative way because of his skin colour. Afterwards, Crooks begins to describe his child hood discrimination does not exist and giving him a sense of

Crook, who is black and crippled and is bullied and excluded himself, focuses on Lennie’s weaknesses by putting down his dream for a farm and animals, (pg75) then offering to join them as a hand, and then saying he was only kidding, which makes Lennie feel rejected. (pg77-80). Lennie almost cries. Curley bullies his wife. And she seems to feel power when she tells Crooks that she could have him lynched. (pg 79) Her way of bullying Crooks because she was offended and Crooks is weaker than she is.

“You seen what they done to my dog tonight? They says he wasn’t no good to himself nor nobody else” (Steinbeck 60). Since Candy lost his dog, he felt like he had no one else. Nobody goes to comfort him when his dog got shot. “... I wisht somebody’d shoot me” (Steinbeck 60). When Candy lost his dog, he also felt that he had no reason to live. No one really likes him because he was old and useless. “I’d make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off” (Steinbeck 59). Since Candy is not close to anyone else, he decides to give George his money. Candy wants to go with them to buy a small ranch. Candy is marginalized from others because he’s different.

Loneliness is one of many central themes in John Steinbeck’s classic novella, Of Mice and Men. Throughout the story many characters sought after the company and attention of others. Each character has a certain barrier that keeps them isolated from the outside world. Three characters who portray this loneliness throughout the novella are Crooks, Curly’s wife, and Candy. Each having a different wall between them and society.

Chapter 4, on page 68 it states, “... you go on outta my room. I ain’t want in the bunkhouse and you ain’t wanted in my room.” “ why ain’t you want?” Lennie asked “ Cause I’m black”.” In this quote Crook was harsh to Lennie because he didn’t understand what prejudice was and Lennie just going into the barn to see the pups and since everyone else is rude to Crooks and he just was rude to Lennie just because of how everyone treats Crooks

In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, he illustrates the journey George and Lennie have throughout a significant part of their lifetime. Throughout the novel, many characters, including George and Lennie, are facing lonesome and they struggle to deal with it the right way. Most of the men are all alone because they have no family left or they isolate themselves from their peers. Loneliness touches each character at some point in the novel and it really emphasizes the impact it can have on an individual. Steinbeck uses the characters Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Candy to develop the theme that containing loneliness will make someone’s desperation deepen.

John Steinbeck develops crooks through his loneliness because of his unableness to fit in the farm. Crooks has trouble fitting in because of his race, on the farm he feels left out because not everyone is expecting with him. Crooks has a difficulty with everyone on the farm because he is different from everyone and he can’t do the same activities with them. Crooks has no one on the farm that accepts him and it is hard for crooks not to alone. One time Lennie looked for a dog and went into Crooks room “You got no right to come in my room”. Crooks isn't used to anyone being in his room and when people do he gets annoyed, but this one time when Lennie walked in Crooks allowed him to stay because he wanted to have company and felt comforted with Lennie with him. Crooks can't be with any of the other farmers , and has always been lonely. Many of them don't spend time with him which caused him to be depressed, “Maybe you guys better go. I ain't sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don't like 'em"Pg 90. All the men on the farm don't give the same rights to crook sas the other

Steinbeck describes Crooks as black and harsh. In this time period, being a different color than everyone else was not a benefit. The color of skin is a simple aspect enough. However, it separates him in ways beyond imaginable, making Crooks very lonely. Steinbeck made it seem so important that he was a different color, which sets the scene of the prejudice in the time of the dust bowl. The author first characterizes Crooks as black , by saying; "Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn" (33). The color of his

Candy is the janitor on the farm. His best friend is an old dog he got when he started working on the farm. Steinbeck explains, “A shot sounded in the distance.” (Steinbeck 49). They guys were in the bunk and Carlson- one of the men who works on the farm, offers to shoot the dog to put him out of his misery. When they hear the dog shot Candy is all alone. This was his best friend of all times. Candy explains, “I'd make a will an leave my share to you guys in case…. I ain't got I relatives nor nothing…” (Steinbeck 59). He said this because he was trying to escape loneliness. When his best friend was killed he needed to find a way to escape it do trying to go with George and Lennie to their farm after they raised enough money it would keep them all

     In John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, the character named Crooks was segregated from the other men because he is black. This caused him to be lonely. He was forced to sleep in a separate bunk than the others. Trapped in solitude all night long; he resorts to books as his only companion. Trying to portray himself as proud and aloof by his own will, but inside is happy to be around the other men. Crooks first tried to make Lennie leave his room but then he decided that Lennie would not understand and that he actually wanted someone to talk with. During his conversation with Lennie Crooks reveals his loneliness on the ranch. “I seen it over an’ over

Steinbeck's use of his view on society shows that members of society will look down and attack people lower than them. He did that with Curley's wife attacking Crooks, Crooks attacking Lennie, and Curley attacking Lennie. Through these characters Steinbeck shows society's flaws. It shows how racism, ableism, and other disabilities shaped the 1930’s culture. The book of Mice and Men was John Steinbeck's way of critically analyzing societal views on the discriminated groups and that it is human nature to attack someone that is deemed below them in