How is Crooks Depicted in Of Mice and Men?

Categories: Of Mice and Men

In the 1930's it was especially hard for black men to find work but as Crooks was disabled and black, it would have been very hard for Crooks to be accepted. Steinbeck wanted the readers to see how Crooks had to put up With the abuse to secure his place on the ranch as he really had no choice. The only choices he had were: deal with the abuse and have a place to stay, eat and earn a little knowing that if he left, a crippled man like him will not be accepted anywhere else.

Or to defend himself and get himself thrown out or even lynched.

Steinbeck intended to show us that Crooks had to put up with the abuse and drag the audience in with the threats and torture put onto Crooks by some of the people on the ranch. The ranch is a microcosm of the society of America in the 1930's. This means the white people on the ranch represent all the white people in America and Crooks represents the segregated black person.

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The white people, who seemed to be inferior, see Crooks as an easily replaceable, worthless black man, insignificant to society.

They didnt care if he was there or not so if he was lynched or canned, he could easily be replaced. They easily dismiss his rights like the time when the men were looking for a gun and someone said, "take that nigger's shot gun. " they assumed that Crooks will permit them to use his gun, dismissing his rights and not thinking of Crooks's feelings.

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Steinbeck was trying to show how easily the inferior race easily controlled and decided on situations without the black persons input or feelings.

Crooks was treated like a piece of dirt. A polite, hardworking man who was looked down on beyond the statuses of the horses. He was a punch bag for the boss as he was an easy target and no-one would care any less. Compared to other black people in America, Crooks was lucky. The audience may not realise this but if you look at the other black people in America, Crooks had a place to stay every night; food that he could eat and some money he earned working.

As racism seemed to be normal back then, everyone joined in the racial abuse, some without even knowing. Everyone seemed to be racist except for Lennie, who was too daft to realise why Crooks could be seen as different and Candy, who shares the same disability as Crooks and has no reason to discriminate apart from Crook's colour. these two men are lower in the rank so this would possibly be the reason why he is treated as an equal.

Updated: Apr 19, 2023
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How is Crooks Depicted in Of Mice and Men?. (2020, Jun 01). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/crooks-depicted-mice-men-8444-new-essay

How is Crooks Depicted in Of Mice and Men? essay
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