How Does Steinbeck Present Prejudice In Of Mice And Men

In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck conveys prejudice through how people act differently based on their relationships and the setting. Of Mice and Men is based during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, when jobs were scarce, as proven by Lennie, Crooks and Curly’s Wife: They all are rejected for different reasons.This makes people have fewer bonds with each other, as stated from the boss when George and Lennie show up. He says “well I've never seen one guy care so much for another guy.” (Pg 22) Which demonstrates that bonds like these are not common during this time. Time period is also why Crooks is rejected- as people are racist in this time period and Crooks is black. At this time, conflict is everywhere there is jobs- For

When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch, the boss asks “What you trying to put over?” (22), Questioning him. But George says “He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid. He's awright. Just ain't bright. But he can do anything you tell him.” (22), and the boss accepts that. It is a harsh time period with the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, so people didn't usually hire people with mental disabilities. He says this because getting kicked in the head by a mule is temporary, making him more accepted into society than having a mental disability. He was also rejected in Weed because he grabbed the dress of a girl, because he likes soft things, and gets called out for rape even though he didn't mean to cause harm. This shows that society does not deal with the mentally

At the time, people are racist, and make him sleep in the barn. However, he has come up with some sort of defense mechanism. Lennie asks why Crooks isn't wanted, and Crooks responds “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 stink to me.” (68) This shows that he is rejected from society due to his skin color. This sentence also shows that he no longer cares what others say about him because of his ‘Defence mechanism’. He thinks that all white people all are racist so he ignores and rejects all of them. The only white people that he listened to before was Slim and Curly. Curley's wife is rejected for many reasons, but the main source of her rejection is that she is a woman. She is married to Curly, the boss’s son, without a choice. She doesn't like being married to him, as proven when she says “I don’ like Curly. He ain't a nice fella.” (89) Another struggle she has is she still wants to be friends with other men. When she looks them in the eye to talk to them, they call her a tart and that she has the ‘eye’ for others, as proven by the sentences “Well- She's got the eye.” (28) and “Well, I think Curley's married . . . . a tart.”