How Does Steinbeck Present Crooks Archetype

Steinbeck uses structure in of Mice and Men to present Crooks as an intriguing character. The reader doesn’t meet Crooks properly until Chapter 4 but hear of him through the other ranch workers, so they’re forced to judge Crooks even before anything is known about him in detail. Steinbeck does this to stress the prejudice towards people of colour in the 1930’s and how they would be judged by skin not personality. In chapter two, the reader hears of Crooks in the conversation between Candy and George, as they discuss the boss’s anger at George’s and Lennie’s late arrival to the ranch. Candy says the boss ‘gave the stable-buck hell’, and justifies the action by replying that the

Crooks represent African-Americans during this time because of the discrimination that they encountered. “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.”(68) Chapter 4. This idea of how discrimination towards African-Americans who in this case is crooks is relevant because in the story, it talks about how Crooks lives by himself away from the other workers that hang out and play cards together while he is sitting by himself far away from them all because of his race which is black. The evidence says that because Crooks is black he is discriminated against and is not capable of playing cards with the other workers who

John Steinbeck reflects on the context of 1930’s America in his novel entitled ‘Of Mice and Men’. The public would perceive Afro-Americans solely by their physical features and society would segregate them as a result of their racial distinction. I will be exploring how Steinbeck presents Crooks and his development through literary devices, and hence, how he changes depending on the characters he is interacting with.

Throughout Of Mice and Men Crooks is shown to have an archetype of an outcast. The archetype of an outcast

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

The character of Crooks is used to symbolize the social standing of the black community occurring during the time at which the novel is set. Crooks is a lonely African American on the farm that feels out of place. As George and Lennie explain their dream to Crooks he brushes them off and says that no one around here can implement their dreams. This realism gives the reader an impression that Crooks has absolutely no hope. However, Crooks may be pessimistic, but yet even he has a dream, which is the hope of one day experiencing the joys of his childhood again. Crooks' character is portrayed as very lonely in the novel, this is evident when Crooks explains, "A guy needs someone." (Mice 77). Crooks is telling the reader the need of human interaction. This realism that Steinbeck uses shows the reader the harsh realities of the black community during the time of the depression in the 1930's

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 sets the scene of the prejudice in the time of the dust bowl. When Crooks is first mentioned, one of the first things mentioned

In Of Mice of Men, John Steinbeck presents the theme that Crooks is upset because he is discriminated against using diction and dialogue throughout chapter four. Steinbeck explores Crooks’ feelings about life as a black man during the time when Crooks is encountered by Lennie. Crooks explains that “ [He] ain’t wanted in the bunk house”... and “ can’t play because … [He’s] black.” (Steinbeck 68) because of this he was alone while everyone else went out to

(72). Crooks was an outcast, not just socially, but physically due to his race and physical ailment. Contradicting his alike characteristics with the other men, he was still rejected by his

but I’m focusing on one the oppression of blacks in this time period represented by Crooks. Crooks gets talked down to on the daily like he's a little boy, the white folks segregate crooks from themselves. .“Well , you keep your place, then nigger. I could get you strung up on the tree so easy it ain't even funny”( 81).

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Crooks, the African-American stable buck, is very different from the other ranch hands for many reasons. When Lennie goes into Crook’s shed, the reader learns that Crooks has a “‘busted-back’” (71) man, who is “more permanent than the other men” (67), due to him being a cripple. Other than Candy, the other men on the ranch seem to be young and healthy, which is a stark contrast from Crooks. In addition, Crooks is also the only black man on the ranch, and he is discriminated against because of it. When Lennie asks him why he can't play cards with the others, Crooks replies, “‘They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink’” (68). It is clear that Crooks wants to be included,

Crooks is one of the only black characters in the book which means a lot of disadvantages for him. He gets separated from everybody else he's not allowed in the same sleeping quarters as the others. Everyone is racist towards him because he is black, ¨If you guys don't let me in your house to play cards,

During the 1930s, black discrimination increased significantly. Crooks, the only black person in Of Mice and Men, faced racism from all of the other ranchers. “The boss gives him hell when he’s mad.” Although not everybody treats Crooks poorly, many of them still think of Crooks as a member of the lower-class. “What you doin’ in Crooks’ room. You hadn’t oughtta be in here.” In addition, the racism Crooks receive also began to change his personality. “He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs.” Crooks may look like he can handle the racial prejudice

In the novel "Of Mice and Men" John Steinbeck, the author, uses the character of Crooks to represent racism and symbolize the marginalization of the black community occurring at the time in which the novel is set. Crooks is significant as he provides an insight into the reality of the American Dream and the feelings of all the ranchers: their loneliness and need for company and human interaction. Crooks got his name from his "crooked back," this suggests he represents something different and he is not your average ranch hand. The reader has to decide whether Crooks deserves sympathy, or if he is just a bitter, cruel and gruff stable-buck.

The novel Of Mice and Men was set during The Great Depression and after the 1929 Wall Street Crash in California. There was a great deal of financial instability in America during the time and this resulted in many individuals looking out solely for themselves. Some minority groups in society were pushed to the periphery as individuals continued their pursuits for the elusive American Dream. One such group in America who were marginalised were those with black skin. The character Crooks has been included in the novel to represent all black people at the time who were struggling in their fight for equality.