Stereotypes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

755 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Social stigma

Outcasts are commonly given a negative connotation, but in reality, they are not always awful people. Throughout Of Mice and Men, the main theme is loneliness and is the main focus in all of the symbols. In “The Rules of the Game”, Waverly is exposed to her mother’s Chinese roots and is pressured into living her life according to them. During “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”, the characters are given obstacles and kicked out of their own homes, which causes a theme of depression and solitude. In these stories, all three characters are portrayed as an outcast because of people ‘judging them by their cover’. These characters have a different mentality, which makes them unique, in comparison to everyone else. To be an American is portrayed by these characters as being themselves, which has resulted them becoming lonely and an outcast. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Crooks’ race hinders his role in society, which makes him an outcast, and causes him to view America as a jailhouse. He is showing the stagnation that will be prolonged for all African Americans. Crooks tells Lennie about the …show more content…

I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks is being defensive of the little rights he has, and he is asking Lennie to respect his rights. Doing that, it opens up a window to Crooks’ past and how he has been brought up about these situations. Crooks is being treated like an animal by having to sleep near them and is not allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse with the other workers. The constant alienation and anticipation that Crooks is faced with has given him no hope, and essentially labeled him as an outcast, and displayed America as a

Show More
Related

  • Archetypes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    why Lennie and George Travel together and is not very understanding. Although you never find

    Read More

  • Desire for Companionship in John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men"

    1749 Words  | 4 Pages

    Crooks, the black stable buck, is isolated from the community of migrant workers because of his racial status. When Lennie goes into the barn to see his puppy, he and Crooks have a conversation. “'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'” (68). Lennie is too kind-hearted and intellectually slow to visualize the apparent racial boundary that sets Crooks aside from Lennie and the rest of the workers. Crooks is so isolated from the rest of the workers that he says he “can't” play cards, not that he isn't allowed to, which means that the racial boundary is like a wall Crooks cannot cross. Because he is black, Crooks believes that he cannot play cards with the white men. He can't get over the racial boundary, and believes he will be forever separated from the white men. In the beginning of chapter 4, Steinbeck describes Crooks' living space. “Crooks, the Negro stable buck, had his bunk in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the...

    Read More

  • Discrimination in the Book “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck

    1457 Words  | 3 Pages

    The racial discrimination was one of the aspects of the discrimination in this story. Consequently, Crooks had to battle with various difficulties and conflicts, which prevented him from reaching his full potential. The ranch hands did not let Crooks live, eat, and play with them because his skin colour was different. It led to the conflict between him and Lennie. "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. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.” (Steinbeck, 68). In this conversation between Lennie and African - American stable buck Crooks, Crooks explains why he could not accepted to play cards together with other ranch hands. The fact that other ranch hands discriminate Crooks because of his skin colour is one of the important examples that prove social belief that race was one factor to determine a person’s value in Depression era. Crooks was isolated. This isolation prevented Crooks ...

    Read More

  • Of Mice And Men Discrimination Essay

    868 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Of Mice and Men, an older gentleman named Crooks was discriminated for multiple reasons. For instance, Crooks was African American, so the bigotry on the farm was unimaginable. The men called him racist names like “Stable Buck” or “The Nigger.” He also had a physical disability that dawned on his appearance. Having a crooked back made people think less of him, and men on the farm often terrorized and beat him. The men also thought that because he was an African American that he smelt bad, like an animal. To make things even worse, they made him sleep apart from the other men, near the stables. The whites thought that he came from so foreign land, like an exotic animal that was unwanted, so they didn’t know how to communicate with him. The discriminatory actions of the whites made Crooks hostile.

    Read More

  • The Character Crook from Steinbeck's Novel

    1219 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning of the extract Lennie is not welcomed into Crooks´ room, but at the end they begin to befriend each other. I chose this extract because it provides us with excellent examples of descriptions, dialogue, themes, relationships and vocabulary and language in relation to the social status of certain characters. There is an authorial judgement of Crooks and the introduction of Crooks into the novel. Also, Steinbeck´s style is demonstrated very well.

    Read More

  • Of Mice and Men: My Ending

    799 Words  | 2 Pages

    Crooks is a victim of a different types of loneliness. Crooks, does not ask to be isolated from everyone. It is simply because he is a black man. That is the reason he is isolated and rarely spoken too. Back in those days people of different races did not associate as they do now. After a while, Crooks gets accustomed to the loneliness he receives on the farm but never learns to live with it. To accept loneliness is to give up. I believe that deep down inside Crooks always hopes that someone will come and talk to him, just because they want his camaraderie. He forces himself to believe that eventually someone will come, that helps him get through some of his toughest times. Not because they (that person) want him to do something. I think when Lennie comes to Crooks’ room and talks with him it heals a part of Crooks that has been scarred. Just by Lennie being there it lets Crooks knows there is still hope. When Lennie first comes Crooks says, “You got no right to come in my room. Nobody got no right but me. I ain’t wanted. Crooks says this to Lennie at first because I think he has to admit to himself that this no longer applies. That eventually he will be able to have a friendship with someone. That someone is Lennie.

    Read More

  • Stereotypes In Of Mice And Men By John Steinbeck

    811 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without stopping to think that they’re people too.” -Dolphus Raymond (Lee 269) Stereotype means a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. There are stereotypes that are shown in the book “Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck. Stereotypes are shown in “Mice and Men,” in different ways such as how Steinbeck stereotypes, how relationships are impacted, and how the characters break holes in the stereotypes.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Prejudice In John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice And Men'

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    Maya Angelou wrote, “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible”. The idea of prejudice is a constant conflict in American history, and is still present today. Many individuals use discrimination to justify their actions, and in most cases this leads to verbal or physical conflict. In the novella Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck reveals how discrimination can significantly alter one’s self-esteem. Additionally, through character development, the use of diction and symbolism, a predominant theme of the book is centered around the various forms of power.

    Read More

  • First Impressions In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    589 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck uses characters and setting to convey that sometimes first impressions are wrong. These literary elements convey my theme, because characters in this book show their actions towards curley's wife in a negative passion even

    Read More

  • Gender Stereotypes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Negativity That Plagues OMAM Women and men have been degraded and had false assumptions of their own gender and stereotyped. This is not a modern thing but has been happening for thousands of years. But more often than not is directed towards women. In Of Mice and Men, gender stereotyping is often seen in such a book with all of its crude language and themes. There’s no surprise to it when you read all of its degrading terms from back then.

    Read More

  • Prejudice In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have mutual relationships with other people; don’t traverse life by yourself. In Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie showed that being with another person can help. Without George, Lennie would have been lost, and without Lennie, George would have been nearly helpless in a fight. Without one another, the two men wouldn’t have been able to accomplish as much. Marriage is a relationship that can be quite helpful in a few ways. Marriage can help people out financially. The cost of living can be lessened if the married couple lives in the same home. If you need a person to talk to or a helper to take you to the doctor, than relationships can be extremely helpful. This is why it is essential to have fulfilling relationships. Without them,

    Read More

  • Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me’” (68). Crooks is trying to explain to Lennie that because he is black, he is treated differently and he doesn’t get the same respect as Lennie and the other white workers do. He is upset at Lennie and Curley’s wife because if he can’t be respected or go somewhere without being discriminated, why should they be allowed in his area?

    Read More

  • Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Comparing The American Dream In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    1257 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Lennie asks Crooks, “Why ain’t you wanted?”(68), Crooks responds saying, “ ‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me”(68). The reader can determine here that Crooks is bitter at the white men for excluding him from their games and even their living area.

    Read More

  • Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

More about Stereotypes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Open Document