Crooks’ Battle Against Racism According to Pierre Berton, “Racism is a refuge for the ignorant. It seeks to divide and destroy. It is the enemy of freedom, and it deserves to be met head-on and stamped out." In other words, racism finds shelter among those who lack understanding and enlightenment. It separates people and acts as a barrier to equality and justice, making it important to actively combat prejudice and promote inclusivity and respect for all regardless of their race and background. Moreover, discrimination is the unjust treatment of individuals on the basis of various categories including race, age, gender, religion, or nationality. Racism is the most common form of discrimination, where people of color are unfairly targeted solely …show more content…
Ultimately, Crooks’ mistreatment highlights the broader issues of inequality, discrimination, and unfair treatment faced by African Americans, shining a light on societal injustices at the time. Additionally, Crooks yearns for companionship despite the racial discrimination he faces. When Lennie enters Crooks’ room uninvited, Crooks sharply asserts and declares that “nobody got any right” in his room “but [him]” (68). Through this, Crooks underscores his need for personal space as he tries to protect himself from further mistreatment. He avoids getting emotionally attached to anyone on the ranch. For this reason, Crooks’ defensive attitude is evident in his refusal to allow Lennie into his room, portraying his unwillingness to form emotional bonds with others. Furthermore, Crooks continues his conversation with Lennie and tries to make him aware of his exclusion from “play[ing] rummy” with the other men “‘cause [he is] black.” He emphasizes that “a guy needs someone” to prevent him from “[going] nuts” (72). In other words, Crooks explains to Lennie about his exclusion from activities such as playing cards with other men because of his skin
Crooks also feels a great deal of loneliness, as he is an outcast on the ranch. He lives in his own room where hardly anybody ever bothers him. He is never invited to play cards or do anything fun with the other guys. One day a curious Lenny asked, “Why ain’t you wanted?” Crooks replies “Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They think I stink. Well I tell you, you all stink to me” (pg. ). Crooks’ attitude towards this is shown when he saw Lennie playing with his puppy outside of Crooks’ quarters. Crooks states that “if me, as a black man, is not allowed in the white quarters, then white men are not allowed in mine” (pg. ). However this is merely a front as the more open side of Crooks is shown later on in the book.
Firstly, I am going to talk about Lennie who was known as a man with
“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.” (Page 72-73) As you can see, Crooks also spends most of his time alone because he is black. He is not allowed to enter the bunk house nor go to town with the guys. He is not allowed to enter the bunk house, he is not allowed to go to town with the guys and nobody likes him because he is black. This shows that he has no friendship and his whole life is filled with loneliness. His case is different from Lennie’s.
Discrimination was one of the issues that caused conflict in the novel “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. One example of discrimination in the novel comes in the form of racial discrimination against Crooks, as he is an African American. Another example of discrimination is gender discrimination against Curley’s wife. Finally, there is discrimination against mentally disabled people, which is evident in Lennie’s character. The ranch hands' actions and conversations demonstrated the racial discrimination against Crooks for his skin colour, gender discrimination against Curley’s wife for her gender, and prejudice against Lennie, who was mentally disabled individual. This prevented the characters from reaching their full potential and causes tragedy.
In the book Of Mice and Men works as a stable buck on the ranch. Crooks is a lonely, wrinkle man that think that everyone is racist because he is black, and that made him anger enough to take part of his anger out on Lennie. Pg. 68 paragraph 6 “’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black.”
Crooks has no rights to stay or play with other white men. He tells Lennie,”Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink.” (100).
In the novel “Of Mice and Men” most of the characters were exposed to a vast amount of prejudice. Being victims of prejudice strongly affected the lives of these characters. In the novel the author focused on the characters expressing their emotions and how they feel about being victims of prejudice. It's a flaw in modern day society as well as in the olden times, affecting people in bad and hurtful ways. It's an excuse to judge someone without knowing anything about them, and an opinion that's not based on reason, fact or any experience at all.
Crooks is the stable hand on the ranch and is the only black person there. He is so named because he was kicked in the back by a horse which bent his spine. Everyone on the farm excludes him because of the color of his skin. Because of this, he experiences a strong sense of loneliness. While Lennie is in the barn he goes to the light he sees which is crook's room.
In today’s world, how are minorities looked at? Are they discriminated? Or are they just like everyone else? How do you view them? John Steinbeck portrays the indifference and discrimination between a group of men and the minorities among the rest.
Jessica Buckley Lutrell English 31 January 2018 Dreams Cease To Exist Past the Sound of A Gunshot Steinbeck’s novella, “Of Mice and Men,” exhibits the different types of discrimination within society during The Great Depression. This novella is centered around two characters, George and Lennie. These men, as well as several other men, have the natural desire in life to accomplish the American Dream.
Crooks is isolated because of his race, his disability and his deep mistrust of others. He is physically separated from the other men and has his own room in the barn. His crooked back means that like candy he has limited social or work contact with the other men as he tends the horses. His loneliness forces him to conform when Lennie
In 1937, John Steinbeck published a novella titled, Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men is a short and simple story evolving around the bond between two lads who share an optimistic dream to one day live on a piece of land of their own. Although the novella may seem short and simple to many, the themes are in fact very unique, meaningful, and relates to real-life circumstances. In this blog, two themes that are to be discussed further on includes: discrimination and the corrupting power of woman. Discrimination is one of the major themes that have been conveyed exceptionally well throughout the novel.
Appearances Of Mice Many feel that the most common cause of discrimination is because of someone’s abilities. In actuality the majority of discrimination is done because of someone’s looks. In the novella Of Mice and Men, author John Steinbeck crafted numerous characters to offer a visual of what this discrimination looks like. Many types of discrimination occur in this novella.
He keeps to himself a lot and hides away in his little room near the horses. “I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t welcome in my room,” he says to Lennie who wants to come in and talk to him as he obviously looked lonely. Crooks lets him in after a while as Lennie doesn’t mind the fact that he is black. Crooks has no white friends because he is discriminated against and doesn’t trust them. “
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.