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How Does Steinbeck Present Crooks Dream In Of Mice And Men

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Of Mice and Men Dreams According to C.S. Lewis, dreams are meant to try and accomplish, rather than doing nothing. When experiencing the moment of a dream, it just proves to the world that anyone can accomplish anything anything. The novel Of Mice and Men depicts several characters and their dreams throughout life. Steinbeck shows the significance of a dream through Curley’s wife, Lennie, and Crooks. Initially, Steinbeck demonstrates the significance of a dream through Lennie. In the novel, the small-minded character that is Lennie dreams of owning his own land with his friend George as he tends the rabbits. According to chapter one, Lennie is wanting George to retell the tale of the two of them having their own property (Steinbeck). This …show more content…

The character of Crooks is a black man who was discharged from the rest of the ranch. He’s upset that he is not equal to the rest of the people on the ranch just because he’s black and they’re white. The text says, “‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black’” (68,72). All crooks wants is to treated like everybody else. He wants to be treated fairly and justly. The opportunity to hang and play cards with others is all he ever wanted since coming onto the ranch. When Lennie explains to Crooks about him, George, and Candy getting land, crops, and animals, Crooks couldn’t believe it, until Candy comes by saying how close they are with the money and how it’s all being saved in the bank in town. Crooks wants in on this to get the opportunity to hang with whites, be treated fairly, and get off the ranch. Steinbeck quotes, “‘...If you...guys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why I’d come and lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled…’” (76). Even though Crooks has treated brutally on the ranch, he is willing to be the help of the land Lennie, George, and Candy are purchasing, just as long as he gets the opportunity to pursue his dream, hanging with white people and having fun playing games with them. Crooks has known Candy for a while, and now a little about Lennie, so Crooks trusts that the neither of them will turn him down and kick him out. Crooks’ confidence in his dream being pursued is now at a higher substantial thanks to trust of new

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561 Words | 3 Pages

Crooks isn’t allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse or play cards with the white men. He gets lonely and resentful from having to stay in the barn all the time. When he is talking to Lennie, he says, “‘S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse or play rummy

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1073 Words | 5 Pages

Crooks (named crooks after being kicked in the back by a horse) is a very controversial character as he is the only black member of the farm and doesn’t actually feature to much in the book. When he is in it though most of what we find out is when Lenny walks into his room. From the start its clear that crooks is a very abused and defensive because he says “You got no right to come in my room” as soon as he notices Lennie stood in his room even though Lennie doesn’t really see any difference between skin colour and doesn’t understand why this is happening. Most of what can be known about Crooks is from the items in his room. His room is actually connected to the barn showing they do not value him as a person but only as a stable buck.

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768 Words | 4 Pages

He feels brought down and dehumanized. After Curley’s wife left, Candy tells Crooks that she shouldn’t have said those things. Crooks says, “it wasn’t nothing…you guys comin’ in an’ settin made me forget. What she says is true” (82). This shows that Crooks knows that even though he thought he could get a place with the other guys, he knows is would never happen, because he is black and he will always be treated

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766 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks is held back from doing things and interacting with people because of his race. Crooks is an African-American, and during 1930s, blacks and whites still had trouble getting along with each other. He does not get invited to go to Susy’s house with the

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1254 Words | 6 Pages

One of the main themes (or lessons) that steinbeck teaches is that we are all humans, and therefore we all have a lot in common. We need each other. The problem is that we ignorant humans have set up a system where we have put divides in between different groups of people that are nearly impossible to overcome. Steinbeck uses characterization to showcase this theme. Steinbeck gave each character a defining “physical” characteristic and a personality/main emotion.

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505 Words | 3 Pages

The importance of dreams help motivate certain characters to chase after them. For example, George and Lennie have a dream of owning their own ranch. In the novel it states “Tell about that place, George…”(56).In which Lennie wants to be reminded about.

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749 Words | 3 Pages

Crooks talks about himself in a very negative way and is seen when he said, "This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted-back nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see?"(71) This exemplifies that Crooks has been looked down on his whole life and he is just repeating what he always hears. This demonstrates that crooks is so used to being judged that he starts telling people that they should judge him rather than befriending him. The next quote displays that the men on the ranch does not want to be around crooks when he says, “You go on get outta my room.

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479 Words | 2 Pages

Crooks was friendless and had no one to talk to. He has his own bunk in a separate room away from the bunk house where the others lived and by being alone he could leave things anywhere he wanted. Crooks is suffering from racial discrimination because he is the only black man on the ranch and is not allowed in the bunkhouse with the other men because of his color. The author also uses Candy to show loneliness in the novel. Candy becomes lonely after his old dog that he loved very much was shot because he was old.

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659 Words | 3 Pages

Crooks is a different color, so he sleeps in the barn with the horses (67). When he's alone all day and sleeps alone, Crooks feels as if he can't have friends and feel noticed. All because of his color. Crooks can't even play cards with the “white men” (68). Even the ranch boss “gives him hell when he's mad” (20).

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830 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks is a black character on the ranch and is shown as an isolated character compared to everyone as he stays in a different place. He is also not allowed to participate in any of the activities on the ranch like horseshoe throwing because of him being black and disabled. In the barn crooks say to Lennie, “A guy goes nuts if ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long’s

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418 Words | 2 Pages

So because of this, he doesn't understand why Crooks is not included in things such as cards. When Crooks gets prompted with this he talks in an irritated tone "they play cards in there, but I can't because I'm black, they say I stink. " (68). Though Crooks often conceals his words with anger when he's actually not in this statement his anger shows through because it really does upset him that he doesn't get to be included in such things.

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435 Words | 2 Pages

Crooks feels discriminated against and is defensive and angry with the other men for not including him. Another quote which displays Crooks's loneliness is, "S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How'd you like that? Spose You had to sit out here an read books.

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285 Words | 2 Pages

Definitions can be rather difficult things. There are, of course, dictionary definitions, but that’s often not (for lack of a better word) good enough. Definitions are generally very personal, as they are feelings and such that one associates with that specific word. Take, for example, the words “loneliness” and “solitude”. Crooks, a character from John Steinbeck’s highly esteemed novel Of Mice and Men, is an African American living in the U.S. during the 1930’s, or the (notorious) era of the Great Depression.

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833 Words | 4 Pages

Crooks was an African American, which resulted in him being shut out and forced to live in the barn, while the rest of the ranch hands cozied up in the bunkhouse. This forced isolation and hostility towards Crooks made him grow sour, defensive, and lonely. Crooks aspired to be seen as an equal and “go into the bunkhouse and play rummy” with the other boys (72 c). However, once Lennie’s kindness seeped into him, Crooks started to believe that a better, brighter future was possible for him; Crooks even volunteered to “lend a hand” on George and Lennie’s ranch and “work for nothing-just his keep” when he heard about the opportunity (76 c). Then Curley’s wife crushed Crooks’ new-found dream and confidence with the harsh reminder that his racial status made him “inferior” and because of this his life was meaningless in comparison.

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282 Words | 2 Pages

Crooks is a black man who has been given the nickname because of his crooked back. He is another character in the novel that is discriminated against. Similarly, as Lennie and Candy are discriminated because of their weakness, Crooks is discriminated because of his race. For example, he says how he “ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse… can’t play [cards] because I’m black” (68). His race causes him to be separated from everyone else and be isolated in his own room.

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