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How Is Crooks A Scapegoation Presented In Of Mice And Men

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In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses Crooks as an example of minorities, marginalization, and scapegoating by highlighting the specific treatment of black men in the 1930s. One example of this is George and Candy’s conversation at the beginning of the story. In this conversation, Candy gives George a run down of where George and Lennie will stay and what the workers are like on the ranch. He states with a bit of pity, ‘“Yeah. Nice fella, too. Got a crooked back when a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck doesn’t give a damn about that. He reads a lot of books. Got books in his room. ‘’ (Steinbeck 20). This quote emphasizes the harsh and unfair treatment Crooks faces not just because of his race, but also because of his disability. …show more content…

This quote also hints at the upsetting idea that Crooks is so used to this treatment, seeing that it's been his reality his whole life that he's given up trying to defend himself. Another quote from Steinbeck’s book that emphasizes how Crook’s are affected by minorities, marginalization, and scapegoating is when Lennie and Crooks have a conversion in the barn. Later in the book when Lennie decides to visit the pups in the barn, he runs into Crooks, Crooks and Lennie end up discussing how Crooks is treated. Crooks tries to help Lennie understand his situation by saying, ‘“Maybe you can see it now. You got the George. You know he's goin' back. S'pose you didn't have anyone. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy 'cause you were black.”’ (Steinbeck

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Steinbeck explores discrimination in the novella by using multiple characters to show different views. Crooks, Lennie and Curley's wife are all used as vehicles to demonstrate Steinbeck's message, opposing views in 1930s America. Steinbeck uses crooks to explore the racism experienced by African Americans in 1930s America. He is used as a vehicle to oppose racism, showing Steinbeck’s message. One way in which Steinbeck does this is by having Curley’s wife say, “I could get you strung up on a tree so easily it ain’t funny,” in chapter 4.

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The novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, is another example of guilt in American Literature. This novel recalls of two men named George Milton and Lennie Smalls. George is the overseer of Lennie because of Lennie’s mental disability. The two travel together seeking work and continue working there until Lennie finds himself in trouble. One of the characters in the story is known as Candy.

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John Steinbeck uses Crooks, an african american man, as an example of discrimination. An example is, “’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, all of you stink to me.”

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In Mice and Men, John Steinbeck demonstrates how racism and sexism can isolate a person and make them act in destructive ways. Crooks sequesters himself in his room and treats Lennie poorly because of the racism he experiences and the loneliness it brings, which has made him cynical and jaded. When Lennie comes to his room, he immediately tries to throw him out, saying “ ‘You got no right to come in my room... I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room’ ” (68).

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In John Steinbeck’s book Of Mice and Men, one character, a black stable boy named Crooks, is discriminated against, and because of this, has a paucity of companionship. He longs to feel superior over others. How Crooks is described by Steinbeck gives an insight into how he is coping with the loneliness of being discriminated against. Crooks’ character, although

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Don’t make no difference who they guy is, long’s he with you” (Steinbeck 71-73). Crooks was very resentful towards white men since they always left him out and made him feel alone, so he took it out on Lennie, a white but intellectually weak man. He knew Lennie would feel miserable if anything happened to George, so he used that to torment Lennie. He found joy in seeing Lennie suffer, and felt superior for once, inflicting the pain he had felt onto someone weaker than him. Later, when Lennie slightly calms down, Crooks starts to ramble and asks him how he would feel being the only black man, and only having books as his companions.

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This illustrates Steinbeck's lesson by Crooks’s lack of power, and showing its negative effects. In addition, Curley's wife torments Crooks for speaking up in a conversation, “She closed on him. ‘You know what I could do?’ Crooks seemed to grow smaller as he pressed himself against the

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When Crooks explains to Lennie why he is left out, he says, “Cause I'm black.” He then goes on to say “They play cards in there but I can’t play because I'm black” (Steinbeck 68). People purposely don’t include Crooks in their activities simply because he is black. Showing how his race affects him in the story. In the moment when Crooks is being described by the author, they mention, “He kept his distance and demanded everyone kept theirs” (Steinbeck 67).

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For example, on Saturday night, Lennie innocently attempts to make friends with Crooks; however, Crooks is immediately contemptuous, snarling, “ ‘You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me’ ” (Steinbeck 33). Because Crooks is a racially discriminated against black man, he is used to being scorned by everyone; therefore, he despises most people and would rather be left alone to protect himself from further derision, as well as to conceal his deeper feelings of desolation and despair.

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George and Slim are quick to start a friendship and George is comfortable with sharing secrets with him. Soon, conflicts arise with Curley, Curley’s wife and Lennie. At this time many individuals are being trapped in a life they feel is inferior. Steinbeck uses the characters of Crook, Curley’s wife, and Lennie to show to that oppression can lead to great suffering and discrimination. One of the characters the author used to support the theme of oppression is Crooks.

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