Power In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The child is standing up gallantly and assertively, but what nobody can see is how his structure is pieced together by broken shards of glass. His youth is filled with pain, abuse, and hatred. Feeling intimidated and hesitant, he looks for a victim to tease and single out just to cover up his true pain and show he is superior. This child is a classic tormentor. A tormentor is not robust, he/she is exactly like the people he/she picks on: divergent and hesitant. The marginalized group of characters in the book Of Mice and Men are insecure and diverse, therefore they pick on each other to make themselves feel more dominant or take everyone down with them. This theme that strength and power arises from vulnerability is clearly depicted in the

Crooks is harshly discriminated against his entire life. Nobody goes to talk to him, nobody cares for him, and therefore he feels feeble. Being discriminated against his whole life makes his encounter extremely tense with Lennie:

“Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain’t wanted in my room.” “Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked. “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.” (Steinbeck 68)

Seeing another white man was distressing to Crooks, subsequently he tries to push Lennie away like he has been all his life, but once Lennie is inside, Crooks realizes that Lennie is different than everyone else. Lennie has been just another minority all along. Although he is big, he has a brain of a child. Trying to obtain some power and feel robust, Crooks starts to give Lennie a scenario in which George would leave him. Crooks talks to Lennie and expresses

We don’t want no trouble.” “Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?” Candy laid the stump of his wrist on his knee and rubbed it gently with his hand. He said accusingly, “You gotta husban’. You got no call foolin’ aroun’ with other guys, causin’ trouble.” (Steinbeck 77)

Curley’s wife is just trying to make some friends and try to fit in but the people of the ranch disrespect her therefore she picks on Lennie to pull him down in her lonely dark path. Curley’s wife tries to accomplish her goal by making him seduce her and to listen to her point of view on life. This is all just a master scheme to get everyone fired. Curley’s wife starts her interaction with Lennie in such a way to intrigue him into her plan of attack by declaring:

“O.K., Machine. Ill talk to you later. I like machines.” Candy broke in. “You let this guy alone. Don’t you do no messing aroun’ with him. I’m gonna tell George what you says. George won’t have you messin’ with Lennie.” (Steinbeck