Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Curley’s Wife was a subject of Prejudice because she was a woman. During the 1930’s a woman’s place was to be at home raising a family, also women were seen as second class citizens and property of their husbands. Before we meet Curley’s Wife, the reader already has an opinion of her because of what the character Candy calls her- “jail bait”; George calls her a “tramp”. It’s implied that she is a tart and a promiscuous woman; she craves the attention her husband doesn’t give her.

“No change can come if those who are impacted the most by discrimination are not willing to stand up for themselves.” (Salbi). In 1930’s America, discrimination was extremely evident in the way that major groups in society were treated. Racial discrimination, or racism, was a major problem as tensions were still high between many white and black Americans leading up to the civil rights movement. Discrimination against those with special needs was seen because most of society didn’t understand what mental illness is, and didn’t know how to deal with these types of people. Gender discrimination, or sexism, was at a high due to the way women were treated by men at the time, and what was expected of women. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores these types of discrimination in the 1930’s, and how they were experienced by the characters Crooks, Lennie, and Curley’s wife.

In the literary work Of Mice and Men, the reader is introduced to the ranch as a world of its own, within which prejudice plays a significant part. The characters in this novel act as a community in a world of their own, having no connections to any other type of society. A strong point, enforced through many examples in the book, is the constant ability of the stronger to overcome the weaker. The prejudices of the majority towards the minority, at the ranch are the white-males, who retain power over the lesser groups of people. This inequality, as well as the influence of the time period, causes discrimination against people of color, women, and those that are disabled, either mentally or physically.

“Want me to tell ya what’ll happen? They’ll take ya to the booby hatch. They’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog” (Steinbeck 72). Discrimination plays a large role to feeling lonely. In the novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, characters endure attempts by society to make them “invisible.” These include racism, ageism, sexism, and isolation. More specifically, three of these characters experience loneliness from acts of discrimination. Factors contributing to their loneliness include ageism, disability discrimination, and racism. Each of these characters are migrant workers during the Great Depression who are discriminated against in different ways. Thus, through Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, Steinbeck reveals the powerful

“I ain’t a southern negro,” he said. “I was born right here in California." With these

“Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.” This quote, once said by E. B. White, excellently states what the novel, Of Mice and Men, is trying to clearly state. Of Mice and Men is a profound novel that has many things to teach society. This novel, written by John Steinbeck, reflects many flaws in the world today. It mirrors many of the characteristics that every human possesses. Prejudice is still a common way of thinking in today’s society, and to the people who feel victimized, it can be hard to overcome. Curley’s wife, Lennie, and Crooks all deal with prejudice against themselves different ways.

Curley’s wife is probably one of the most misunderstood characters in the novel, often being looked down upon, or talked badly about. She is the only woman on the ranch, and who appears consistently throughout the novel. At one point, some of the workers are

Of Mice and Men Final Essay Discrimination is defined as the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things. In the novel Of Mice and Men, George Steinbeck writes about prejudice and bias. In this text, the author is saying that discrimination and loneliness are intertwined through Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Lennie. To begin, Curley’s wife was misjudged and isolated due to the misogynistic behavior she was constantly subjected to.

He will trust anyone, he sees no bad in people, yet everyone just calls him names because his disabilities. Lennie doesn’t mean to hurt anyone, but he does, and he does deserve the punishments he receives. The loneliest part of Lennie is that he doesn’t even know he’s

Someone’s life is changed forever when they are constantly receiving discrimination from the people around them. Of Mice and Men is a sad adventure of George and Lennie working on a ranch. Discrimination is the act of treating someone in a negative way which is exemplified by John Steinbeck throughout the story. On the social hierarchy in the novella, the characters on the lower part of the social scale are discriminated the most. Of the characters working on the ranch, the characters discriminated the most are Crooks, Candy, and Curley’s wife. George and Lennie, came to work at the ranch so Lennie is added to the bottom. The characters are discriminated behind their back or straight to their face. Discrimination against Lennie, Crooks, and

Imagine being discriminated against because of things that are not in your control and being put down because of them. Discrimination is treating someone differently because of certain things they cannot change. Discrimination is important to the story because many characters are discriminated against throughout Of Mice and Men. The -isms that my essay will talk about are racism where you are discriminated against because of your skin color, sexism where you are discriminated against because of your sexuality, and ableism where you are discriminated against because of your disabilities. Of Mice and Men is a book by John Steinbeck.

The Of Mice and Men Essay The world is universally filled with injustice, therefore, humanity has dealt with the topic of discrimination. Injustice in our society occurs when it showcases several individuals disrespecting one another about their natural identity. In today’s world, discrimination can be categorized into many different groups, such as ageism, racism, and sexism. In our society every individual has been a victim or an oppressor at some point.

The 1930’s was a time period in which discrimination played a vital role in the lives of minorities. In the 1930’s, men were in search for jobs on the ranches and women were generally working inside the house. Although the 1930’s seems pretty far back, discrimination still occurs in society today and can either be intentional or nonintentional. There are several different forms of discrimination: racial, disabled, age, and sexual. Any type of discrimination is harmful to the individual and often times leaves them feeling alienated and lonely. All of these types of discrimination are seen in the characters of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men. Past history of discrimination has influenced him to display it in his novel. Each person’s type

Discrimination plays a big role in Of Mice and Men, since it takes place during the Great Depression. Racial segregation, gender rights, and handicap vulnerability are all problems in Of Mice and Men that reflect the society at the time. Curley’s wife, Crooks, and Candy are discriminated against on the ranch just like they would be in society.

From black people to white people, to the old and the young, almost every person was discriminated against in some way during the depression and even today. Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men takes place during the Great Depression, 1940s era and describes a very realistic situation about characters who are simply trying to get by and chasing the “American Dream” but struggles with conflict within themselves and the outside world. Discrimination was a common theme of Of Mice and Men and greatly affected the lives of the characters in the novella. Some characters include: Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy. The novella is a realistic representation of discrimination in society.