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Masculinity in literature
Masculinity in literature
Characters in gender and literature
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More handpicked essays just for you.
Masculinity in literature
Masculinity in literature
Characters in gender and literature
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
First off Crooks is the character that is held back in his journey towards freedom by his race. There are many examples where Crooks is insulted by his race, but there is this specific incident where George is laying down his cards and hears someone calling : “Stable buck, oooh stable buck!” And then, “Where the hell is that goddamn nigger?” This proves that in the 1930’s people were still racist and used to call African Americans names like nigger. And Crooks can’t really do anything because if he does he would probably get tortured or starved, and he can’t quit because it wasent his job, he was a slave.
Crooks (named crooks after being kicked in the back by a horse) is a very controversial character as he is the only black member of the farm and doesn’t actually feature to much in the book. When he is in it though most of what we find out is when Lenny walks into his room. From the start its clear that crooks is a very abused and defensive because he says “You got no right to come in my room” as soon as he notices Lennie stood in his room even though Lennie doesn’t really see any difference between skin colour and doesn’t understand why this is happening. Most of what can be known about Crooks is from the items in his room. His room is actually connected to the barn showing they do not value him as a person but only as a stable buck.
Crooks is a character that is very overlooked in the novella. The book took place a little after the American Civil War, and lots of these vets are still alive and well. So, the basis of racism is still prominent around the nation and especially in the vast regions of the farming lands. Which keeps Crooks contempt from reaching his dreams in life because of his race. For example he says, "S'pose you didn't have nobody.
According to research, “Many people were beginning to feel that the American dream… was fraudulent” (Great). As the world fought its hardest against the people of this time, including Crooks, they began to give up on the idea of the American dream. Crooks acknowledges that because of his race he may never get that ideal life. Hence, his feeling of inability to do what he wants makes him
The human condition is something we as people all experience, and through it we develop as people. Some people grow up having great lives, and others go through the worst of it. Most people, good lives or not share sympathy for one another and what they go through. The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is an incredible novel that deals heavily with character sympathy. The story is about two migrant workers who travel to a ranch to work towards buying a stake of land later in life.
Crooks was very lonely because he was isolated from everybody else due to the color of his skin. He was the only colored man around which left him without anyone to talk to because of how prevalent racism was, Steinbeck described him by saying, “... Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs.” (Steinbeck, 67).
The definition of a sympathetic character is one whom the writer expects the reader to identify with and care about, though not necessarily admire. In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife, a main character in the book is blatantly portrayed as an unsympathetic character. This is because they only see her through the men's eyes, who only see her as a tiresome object, owned by her husband. Steinbeck’s portrayal of Curley’s wife is unfair and misogynistic because he only displays her as unintelligent and promiscuous, never has a character have a turning point where they realize she’s more than an object, and he never reveals her true name. The first reason that Steinbeck's portrayal of Curley’s wife is unfair is that he never gives Curley any redeeming personality traits, he only depicts her as unintelligent and promiscuous.
Sympathy is feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune and understanding between people and common feelings. In the book Of Mice and Men a lot of characters in the book are treated badly by each other making us feel sympathy for them. I believe there are three main characters that deserve pity and sorrow from the reader and they are George, who deserves sympathy because he is always looking out for Lennie and making sure he is okay. Curley’s wife deserves pity and sorrow also because she is often getting mistreated by her husband and other people around her. Lennie deserves the most pity because he has a disability that does not allow him to function regularly like everyone else.
Contrasting Crooks’ somber attitude with Lennie's undying innocence makes it clear where Steinbeck stands on the matter. For example, Crooks is temporarily seduced by the idea of Lennie and George’s farm, but is almost immediately brought down by reality, and Curley’s wife. She brings him back to the reality of a black man at the time, saying: "Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny" (39). After this event occurs, Crooks disregards his rare idealism, saying that he “wouldn’ want to go no place like that” (41).
Crooks feels discriminated against and is defensive and angry with the other men for not including him. Another quote which displays Crooks's loneliness is, "S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunkhouse and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How'd you like that? Spose You had to sit out here an read books.
Crooks is very sealed of the author had described him as the following. “Crooks kept his distance and demanded others keep theirs,” (Steinbeck 67). Crooks has trust issues because of how sealed of and private he is. His
Personally, this was my favorite chapter due to the fact it revealed a lot about the characters, especially Lennie. For example, George reveals why he stays with Lennie even though his life would be very different without him. Another thing that I observed, and loved, was how the author not only incorporated the true backstory and history of the two, but also included the future they have planned. However, in regards to their future, hearing the plans in detail brought feelings of sorrow towards Lennie and George because, having read the book, I know that those plans don’t happen.
One of the reasons the audience feels sympathy for Crooks is due to the color of his skin. When he first gets introduced by Candy, he is called a bad name. “Ya see the stable buck’s a nigger.” (20) Crooks is ostracised because of his race. Crooks is angry and pathetically lonely.
Another example of Crooks getting discriminated because he is black is when he and Curley’s wife are arguing. She completely shuts him down by saying how she could get anyone to lynch him at any time. Crooks can say nothing but “Yes, ma’am”. Even Curley’s wife, who is considered weak, can pick on even weaker people, like Crooks.
Humans, what make us the most intellectual species on planet Earth? Is it just because of our morphological characteristics and highly developed neural network or also because of our culture? Yes, some truth is behind our body geometry but a greater role is also played by the norms, values and ideas passed on to us by our fore fathers. These complex integrated pattern of learning that is passed on just like genes from earlier civilization to today’s generation, is defined as culture. Human societies consists of social behaviours and norms which is known as culture People have different ideologies on the true definition of it but in every language it is somehow similar to its fundamental values.