Failure Of The American Dream In 'Of Mice And Men'

Crooks is a literate black man who tends horses on the ranch. He has long been the victim of oppressive violence and prejudice and has retired behind a facade of aloofness and reserve, his natural personality deadened and suppressed by years of antagonism. Crooks is the only black man in the novel. He has a cynical intelligence and a contemptuous demeanor that he uses to prevent others from inevitably excluding him because of his race. This sign of intelligence is conveyed when Steinbeck describes Crook’s bunkhouse:

Crooks got his name from an old back injury, hence his back was crooked. Crooks was also the only man of color in the book. All of the other men were white and this segregated Crooks. Crooks was a very intellectual man, yet no one really gave him a chance due to the fact that he was of another race. Crooks said, “‘ And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch,’” to show that he was aware that he was in the minority(70).

Among many of the characters, Crooks behaves by isolating himself due to loneliness because of his skin color. Although it is not as popular as it was before, racism is still active today and has been going on for generations. The author strongly portrays loneliness within Crooks as many examples are shown throughout the story, one being easily exposed to discrimination because he is the only black person at the ranch. It’s also easy to tell he isn’t welcomed when it comes to socializing with others for many reasons; he lives in a shack where urinating on the floor is the only option, has the job of a stable buck, and is talked by no one. Obviously, Crooks is isolated on purpose and is only kept to do the dirty work. “A guy goes nuts if he

He needs someone, someone to talk with, a friend. After Lennie explains his dream to Crooks, he says he would work free. Later he decides that he does not want to face rejection. “I don’t wanna go to no place like that. I’d never wanna go to a place like that';

George has some of the biggest challenges in this story because he has to deal with the consequences of Lennie’s

Crooks the stable hand at the ranch that George and Lennie come to work at. Crooks has an American Dream just like George and Lennie. Crooks is African American so during this time period some people at the ranch are discriminating against him because of his race. “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” (p.81). Even though Crooks supposed to be free from all discrimination people still haven’t changed. Crooks someday dreams of playing cards with the other fellows at the ranch but mostly he wants to be equal. “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black...A guy needs somebody-to be near him” (p.72). Crooks wants to be treated just like the other people on the ranch. He’s not allowed in the bunkhouse because of his race. Crooks has been forced to sleep alone, away from the other workers on the ranch who sleep and play cards together in the bunkhouse. “‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black” (p.68). The dream of all becoming equal is very common with many African Americans during this time period. Curley’s Wife also discriminating Crooks. “You know what I could do to you if you open up your trap” (p.80). Every time Crooks stands up for himself he just gets pushed over and never really acknowledged. Crooks also threatened by Curley's wife. She’s nearly at the bottom of the pile in the leadership of the ranch, but she still has power over Crooks. Crooks dreams that there will be a place and time where people won’t judge people by the color of their skin. Even though Crooks has a great American dream in mind he’s likely to not complete his dream. The Boss and Curley have shown that they do not trust Crooks at

Crooks is the stable buck. He is different from the rest because he is black, in a time where racial prejudice is strong. He has also been crippled, and so his life is very bad. He lives separately to the others in his own room, the harness room. He has books on his shelves, which shows that he is more intellectual than the others. He has fond memories of his past, when he and his white friends would play on their chicken ranch, and were oblivious as to why their parents didn't like it. Now he knows why, and he hates the fact that he can't come into the bunkhouse to play cards, but has to spend all his free time by himself. The white people exclude him, so instead of pleading with them he decides he is going to exclude them as well.

"'Cause I'm black.” (Stienbeck,2002). This is exemplifies how he is racially isolated. When Crooks was younger he had family but he was part of the only non-white family in the area and therefore had little companionship from an early age. While you could argue that because he has known nothing but loneliness he would therefore have no knowledge of another way of being it is hinted that Crooks used to be part of a relatively wealthy family with companions. He says, “"I remember when I was a little kid on my old man's chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there.” (Stienbeck,2002). These examples both paint Crooks as a mournful person missing his old life and feeling constant loneliness regarding his current life. Crooks is also isolated by his community.

Steinbeck's reason for writing about her not being able to achieve the American dream is to show how not just men have dreamt and failed this dream. When Curley’s wife finds Lennie in the barn alone she starts talking to him and tells him that when she was a kid “‘a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with the show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’ let me’” (88). This shows how women also dreamt the American Dream and it was hard to achieve because Curley’s wife is a woman and she was so close to her American Dream, but still could not achieve

Crooks, who being the only black man on the ranch, is not allowed to fraternize with the rest the men. In his monologue he describes how he feels. “S’pose you didn’t have nobody… A guy needs somebody to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody….(72)

Accepting differences has been an issue faced throughout all of mankind. The same is true at the time of the Great Depression, where race, gender, and disabilities all played a role in deciding how society will treat a person or a group of people. Of Mice and Men is an influential American story written by John Steinbeck. The book expresses the harsh reality of being a migrant worker during the Great Depression. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck displays the negative impact of discrimination against people with physical and mental differences, this is revealed through the characters of Curley's wife, Lennie, and Crooks.

Additionally, Crooks has a dream of being able to have friends to talk to. Because he is black, he hardly has any friends or conversations with the white ranch workers, which results in immense loneliness. He confesses his loneliness to Lennie on page S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black.

George takes care of Lennie because he doesn’t have anyone else, neither of them do, but it becomes hard for him when he has to repeatedly remind Lennie of things. George doesn’t understand what it’s like for Lennie when he’s trying to pay attention and listen, no one really does, but if he were to think of how hard it is for Lennie maybe he could get a concept of how much harder it really is for Lennie than it is for George. “I done another bad thing… Ain’t you gonna give me hell?” (Steinbeck 113)

Crooks has the dream of having a friend and being treated as an equal. Being black, Crooks was born with a disadvantage in achieving the American Dream. Crooks race makes him oppressed, he’s seen as inferior to the white race. “‘If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it […] This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see?’” (70/71). Crooks is clearly bitter about the fact that he doesn’t have basic human rights like the other white men on the farm, simply because he’s black. Secondly, because of his skin color, he’s isolated to his barn with no one to talk to. “‘A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ or thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and last him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by. I seen things out here. I wasn’t drunk. I don't know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an’ then it would be all right. But i jus’ don’t know.’” (73). Crooks longs to have someone be by his side, so he doesn’t have to keep imagining things. Finally, Crooks has a bad back, which makes working thoroughly and affectively much

The impossibility of the american dream was conveyed throughout the story in many different occasions. “Someday- we’re gonna get the jack together and we’re gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and’ a cow and some pigs and -”. George always had this dream of owning a ranch with animals, acres, and gardens. Lennie on the other hand, was only interested in the idea because he would get to care for his rabbits. This dream was never possible because the guys always had to keep on leaving the towns where they thought their dream would finally come true. “S'pose I went with you guys”. While working on the farm they meet this eledrey man named Candy. One day while George and Lennie were talking about the ranch Candy overheard and wanted