Of Mice And Men Injustice Analysis

Martin Luther King Jr. once confirmed, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”; considering this, justice appears to be threatened in society. Many are not treated with the deserving respect and courtesy as a result of intolerance. This is prominent in the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck uses the characters of Candy, Curley’s wife, and Crooks to demonstrate that individuals are victims of social injustice due to their physical ability, gender, and race.

For instance, Steinbeck uses the character of Candy to demonstrate that individuals are victims of social injustice due to their physical ability. More specifically, as Candy converses to George in the bunkhouse, he confesses, “I got hurt four years ago [...] They’ll can

For example, when Lennie enters Crooks’ room in the barn, Crooks orders, “You go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, [...] Cause I’m black” (68). Conclusively, Crooks explains that he does not want Lennie in his room, just like the other ranch workers do not want a black man in theirs. In addition, Steinbeck shows the division between Crooks, a black man, and the rest of the ranch workers by explaining segregation on the ranch, for Crooks is forbidden to dwell with the other workers. To continue, other ranch workers do not associate themselves with Crooks given his race; it is also prominent that he has separate living quarters for the same reason. Considering this, given that Crooks is black, he is treated with disrespect and inequality, for the non-dominate races in society are often not “wanted” at certain social functions.

Clearly, in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, the author uses the characters of Candy, Curley’s Wife, and Crooks to demonstrate that individuals are victims of social injustice due to their physical ability, race, and gender. There are many forms of social injustice, each just as immoral as the next. In society, the deprivation of any necessity or desire based on an individual's identity is inhuman. The prevention is simple and lies in the hands of an individual; follow the Golden Rule.