Discrimination Is A Harsh Reality of Society

There's a proverb that says “Men’s skins have many colors, but human blood is always red.” This quote proves that while it can overcome with understanding and love.In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck tells the story of two men who travel together during the Great Depression. Steinbeck shows the reader the major theme of loss of hope that is caused by discrimination. Steinbeck used the characters Crooks and Candy to show that discrimination leaves people without power or hope.

In the novel, Of Mice and Men Steinbeck uses Crooks character to show how discrimination was for a black man in the 1930’s. An example of discrimination is in chapter 4, when Lennie comes into Crooks' room and Crooks says, “ 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. This quote shows that because Crooks is black they don’t let him play cards with them which is an act of discrimination.

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Steinbeck has a good perspective on showing different outcomes that are caused by discrimination. One of the outcomes in Of Mice and Men is when Crooks shows how lonely he is being the only black man, and having everyone hate him, and not wanting to be around him because they think he is beneath them. Steinbeck uses Curley’s wife to show the reader that Crooks has lost hope in fighting for his rights when Curley’s wife says, “ Listen, nigger.

” “ You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?”(...) “ Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t funny.” This quote shows Crooks at his low stage were he just completely shuts down and instead of being proud of his skin color, like Steinbeck wrote in the book, “ he reduced himself to nothing.”

Steinbeck uses Crooks to show that in the 1930’s black people were discriminated just like Crooks was in Of Mice and Men. Discrimination is lot of things. Discrimination can be sexism,racism, all of which are shown in Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck showed the struggle of Candy being an elderly man working at a ranch with younger men. Leaving Candy feeling powerless and hopeless because he can’t work like them. “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouse they’ll put me on the county.” While Candy was talking to George, Candy explains what might happen to him when they think he’s too old to work. Candy gets excited and has hope when George agrees to let him work at their dream ranch. But soon enough he loses that excitement and hope when Lennie murders Curley’s wife and ruins the dream. “

You an’ me can get that little place, can’t we, George? You an’ me can go there an’ live nice, can’t we, George? Can’t we?(...) Before George answered, Candy dropped his head and looked down at the hay. He knew.” Candy by now has lost all his hope, about everyone showing him the respect he wants. As, someone who has no hand and is the only elderly man working on the ranch. It’s no surprise that Candy has lost his hope in everything because he’s completely powerless. Both Crooks and Candy faced discrimination, they might be two totally different people but are very similar when it comes to discrimination. Crooks faced racism while Candy faced ageism. Steinbeck had a very clear point when he used both Crooks and Candy’s character to show what many people had to deal with during the Great Depression and how because of it they felt hopeless and that they felt like they were powerless.

I think that discrimination shouldn’t be a problem nowadays, we should learn that if we don’t have something nice to say about them then don’t say it. If that’s to much for you then don’t hang around that person. People shouldn’t be racist to people of color. I for one know how it feels to be discriminated because of my skin color. People think just because I’m Mexican I can’t live in the United States. But we all have rights to live and say what we want. But that doesn’t mean you should go around discriminating people. We just need to focus on the love, and peace, and the freedom that we have and embrace each other no matter, our skin color. For I think that’s the key to ending discrimination.