Crooks In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Just as Havisham and Curley’s wife’s isolation is because of their gender, Crooks in “Of Mice and Men” is presented as the epitome of the frustration and loneliness caused by isolation. However, Crooks’s isolation is not due to his gender, but his colour and race. In “Of Mice and Men”, Steinbeck presents Crooks as an isolated character due to his race. He names Crooks as Crooks because he has a crooked back and he is called “Nigger” implying that he is unimportant. Steinbeck portrays Crooks’s loneliness through “this is just a nigger talking a bust-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing” and “nobody’d listen to you”, these can be inferred as Crooks has a low status in the ranch, no one has ever listened to him. This can also be referred to the

In link to the previous two themes we have discussed in this essay, the next point will talk about the theme of racial discrimination, in regards to Crooks. It can be said that all of the negativity towards Crooks, throughout the entire Novel, can be linked to the racial discrimination, and subsequent segregation of blacks during the Depression era in the 1920s. From quotes such as “Crooks, the Negro stable buck had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn”, we can already learn that Crooks is segregated from the rest of the

Crooks is the stable boy, he is neat, likes books and is pretty quiet. He is also black, because of this he is discriminated be the other men at the farm. This prejudice leads Crooks to be extreme isolated, left to tend the horses alone. When Lennie tries to make friends with Crooks he reacts defensively, as the text states, “Crooks scowled, but Lennie's disarming smile defeated him. "Come on in and set a while," Crooks said. "'Long as you won't get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down." His tone was a little more friendly.” This quote shows that since Crooks hasn’t had any friends for so long that he almost can't deal with someone trying to be nice and interact with him.

In the novel “Of Mice and Men”, the character of Crooks is used by John Steinbeck, the author, to symbolise the downgrading of the black community occurring at the time in which the novel was set. Crooks is also significant as he provides an insight into the reality of the American Dream and the feelings of the people in the ranch; their loneliness and need for company.

“ “… A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick” ” (Steinbeck 72 – 73) In this quote, Crooks talking about why people need companionship. This quote also lets us know that Crooks yearns for friendship from anybody. Crooks has been treated so badly, that when people are kind to him he is suspicious. For example, when Lennie comes to visit Crooks in his living quarters, he is not very welcoming. "Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends. Crooks said sharply, "You got no right to come in my room. This here 's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me." " (Steinbeck 68). As a black man, he is discriminated. This discrimination is made worse because he is crippled. Even those who are frowned upon by society harass him. “ “Listen, Nigger,” she said. “ You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” … “ I could get you strung up on a tree [get him killed] so easy it ain’t even funny” ” (Steinbeck 80 – 81). This quote is an example of the harsh treatment he receives, in this case Curley’s wife is threatening Crooks after the two got into an argument.

An outcast is a person who has been rejected by society or a social group. In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the is based in a small town during the 1930’s set on a ranch. Most of the workers are men who travel around individually trying to find work for a short amount of time. Each character is portrayed as an outcast throughout the entirety of the novel, to emphasize their ailments and lack of connection to other human beings.

This shows a reader that Crooks must have different kinds of shoes to do different jobs. He also possesses a gun, which shows a thoughtful reader that Crooks feels unsafe. This is most likely an effect of him being the only black man on the ranch, and constantly needs to be watching his back because the other men could attack him at any time for no reason other than the fact that he is black. Also, Crooks’ room has many “leather working tools” and “pieces of harness… a broken hame, and a trace chain with its leather covering split.” From this description, a reader can tell that Crooks is a man who works with his hands and fixes things. That job is a solitary one, and a reader learns that Crooks is a man who prefers to work alone. He is isolated from the other men because of his skin color. However, since he is a prideful man, he chooses to show that he is not being isolated, rather, it is his choice to isolate himself. In all, the first two paragraphs of chapter four show many things about Crooks, including his solitary and prideful

Crooks is physically separated from the rest of the workers and placed in a worse place in society. His bunk is not in the room where the white ranch workers sleep, yet instead, he sleeps in a shed connected to the barn. Although he is separated from everyone else, Crooks still has roomates. "In the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn...Crooks’ bunk was a long box

Crooks is one of the loneliest people in the book, he suffers because he is black and is living in a racist town with all white people. He lived in a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn isolated from all the other

Have you ever been left out of a game or had someone say something mean to you? Imagine living your whole life like that. That is how minorities felt and some even continue to feel. Throughout the many years of this country there has always been prejudice against minorities. In Of Mice and Men, Crooks represents the minorities and Curley's wife represents the hatred and racism. Curley’s wife is extremely mean to crooks for no particular reason besides the pigment of his skin.

Every character is dealing with their own loneliness in Of Mice and Men, but one that especially stands out is Crooks, a black man that is forced to sleep in the barn. Anyone that spends a lot of time alone is destined to become crazy. Crooks has been alone for so long, he has even forgot how to react when people genuinely want to become his friend. This is shown in chapter four when Lennie comes into the barn to talk to Crooks, “Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends. Crooks said

Crook’s characteristics go hand in hand with the portrayal of Social Injustice relating back to the fear of loneliness. He continuously faces countless hardships mainly because of the way the workers of the ranch treat him, unethically and selfishly. For example Steinbeck stated, a man will go crazy without anyone, without companionship; what is he to do with only books (Steinbeck 67)? As shown, he exhibits overall no authority; suggesting the emptiness Crook’s is put through all because of his skin color. However, he struggles with being optimistic because he believes he partakes no reason to do so. “You’re crazy, I see men just like you come and go with the same idea in their heads, you ain’t ever going anywhere with that dream” (Steinbeck 69). Along with that, the way Crook’s has been denied of happiness for nearly all of his life certainly influenced his view of the people around him. Regardless, being deemed upon as if you are no greater than an animal will definitely bring thoughts of hopelessness to your mind. "I could get you strung up on a tree so fast it ain't even funny"

Bitter because of the discrimination of the times, Crooks does not know how to welcome companionship instead he tries to push people away even though he enjoys the company. Crooks, having no identity, doesn’t get the respect or recognition of an actual human being. He doesn’t have a real name and is used to beat in fights. The other men say he “smells” just because of his color of skin, and because of this, he stays isolated from the rest of the men. Because of his abusive history and distrust, when Lennie enters his room he completely rejects him and demands him to leave.

Crooks is a very good representation of a victim of one of the worst qualities in humans – racism. He also represents how some people may react to such mistreatment. He shows how the cruelty to victims can change them and cause them to feel lonely and sometimes angry in Crooks’ case. ‘I can’t play because I’m black.’ This shows how racist people exclude him from activities and such like just because he is black in colour showing racial prejudice. Crooks also expresses the intolerance shown towards him by other people when he says ‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it.’ Another example of the discrimination is when Candy compliments his room and crooks replies in the tone of sarcasm, ‘Sure, and a manure pile under the window.’ His living conditions also show the lack of respect towards Crooks – his ‘ bunk was a long box filled with hay.’ Although Crooks has to live in this way, John Steinbeck writes how he takes it and gets on with it. ‘He kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs. Crooks also shows his loneliness – Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so.’ This shows how he, unlike Lennie, has no one to talk to or share thoughts with, no one to express his feelings to or ask a question.

He, also is secluded in a manner that ties to others’ intolerance towards him. The people on the farm do not allow Crooks to be with them, or to stay with them simply because of his minority race. However, contrary to Curley’s wife, Crooks does not bother retaliating for a better social stance. Crooks don’t go ‘round talking to people. In the text it states, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me, ” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks has gotten used to this seclusiveness, and though he may hate it, he finds it a better option to stay