The role of Crooks and accounting for his hopelessness Essay Example for Free

The role of Crooks and accounting for his hopelessness Essay John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His father worked for the local government in Monterey County, and his mother was a schoolteacher. His most famous books were written in the 1930s and 1940s, and are set in California. John Steinbeck wrote the novel Of Mice and Men in 1936, around the time of mass unemployment such as America and Europe had not experienced before. At the time Steinbeck was a young man, he wanted to write about the difficulties millions of Americans like himself were being faced with. There was a boom time in 1920s America, and there was work to do and fortunes to be made but in the 1930s came a time of unemployment and poverty. Black people suffered a great deal worse than white people in the Depression. In large numbers they left the southern states, hoping to find work in the north. When they got there they realised there was no work there either and racism was just as common. In the novel set in South California, we are introduced to the only black man on the ranch and through this man Steinbeck aims to portray the relationships between black and whites in America. Crooks is named because of his crooked spine. Steinbeck develops the character of Crooks, the black stable buck in the fourth chapter, describing him as a, proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs. Crooks as we see is bitter, angry and frustrated by the hopelessness of a black man in a racist culture. Crooks is constantly reminded he is inferior to white and, out of pride, he refuses to take part in their future dream. Crooks is made to live in a separate place to the other ranch workers, his place on the ranch is permanent. He is not a migrant worker and has been able to collect a few possessions together. Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boot, a big alarm clock and a single-barrelled shotgun. And he had books too, a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed. His possessions tell us quite a bit about him, both as an individual man and as a representative of black people at this time. His belongings tell us that he was an intellectual man and could read, we know this because of the many books he has, so it was made obvious he could read. He also owned a single-barrelled shotgun, which was for his own protection, which is understandable in his position. He also kept a California civil code for 1905 that would keep him updated of his rights as a black man in society. Everybody also calls Crooks, the nigger. Steinbeck gives some idea of how common racism was by the fact that ranch men dont intend to insult Crooks as a man when they call him nigger, but they are constantly reminding us that black people were degraded in the was everyday. Nigger was used casually as a commonplace name and is shows the hurt it directs and causes for black people. Candy says, They let the nigger come in that night. Little skinner name of Smitty took after the nigger. Done pretty good, too. The guys wouldnt let him use his feet, so the nigger got him. If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda killed the nigger. This quote suggests that they use Crooks for entertainment and he is used as a source of fun at his expense. This shows the way in which Crooks is treated and the reason he wont socialise with the other men. Candy also says to George, The boss gives him hell when hes mad, referring to Crooks. This explains the way the boss also treats Crooks. He takes his anger out on him when hes in a bad mood. Crooks cant stand up for himself because hes black and the boss realises that Crooks is too weak a character in the society they live in to do anything so this accounts for Crooks hopelessness against the white men. Crooks also suffers from the extrmes of loneliness on the ranch, A guy goes nuts if aint got nobody. Dont matter no difference who the guy is, longs he with you. I tell ya a gets too lonely an he gets sick. The only relationship he can find is with his books. Crooks experiences isolation from the other men because the society he lives in is racist. He is made to live on his own in the barn and cant join in many social activities. The words, dont matter no different who the guy is, longs he with you shows that Crooks would work for nothing, as long as he could communicate with others. Crooks can also identify that although Lennie relies on George, George also relies on him to be a friend and the fact that Lennie is retarded makes no difference because they have something all other workers are envious of Friendship. Crooks realises that because of his physical difference he is submitted to racial discrimination which blocks him from ever achieving a relationship between the men on the ranch and he accounts for his hopelessness at ever finding friendship. Crooks is a very lonely character, he is an outcast because not only is he a cripples but he is black. Most men are prejudiced against him. He has to stay in his room because of his appearance. As Lennie appears in his doorway, Crooks quickly puts his barriers up and says sharply, You got no right to come in my room. This heres my room. Nobody got any right in here but me..I aint wanted in the bunk-house, and you aint wanted in my room. Lennie asks, Why aint you wanted? Cause Im black. This shows how bitter he is and how he has been forced to be separated from the others just because of his appearance. Crooks loneliness is a result of rejection from everyone else on the ranch. He is forced to live alone in a barn, where he lives his life in isolation because of his colour. When Lennie visits him in the room, Crooks reactions reveal the fact that he is lonely. As a black man with a physical handicap, Crooks is forced to live on the border of ranch life. He is not even allowed to enter the white mens bunkhouse, or join them in a game of cards. His resentment typically comes out through his bitter, sad, and touching vulnerability, as he tells Lennie: A guy needs somebodyto be near him. Chapter four focussed on the development of Crooks. Race is the biggest motivation for Crooks anger towards men. He is a proud and obviously the most intelligent character in the novel and he used his intelligence to manipulate Lenniw. Spose George dont come back no more. Spose he took a powder and just aint coming back. Whatll you do then? Crooks is filled with contempt and attempts to make Lennie realise how he would not be able to function without George. He does this because he realises this is the only chance he could get to torment a white men, when he was tormented he become bitter and he enjoyed tormenting a man with a mind of a five year old. He tormented Lennie about his relationship with George because Steinbeck made Crooks purposely discuss it to show how jealous he is and how desperately he wants a relationship like Lennie and George have. When talking to Lennie, Crooks reminisces on his past, I remember when I was a little kid on my old mans chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They were always near me, always there. Used to sleep in the same room, right in the same bed all three. This shows the physical closeness he used to have with other people and with contrast to how now hes isolated and lonely with no one. Crooks tries to make Lennie realise his own isolation. When Candy enters and Lennie and him start talking about the dream, Crooks is sceptical of Lennie claiming to own land, telling him that such dreams will never materialise. Hes negative about the dream at first because he knows people dont look further than the colour of his skin. He starts to wonder why should he be excited about a white mans dream when his own will never happen, Youll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you wont get no land. Crooks changes his attitude towards Lennie when he realises that Lennie has decent intentions and that he is no real threat because of his mentally challenged nature. Crooks softens his rigid contempt and offers to help Lennie and Candy when he thinks they have a chance of achieving a farmhouse. This shows he uses his manner as a defence. if youguys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. Crooks desperation to get out of his lonely spell prompts him to make such a drastic, but shy, suggestion. Crooks becomes so frantic for a relationship that he offers his services to George and Lennie for free, just to escape his loneliness. Making his dream of acceptance and company hopeful. His attitude soon shifts back to normal as Curleys wife exposes his frailties, characterising him as a crippled character. Curleys wife provides some interesting similarities to Crooks; both are shaped tongued and intelligent, and effected by their minority status at the ranch. She knows the power she wields over men, being Curleys wife and even threatens him with lynching. Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do to you if you open your trap. Suddenly reality catches up with Crooks, Crooks stared at her hopelessly. What was he thinking about living with white people, planning out his dream when they talk to him that way? When Curleys wife leaves he asks the men to leave afterwards because he is upset that he has been reminded of how hopeless he really is due to his physical race. He tries desperately to savage his pride and dignity, Member what I said about howin and doin odd jobs?Well just forget it Curleys wife destroyed and shattered the dreams he had with Lennie and Candy, he was suddenly dawned with the acceptance of his fate and realises that hell never be able to achieve his dreams due to the harsh reality that people cant look beyond his appearance, making him hopeless of ever gaining those dreams.