Isolation Of Crooks In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a novel of many themes and one of them is about discrimination direction against someone of a different race. This theme is quite important because it directly refers to the only black character in the book, Crooks. Steinbeck uses only one of the chapters in the book to explain the unfair treatment of Blacks but it’s enough to see the point.

Crooks, the African American stable hand of the Tyler ranch, was discriminated for his skin color and could not imagine his dreams would ever to come true because of it. Crooks grew up on his father’s ranch with his brothers and they were happy. He worked hard for his American Dream of eventually living off the ‘fat of the land’ with George and Lennie. Crooks' home is, a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn “This suggests that he is isolated from the other men and treated like the animals he cares for and as such is made to live with them” (“Effects of Segregation and Racism in Of Mice and Men Chapter 4”). He came to the quick realization that it is impossible to go along with George and Lennie and he does not see any dream with white men possible.

Crooks in Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men, is discriminated against due to the color of his skin. Crooks has a difficult time letting people in, because he has been alone for so long. Lennie sees Crooks as an equal and is not bothered by the color of his skin. “Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends. Crooks said sharply, ‘You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me’” (Steinbeck 68). Here readers see how Lennie attempts to befriend Crooks, but Crooks is not used to others trying to befriend

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

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Crooks, the African-American stable buck, is very different from the other ranch hands for many reasons. When Lennie goes into Crook’s shed, the reader learns that Crooks has a “‘busted-back’” (71) man, who is “more permanent than the other men” (67), due to him being a cripple. Other than Candy, the other men on the ranch seem to be young and healthy, which is a stark contrast from Crooks. In addition, Crooks is also the only black man on the ranch, and he is discriminated against because of it. When Lennie asks him why he can't play cards with the others, Crooks replies, “‘They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink’” (68). It is clear that Crooks wants to be included,

Have you ever been judged for your race? In the story Of Mice And Men, George and Lennie are trying to get a job at a ranch, but they have no idea how crazy that ranch is. Well in the story Of Mice And Men by John Steinback and a character named Crooks might be similar to you. Steinbeck’s character Crooks demonstrates discrimination in Of Mice and Men because he is black and people judge him by his color and that is really messed up because he is really nice.

(Steinbeck 72). As a result of the discriminatory mindsets of the people in that specific era, Crooks, being a Negro, is often avoided by everyone else. This combined with the fact that the stable hands come and go as they please makes for a very lonely existence with no one to talk to, no one to rely on, and no one to befriend. Even more, Crooks isolates himself with his deeply ingrained mistrust. Even his room is separate from the stable hands.

Because Crooks is black he is seen as having less worth than the white ranch hands, because of this he is excluded from the rest of the ranch hands and seen as an outcast. Because he was injured he and his ability to work was lessend he cant work as hard ans the other ranch hands. Crooks always seems like he is angry at every one when he is realy just lonely and wanting to be friends with the other ranch hands. Crooks, Lennie and Candy end up getting to know each other more and helping each others lonelyness.

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.

In John Steinbeck's book “Of Mice And Men” The character Crooks that is a black male in the time this book was written 1930’s the Great Depression had a big role on black people being isolated from groups of White Men.He is alienated in many ways in this book.

In the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the characters all have trouble achieving their dreams. Although they have the work ethic and determination, their conditions prevent them from fulfilling their full potential. Because of the oppression the characters face, they are unable to change their social status within their society. Black man, Crooks is one of the most oppressed character on the ranch.

Crooks seems powerless because the other workers on the ranch isolate him as a result of his race. In the novella, Crooks has his own living space and bedroom that is separated from the others; he rarely lets anyone come into his room. One day, Lennie, an outsider with a mental disability enters his room and starts to talk with Crooks. “‘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’” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks knows that because he is

Crooks experiences racism on the ranch every day, often several times a day. He explains, “There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this

Crooks is considered a lower class due to his race. The characters even refuse to enter into the same room as him; the theme of racism emerges when the characters communicate with Crooks. However, racism and segregation was fairly common in the 1930s. To make the story realistic for the time frame, Steinbeck needed themes such as racism. This can be another educational lesson by discussing the evolution of African-American rights.

In the novel “Of Mice and Men”, the character of Crooks is used by John Steinbeck, the author, to symbolise the downgrading of the black community occurring at the time in which the novel was set. Crooks is also significant as he provides an insight into the reality of the American Dream and the feelings of the people in the ranch; their loneliness and need for company.