Racism In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Marguerite Gardiner once stated “Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart” (Gardiner). This quotation suggests that prejudice is the symbol of ignorance, for men to either recognize or ignore the judgements they hold against others. Prejudice creates barriers for people with different backgrounds, which makes it harder for people to communicate with each other. In these two articles, one titled “Of Mice and Men, Masterplots, Fourth Edition,” by Angela D. Hickey and the other titled “Of Mice and Men, Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series, Supplement,” by Lynn C. Munro, the authors explain the way John Steinbeck wrote about prejudice. These authors also demonstrate various kinds of prejudice can make it difficult for many to achieve the American Dream. In the novel “Of Mice and Men”, author John Steinbeck reflects on the prejudice that even still plagues modern times. The novel is set in the rural Salinas valleys of California. The issues in the novel illustrates the routine and frustrations in the lifestyle of a nomadic migrant worker. Steinbeck uses the main characters’ personalities to show how people were affected during the Great Depression. He also incorporates the idea of the American Dream, and how every character has their own vision of it.

In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, power struggles are an evident topic in social groups, racial groups and between individuals. Lennie struggles against his ill-equipped mind’s way of viewing the world, Crooks faces discrimination because of the colour of his skin, and three separate people all experience feelings of loneliness and isolation.

words, Crooks, a character from "Of Mice and Men," shows his pride for being the son of a landowner instead of a slave of the South. However, living in California does not liberate him from the clutches of racial prejudice during the Great Depression, the era in which "Of Mice and Men" was written by John Steinbeck. His novel depicts Crooks, an African-American farm worker, as a man threatened by the racism of the 1930s. Steinbeck describes the effects of discrimination on Crooks, including his loneliness, crushed aspirations, and bitter attitude, to illustrate the hopelessly bleak situation for African-Americans during the Great Depression.

Equality has been a hot topic in the past century. Women and African-Americans have not had equality for that long. Women gained quality in the 1920s and African-Americans gained equality in the 1960s. It took them a lot of time to get those rights and dream in Of Mice and Men, show equality must be worked for. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck utilizes the characters of Crooks and Curley’s wife to illustrate that equality takes a long time to come by.

Back in the day, around the 50s and 60s, racism was an enormous issue all over the world. Decades ago and to this day, racism may have been thought of as one person being less than another. For example, a human may have been considered less because of his/her skin color, religion and beliefs, or language. Despite the reality, none of those ideas show whom that person really is. In “Of Mice and Men,” Steinbeck has the characters use very racist actions toward the stable-buck, Crooks. It is evident that the men in this story are extremely racist because of the racial slurs used towards the black man, no one seems to care what he has to say or what he does, and Crooks is being separated from everyone else in the bunkhouse.

When you see colors what do you feel? Different colors have the ability to convey different emotions. For example, red can commonly be associated with anger and blue is often associated with sadness. In the book, Of Mice and Men, many emotions are conveyed, especially by Lennie. Lennie is like a child, trapped in the body of a big, strong man and he experiences many emotions throughout the book, ranging from innocence to loyalty, which are represented by the color, yellow. Yellow is representative of innocence, loyalty, and helplessness, that Lenny experiences throughout the book, Of Mice and Men. From its childlike quality to its warm undertones, I’m going to tell you why.

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.

Discrimination have been happening everywhere in the world and as long as anyone can remember. Discrimination is still a problem today. America just had protests dealing with Black Lives Matter and African Americans feel they are still discriminated against and treated differently. The time that the novel Of Mice and Men takes place in is important because during the Great Depression it was hard to find money, so Lennie couldn’t just stay at home while George had to work. They both had to make money to support themselves. Lennie, Crooks, and Curley's wife all face discrimination which greatly impacts their lives.

The novella, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck , is set in California in the 1930s. The story revolves around and Lennie and George, two workers who travel together. They find their way to Salinas Valley, where they hope to begin work. They hope to make it big, get rich, and buy some land for themselves. However, they encounter some challenges that could possibly be a roadblock to their dreams. One of these challenges is discrimination because not everybody in the novella is treated equally. Discrimination is displayed in many ways in the book, especially with the characters of Lennie, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy. Lenny is discriminated against because he is mentally disabled, Crooks is black, Curley's wife is a woman, and Candy is old.

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.

How is a woman in an era dominated by men expected to gain attention? Steinbeck wrote the novel titled Of Mice and Men emphasising the male society while displaying American dreams crushed throughout the novel. Whereas, minimal wiggle room for Curley’s wife expands upon her husband’s father’s farm because of its majority being men and her being the inferior sex. Her image demonstrates a sexual figure towards the male workers when Lennie and George saw her for the first time as stated, “She had full, rough lips and widespread eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails red and her hair hung in curls with a cotton house dress,” whereas red usually provokes people as an attention seeking color from its vividness bringing along attention to her hands

“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

All humans are different. We have different skin colors, not everyone is the same sex. That is what make us human. These differences are what bring us together, but they can tear us apart. Humans can be plain and simply cruel to one another. John Steinbeck shows us how us as humans can be cruel and our cruelties of the past that still live one to today. He brings to light that people who stand out or are mistreated to say the least. Humans were cruel in the past and they’ll always be cruel. It’s just human nature.

“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.

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.