How Does Crooks Suffer The Most In Of Mice And Men

Of Mice and Men Argument Essay: Which Character Suffers Most?

In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Crooks, the stable worker, suffers the most. George and Lennie find a job working on the ranch during the 1930s, a tough time period for many. As the only colored man working on the ranch during the Great Depression, Crooks works in a separate bunkhouse while working with the livestock. In the book, Crooks is portrayed as isolated and lonely compared to the others, without company or friends. His living space in general is a small and poor room, separate from the main bunkhouses the other men live in. It is not until later in the novel that the readers find that he eventually gets company, and the true effect of what loneliness can

Although at first when Lennie barges into Crooks’ room he seems annoyed, he secretly enjoys the company. Crooks says to Lennie after scolding him about coming into his room, “‘Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down’” (69). With this dialogue from Crooks, readers can infer that he doesn’t get any company, and he invites Lennie to stay. Additionally, both Crooks and Lennie were not invited to go into town with the rest of the workers. He is racially divided and excluded from the rest of the ranchmen’s entertainment, which results in his confinement. This suffering of loneliness has a great effect on his life, as shown later in Steinbeck’s writing. After his conversation about George, Lennie’s guardian and companion, Crooks tells Lennie, “‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody…I tell ya a guy gets too lonely and he gets sick’” (73). This demonstrates the suffering behind Crooks’ loneliness because he’s experienced the “sickness” of being segregated. The result of his treatment by the men leads to a poor, unhealthy lifestyle; physically and mentally. Crooks endures the pains of desolation, which builds up the effects of being separated. He has built up an unhealthy tolerance to the way of the ranch, as well as his symptoms of having nobody. Crooks has suffered the most through his detachment, leaving

His room in the barn is described to portray a dark, bitter feel. Separate from the men’s bunkhouse, he works and lives in the barn’s stables in the presence of the horses. At the beginning of chapter four, Steinbeck describes Crooks’ room as a bunk filled with straw, with exposed parts of the room that are old and broken. His personal belongings are scattered on the untidy floor, creating a careless atmosphere (66). Although he gets to live alone in peace, his peace has turned into the most uncomfortable solitude that has had a heavy weight on him. The isolated conditions aren’t ideal and are much worse than those of the rest of the workers. Being physically disabled and racially different, Crooks has to cope with the harsh realities of the time period, causing the most suffering on his side of the story. His room in the barn was purposely placed to show the effects of his discrimination throughout the job, as well as the lack of communication it causes. Crooks doesn’t have any say in the situation and lacks power in the hierarchy of the ranch, causing him to suffer the most through the reality of