Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Discrimination in mice and men]
Of mice and men crooks character analysis
Racism in of mice of men
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Discrimination in mice and men]
Discrimination relevance in Of Mice and Men
“Watch the walls come down, whether it's in the South or on Wall Street. When the walls come down, what do we find? More markets, more talent, more capital and growth. Which means that the race and sex discrimination stunt economic growth. It's not good for capitalism. It's not good for America's growth. And it's not morally right” (Jackson). In the novel Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, the idea of discrimination comes through in; ageism, racism and sexism. Discrimination is present against those with ethical and physical disabilities. Discrimination is found in many characters in the novel, though, discrimination is clearly portrayed by the following characters; Crooks, Curley’s wife
…show more content…
Crooks is a lonely, oppressed African American stable buck. “CROOKS, THE NEGRO stable buck, had his bunk in the harness, room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn” Steinbeck (66). Crooks is discriminated, by being isolated and ostracized from the other ranch hands. Likewise, Crooks is mainly discriminated because he is African American, and is viewed as a less being in society. Additionally, Crooks has no rights at the ranch, and he knows his place there. In the following quote Crooks is being threatened in his own room, by Curley’s wife. “ Listen niggar, she said. You know what I can do to you if you open your trap” Steinbeck (80). In the aftermath of the confrontation between Crooks and Curley’s wife, he becomes very scared. Knowing that Curley’s wife has power over him, to make his life miserable or cause a life threatening problem to occur. Curley’s wife implies to Crooks, that if he ever confronts her again in an argument, she will accuse him of rape. Then, Crooks will be killed or most likely, lynched. Reason being; because Crooks has no rights, for he is treated almost like an animal, described also like an object, not a person often. Steinbeck possibly included this theme, because in the 1930’s African Americans were treated unjustly, in early american …show more content…
Candy had an accident working on the ranch that took off his hand, four years ago and left him disabled, forever. The novel repeatedly mentions Old Candy rubbing his stump of a wrist, hinting at his disability. Furthermore, Candy interrupts George and Lennie talking about the fatta of the lan when George states to Old Candy, “Say-what’s it to you? You got nothing to do with us” Steinbeck (59). As, Old Candy talks to them, George looks at him in disgust, for being in there business, and George thinks of no way he can be of a service to then. For he is old and disabled, but Candy does not give up, and tells them how he can help them pay the majority of the money for the land and, be of a service to them. In fact in the next quote Candy is persuading them to let him go with them, for he knows himself that he is disabled and old. “They’ll can me purty soon. Just’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll put me on the country. Maybe if I give you guys my money, you’ll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain’t no good at it” Steinbeck (60). Therefore, Candy is discriminated against because he is old and disabled. Incidentally, Steinbeck may have included this type of discrimination in the novel, because he wanted to show how society treated the disabled and the elderly, in that time frame. During that era, the mentally ill or disabled were usually locked up and
Crooks, the black stable buck, is isolated from the community of migrant workers because of his racial status. When Lennie goes into the barn to see his puppy, he and Crooks have a conversation. “'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'” (68). Lennie is too kind-hearted and intellectually slow to visualize the apparent racial boundary that sets Crooks aside from Lennie and the rest of the workers. Crooks is so isolated from the rest of the workers that he says he “can't” play cards, not that he isn't allowed to, which means that the racial boundary is like a wall Crooks cannot cross. Because he is black, Crooks believes that he cannot play cards with the white men. He can't get over the racial boundary, and believes he will be forever separated from the white men. In the beginning of chapter 4, Steinbeck describes Crooks' living space. “Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the...
In the novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, there is only one woman and one African American male announced in the reading. The women is Curley’s wife, her name is not stated in the novel, who is the only woman that lives on the farm. While Crooks, the African American male, lives on the farm in a little cottage away from the rest of the men that live there. As we keep reading, we soon get the idea that Steinbeck’s purpose of women and African Americans is to present: discrimination towards race, gender stereotyping, and the double standards in the predominantly male workplace.
Several characters in the novel Of Mice and Men are presented with additional obstacles throughout the book. Whether because of color, sex, or disabilities, John Steinbeck purposefully did this to illustrate oppression. Of Mice and Men explores the effects of systemic oppression on women, African-Americans, and people with disabilities.
Crooks, An African American in Of Mice and Men, who is not able to fit in because of his race, symbolizes racial profiling in society today. Steinbeck clearly makes his point in the novella by concluding that Crooks is not important to them because he is African American. This relates to society today through the Trayvon Martin Case. Trayvon was shot and killed because a Latino thought he was harmful because of his race. Trayvon and Crooks are both victims of racial profiling in society.
As Mark Twain once stated, “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.” This sentiment is often echoed by general society; people seem to have lost faith in humanity. However, John Steinbeck illustrates his more optimistic opinion about “the perfectibility of man” by suggesting how man can improve. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, two tenants called George and Lennie go through many hardships all while chasing their dream of possessing their own farm. While they work at a farm, they meet an old swamper called Candy who offers to help them achieve their dream; he does so to ensure that he will have a future after he is fired for being too old. On page 60, Candy discusses the recent death of his dog and asks to join in on George and Lennie’s dream. Through this passage, Steinbeck proves that humans have an animalistic tendency of eliminating those who are weaker than them. This is depicted through the details connecting Candy to his dog as well as Candy’s diction when describing his potential future life. Steinbeck’s negative attitude towards man’s predatory nature implies that society needs to improve and prevent such oppressive behavior from occurring.
First and foremost, Crooks is a person who gets treated with discrimination, much more than anyone else. Simply because he is black and has a crooked back, from which he received his name from. People continuously treat him horribly, one person being Curley’s Wife. “Well you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even
An example of how the men are discriminative towards Crooks is that he is forced to live in a shack away from the bunkhouse and also Crooks says that "They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say "I stink" and "I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse." An example of when Curley's Wife is critical towards Crooks is when she looks into his room to see what Lennie and Crooks are doing and then she states, shaking her head, that they left the weak ones behind. Also, she threatens to have Crooks hanged because a black man should never talk to a white woman the way he just had. As a result of all of these discriminatory acts against him, Crooks feels unwanted and lonely because of his color and placement on the farm.
In Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, several characters, namingly Crooks, and Curley’s wife, represent the people on the margins of society, who had no rights or say in anything, during the 20th century. Through these characters it is clear to see that darker skinned people, and women, had no say, or choice to choose what happened to them during the 20th century. As of the 21rst century, we have the moral obligation to help those that are less fortunate than we are, and uplift them up from the margins of society. Steinbeck shows that there were many groups of people on the margins of society by using characters as an example. For example, Steinbeck displays Crooks, as a stable man, but unable to participate in daily activities, as well as is segregated from the rest of them men at the ranch.
The first one is an obvious example of what I'm referring to “Stable buck oh, st-able buck!... Where the hell is that damn n*****”. Right in that quote, you can see not only is crooks referred to with a racist slur. Another example of clear discrimination against crooks is this quote "…You go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room." "Why ain’t you wanted?" Lennie asked. "’Cause I’m black…" right here we learn that crooks have been battered down so much by this hatred that he himself thinks he is not worth as much as others. The way that Steinbeck also uses indirect characterization through dialogue to say crooks is worthless and his words mean nothing Crooks "This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see? These are just a few of the many examples of Steinbeck
Flawless skin, small waists, the unattainable idea of perfection. The idea that a woman should be the icon of feminine beauty, a brainless robot that is great at housework and pleasing their husband has lasts from generation to generation. This idea continues in the 1930s, when the Great Depression was wreaking havoc on everyday life. Instead of letting equally smart women work alongside of men to bring the stocks up, they were still told to stay home and be the mothers and wives that they should. This idea continues in Steinbeck’s famous book, Of Mice and Men. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck subtly reiterates his belief that white men are superior to every other race and gender. Therefore, the misogynistic portrayal of Curley’s wife is sympathetic,
Crooks is a character who is mistreated in many ways because he is black. Crooks is the stable buck of the barn. It’s not certain whether Crooks is his name, or his nickname, but we know he got kicked in the back by a horse and had a crooked back ever since. Nevertheless he gets yelled at by the boss every time something’s wrong. " ‘The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn
The racial discrimination was one of the aspects of the discrimination in this story. Consequently, Crooks had to battle with various difficulties and conflicts, which prevented him from reaching his full potential. The ranch hands did not let Crooks live, eat, and play with them because his skin colour was different. It led to the conflict between him and Lennie. "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. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.” (Steinbeck, 68). In this conversation between Lennie and African - American stable buck Crooks, Crooks explains why he could not accepted to play cards together with other ranch hands. The fact that other ranch hands discriminate Crooks because of his skin colour is one of the important examples that prove social belief that race was one factor to determine a person’s value in Depression era. Crooks was isolated. This isolation prevented Crooks ...
The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is written primarily about two men who go from job to job collecting their pay to try and achieve their dream of buying land. While at a job, they encounter an elderly and handicapped worker named Candy and his equally old and handicapped dog. While they discuss their flawed lives, it is made known that something is wrong with society and The American Dream. As a result of Candy’s character being old and handicapped it makes his dream unachievable. Candy fears of being disposed because of his disabilities. Steinbeck utilizes Candy’s character in order to reveal the discrimination of the elderly and handicapped which demonstrates the flawed nature of the American Dream.
Discrimination is a problem that plagues those whose qualities are vulnerable. There are many examples of discrimination in the novel, Of Mice and Men. The characters face discrimination in many different ways including racial, age, gender, and disability. Crooks, the black stable buck, is the victim of racial discrimination. Candy, the old swamper, is a victim of the age discrimination. The victim of gender discrimination is Curley's wife because she is a woman. Life of the victims is hard because of the things they have to go through. Lastly, Lennie is mentally handicap so he discriminated against because of that.
In the 1930s, there was great discrimination against old age and disability which is a large part of Candy’s insecurity. Candy has a “round stick-like wrist but no hand”, this disability makes him less of an asset in the ranch and therefore he must prove his usefulness by carrying ‘a big push-broom’ otherwise he is likely to be sacked. Also, Steinbeck uses specific wording to insinuate certain things subtly. Candy has ‘no hand’ and the ranch workers are called ‘ranch hands’ showing he is less useful and is also not one of them.