The Importance Of Power In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

“Fake it until you become it” (Your body language shapes who you are), successful American social psychologist Amy Cuddy speaks about the importance of confidence in our everyday lives. Many people today struggle with lack of self confidence and the feeling that they are weaker than their peers. More still feel as though they do not belong. The most common reason is because they are not in a position of power. They feel weak or obstructed. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck confirms that people try to look strong by asserting power over one another.
The fight for power and recognition is demonstrated in that people try to appear strong, especially if they are actually weak; therefore, creating a hierarchical power system. Candy, a crippled,

Lennie is speaking with Crooks in his room, “‘I said s’pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more’” (Steinbeck, 71). The weak, crippled, discriminated against Crooks utilizes fear to obtain the upper hand over Lennie. He commands the power over Lennie as he is often the one that is abused. Crooks, fearing for his own strong sense of self, establishes a strong hold over the weak Lennie by hitting an emotional nerve. Moreover, one of the key offenders, Curley’s wife, abuses her societal and racial power against Crooks in a vial threat. When Curley’s wife is continually denied the small victory of talking to the men in Crooks’ room, she reverts to hostility by threatening them with her upper-handed position. “‘You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?’” (Steinbeck, 80). The threat of being lynched is enough to keep Crooks in line. Cowering in the corner, Crooks is subdued by the commanding tone Curley’s wife takes with him. Curley’s wife, being a woman and Crooks being a black crippled man illustrates that even woman had more power than black men in the times of the Great