Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Steinbeck, the author of the novella Of Mice and Men, believed that the acceptance of discrimination in a culture is toxic to the discriminated as well as to those who discriminate. Inequality and segregation was common at the time was written, the 1930s. African Americans, women, and the disabled were often discriminated against. At the time, it was common place for those who were oppressed to accept it and often, “got no rights.” This submission to their oppression allows others to feel they have power over the oppressed. This is causes people, even those who are oppressed in certain situations, to feel that they have control over the oppressed. To demonstrate this toxicity, Steinbeck uses the characterization to develop his central theme regarding the detrimental …show more content…

Crooks, an African American, has accepted his oppression. He keeps to himself as to preserve what he has because he could have his rights stripped from him solely because of his race. He is over protective of his possessions and his room. He says to multiple people, such as Candy and Lennie, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.” Crooks is so apprehensive that anything he ever had could be taken from because of something that is out of his control to the point where he becomes a recluse. When his privacy is invaded and his very few rights are tarnished by Lennie, who didn't do it purposely, he lashes out. He is so mentally tortured by his society that he no longer trusts anyone. He no longer values human companionship because in his eyes no one is to be trusted. He responds to Lennie when Lennie talks about George, “Well s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?” He knows the feeling of abandonment because he, himself, was abandoned by the people who claimed to secure his rights. To him, everyone is thief who stole his rights or someone who lied

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