How Does Steinbeck Present Crooks In Of Mice And Men

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Crooks is a symbol of how society treats the disabled and African Americans. Having to deal with the loneliness and the segregation that the ranch members put forth on him. he confides in Lennie “A guy needs somebody- to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.”(Steinbeck 72). Unfortunately, Because of the amount of melanin in his skin he is shunned and treated like an animal. He sleeps in the barnhouse, works on the land, and comes back to his stable. When Candy mentions the dream to Crooks he temporality thinks that he could call something his own like they are. Which is something very few African Americans had because less than seventy years before African Americans themselves, were property. Curly’s wife then enters the room to Crooks vexation. When he tells her to leave, she replies scornfully “Listen Nigger… You know what I could do?....Yes, ma’am.” Crooks says. She continues to make herself bigger and him ever so small, “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny.” (Steinbeck 80-81). Knowing the truth in her words not only Crooks but Candy and Lennie dwindle in their comments to get her out of Crooks’ room. Interestly enough though, only Lennie, the flawed human is the only one to not see crooks color.

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