Isolation In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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

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

This is shown in the following text evidence, “Why ain't you wanted? Lennie asked. Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink” (68). Crooks isn't given a fair chance to show his capabilities, society automatically segregates him from the game because of his skin color. Not only was he not given the chance to interact in simple games with white people, he was ridiculed when he conversed with them. This is evident in the following text, “There wasn't another colored family for miles around. And now there ain't a colored man on this ranch an' there's jus' one family in Soledad. He laughed. If I say something, why it's just the nigger sayin' it” (70). At the end of this quote is obvious that the ranch hands and the boss mock Crooks because of his race, he is undoubtedly outcasted. Crooks is aware that he is a misfit at the ranch, the reader gets a sense of this when Crook says, “You go on and get outta my room. I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room” (68). This quote suggests that Crooks was segregated at the ranch, he is not even comfortable with people in his room due to his separation from white people. The deciding factor that makes Crooks an obvious social outcast in this period, is his race, causing discrimination against him, his segregation from the ranchers, and others mocking him, leaving him as a social outcast

‘..Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world they got no family they don’t belong no place.’ This is what many felt during the ‘great depression’ in the 1930’s. John Steinbeck gives us the sense that many felt lonely ‘they got no family they don’t belong no place. The main theme of this novel is alienation; the three characters, Curley’s wife, candy, and crooks are all alienated, and felt it by another person at some point. They all have dreams... it’s the American dream... but not all dreams come true...

Being black during this time period is directly related to discrimination. During the 1930’s discrimination was based on race and Crooks did everything separately because of his skin color. Being black cost him not being able to do have certain rights white people had. Crooks is a typical example of the discrimination faced by African Americans during this time period.

Crooks explain how it feels like to be black. In of mice and men crooks says “s’pose you could not go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you were black”. During the time in which the novella was written white people had more rights than black people, during that time racism reached an all-time high. Also in the time of when the novella was written priest told there people that white people were the chosen race and black people weren’t. Racism was strongest in the southern states where the majority of black people lived, people like Jim Crow made laws which segregated white people from black people for example black people were not able to drink form the same water fountain as white .Crooks has many disadvantages because the colour of his skin. This means that white people are able to take advantage of him. Steinbeck perhaps decided to include this to reflect how terrible it was for the African American race through the character of crooks and other black men who were segregated because of their race. This is completely different to an inspector calls there is no racism. J.B Priestley was not concerned about black people; I can tell this by there is no black character in ‘an Inspector Calls’. Priestley was only concerned about socialism and capitalism. In Britain the number of black people declined because of new laws and restriction on African

Isolation Within everyday life, there are many distinct, powerful emotions that citizens of society can embody. The concept of isolation, and its dangers have been around since human life first began. Isolation can be a helpful concept at times in moderation; however there are many cases in which it can progress beyond a threshold can cause harm and emotional agony. John Steinbeck does a brilliant job illustrating effects of loneliness within three characters who suffered greatly. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy all suffer great isolation at the hands of racial discrimination, sexism, and loneliness.

This illustrates how trivial a black man can be compared to a white woman despite living in the 1930s when there is a great deal of sexism towards women. Crooks is also treated less by the rest of the ranchmen as he is isolated. ‘They let the nigger come in that night.’ Crooks was allowed into the bunkhouse on Christmas day. This demonstrates how Crooks is physically separated, like the animals, from he white workers.

Throughout Of Mice and Men, the idea of how social class impacts isolation is explored through various literary techniques. The racial discrimination of the 1930’s is demonstrated through the onomastic imagery of Crooks and the setting of his home. This is evident through Crooks’ name representing his “crooked spine” and how he resides in “a little shed that leaned of the wall of the barn”. Steinbeck is demonstrating the disregard for Crooks’ place in society through his physicality being contrary from the rest and the fact that he is forced to be isolated from the other workers. Furthermore the rigid hierarchy is depicted through the juxtaposition of the citizens. The bindlestiffs “that work on ranches” are considered to be “the loneliest

When he says, “S’pose you wouldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books” (72). Crooks can’t do other things as most men can do on the ranch based on the color of his skin. He doesn’t have a physical or mental disability that is preventing him from doing anything, unlike Candy, but because he looks different than most respected men on the ranch would look like, it segregates him for everyone else. When someone makes prejudicial judgments on another person, based on their gender or race, it’s discrimination, and in this case, it’s racism for Crooks. This man is also being treated unfairly because he is forced to behave and do things that he would not wish to do. He tells Lennie about how he is only able to read books, possibly rereading a number of books multiple times, while he isn’t able to enjoy the company of another person on the ranch. Crooks isn’t allowed to form a friendship with someone else because nobody wants to even dare be around him, or have Crooks be a part of their life. He is being treated unfairly and horribly on the ranch, not for a good reason either, but because he is being judged by the color of his

“S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy cause you were black… I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick” (Steinbeck 80). All throughout the novella Of Mice and Men, Candy, Lennie and Curley's wife are made lonely, isolated and undergo attempts to dehumanize them. In the time of the Great Depression migrant workers such as George and Lennie were traveling looking for work. Lennie, a migrant worker is not mentally there. He often acts like a child and doesn't know when enough is enough. George allows him to travel with him because he is afraid he wouldn't be able to survive on his own, and in fear that he would be discriminated against because of his dumbness. Candy, an old white guy who has been around for multiple years. He is often discriminated because of ageism. Curley’s wife, very attractive and seeks attention often, but she just wants to make her dream of being an actress come true. Steinbeck tries to make her “invisible” by always referring to her as Curley’s wife never as her own. Furthermore, Candy, Lennie, and Curley’s wife all felt the loneliness and isolation throughout the novella Of Mice and Men.

Steinbeck’s uses of language and setting to highlight the isolation of experienced ranch workers like George Milton and Lennie Small. “On the sand-banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little grey sculptured stones.” “And then from that direction of the state highway came the sound of sycamore leaves. The rabbits hurried noiselessly to cover.” Above I have quoted a portion of what I think is isolation, George Milton and Lennie Small are in an isolated area here, when he says “and then from that direction of the state highway came the sound of sycamore leaves” you can hear nothing else but sycamore leaves. It is isolated due to hearing the sycamore leaves if it were less isolated you wouldn’t be able to hear the sycamore leaves you would hear the noise of traffic as it there is a highway nearby. Also, Steinbeck describes the rabbits as statues this is because rabbits are still and when someone comes by the run, this proves it is an isolated area as they are still like statues because no one passes by. This relates back to being a ranch worker also the great depression, you have to travel a lot when working as a ranch worker also you would have to move and find work during the period of the great depression.

In the novel, Of Mice and Men, the author, John Steinbeck, takes a strong stance against many social issues. Steinbeck voices his opinions on controversial rights such as women 's rights and the treatment of migrant workers. One of the main points that Steinbeck addresses is his dislike for the treatment of African-Americans. He expresses his views through the hardship and turmoil of Crooks, the only African-American character in the novel. Crooks is looked down upon by his peers and is considered inferior by most due to the color of his skin. He is constantly harassed and beaten up by his boss and those he works with. Furthermore, Crooks is not even allowed to socialize or go into the living quarters of the other men. In

One of the main themes in Of Mice and Men focuses on gender inequality and racial issues, despite the main protagonist being white men. One example of this is Crooks, the black man who worked on the ranch. According to Michael Zeitler’s “Freedom in Of Mice and Men,” the author described Crooks’s character as “reduced to nothing” with no ego or personality “to arouse like or dislike” which was a result of the discrimination

John Steinbeck introduces the character Crooks in the novella, Of Mice and Men, by presenting his character through his possessions and through the little description of his appearance. At the beginning of chapter four, Steinbeck presents Crooks as a “negro stable buck,” then begins to show the readers what Crooks are like through his possessions. Steinbeck introduces Crooks to the readers in this way, so the readers have an idea of what type of life Crooks had lived as a coloured man. That quote also gives the readers hints of the theme of racism and how society was like during the 1930s. Furthermore, it is shown to the readers that Crooks has “...more possessions than