Loneliness In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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,

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

Crooks is shown to be of equal importance as the animals in the barn. He is also lonely because he only has interactions with horses all day long. For example, when Crooks questions Lennie about what would happen is something happened to George, Crook cries, "A guys needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody" (72). Crooks has lived on his own his entire life because he has black skin.

Born of African-American descent, his isolation is only worsened from his childhood where he was the only black child playing in a group of white children. Crooks’ father didn't like that he hung around a bunch of white children, however Crooks being so young he didn't know about the racism around him. When he is speaking to lennie in the barn, he tells him that,“”A guy needs somebody- to be near him.” he whined,”a guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long’s he's with you. I tell ya,” he cried, “i tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.””(72-73). This quote from Crooks explains how crook feels, and has felt for most of his life. Crook explains that everyone just needs someone to be with throughout their life, growing up with racism in the world has made Crooks believe that he can't make a connection to anyone ultimately leaving him alone at the farm for the rest of his life.

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.

Curley’s Wife is lonely because she had nobody to love her, and the person that was supposed to love her didn’t. The farmer workers only view Curley’s Wife as trouble because of Curley making her lonely by them not talking to her. For example, George view her as no good and only as trouble throughout the whole book and even warns Lennie

Simply because the color of Crooks’ skin he is lonely and isolated. At the beginning of chapter four we meet Crooks, “Crooks, the negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room;”(Steinbeck 66). Crooks not living in the bunkhouse and in the harness room leads to why he is so isolated. During that time his race was discriminated against so much that he wouldn't even have a chance to be anything but lonely.

Crooks is a bitter man that has lost hope in getting ahead, because of his race. As a black man, he does not have the same opportunities as other people on the ranch. For instance, when Candy and Lennie explain their dream of owning their own piece of land to Crooks, Crooks smashes their hopes. He says, “‘You guys is just kiddin’ yourself. You’ll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you won’t get no land’”

There was times when all the guys would relax and play cards but wouldnt even bother to ask Crooks if he would like to play. Only on certain occasions like Christmas. Crooks is the loneliest character in the book because he stays and sleeps in the barn by himself. Crooks has deep mistrust with the other workers because of how they treat him and how they all don’t see him as one of them.

To begin with, Crooks is a character which is left by himself in the barn because he is a colored man. When he starts talking for the very first time in the story, he says that he can’t be in the bunkhouse

Crooks is the only black man on the ranch. Most of the men share bunks with each other, but Crooks is forced to live alone. “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). The housing arrangement for Crooks creates a larger divide between him and the rest of the men forcing the lack of relationships he has with them. Even though the men do not have to live with him, they still refuse to associate with him because of his skin color. “‘They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black’” (Steinbeck 68). The constant feeling of being alone and an outsider has caused Crooks to be suspicious of anyone nice to him and to abandon all of his dreams. When Lennie and Crooks first interact, Crooks comes across rude for he fears Lennie will act like everyone else. It becomes clear during his conversation with Lennie that all his time alone has messed greatly with his mind. “’ I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick”” (Steinbeck 73). Loneliness and isolation caused Crooks to have a hard, warped

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie are two of these migrant workers who travel together. At the ranch where George and Lennie recently started working, they meet two guys named Candy and Crooks. They are both older men, and Crooks is also African American. Unfortunately, Candy, Lennie, and Crooks are all discriminated against. Accordingly, the theme of loneliness is revealed in the novella Of Mice and

The reader learns that he is aware of his loneliness when he says, “‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya,’ he cried, ‘I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick’” (Steinbeck 72-73).

“ A guy needs somebody - to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.” Discuss how ‘Of Mice and Men’ explores loneliness.

Curley's wife is also lonely; she is the only female on the ranch, and her husband has forbidden anyone to talk with her. She counters he loneliness by flirting with the ranch hands, Which ends up leading to her death by "flirting" with Lennie. Crooks is far apart from others because of his skin color. As the only black man on the ranch, he is not allowed into the bunkhouse with the others, and he doesn't spend time and talk to them. He fights his loneliness with books and his work, but even he understands that these things are nothing can happen for human companionship.