How Does Steinbeck Use The Character Of Crooks To Highlight Certain Issues Essay

1930’s hit, America lay economic ruins and deep damage as the truly amazing depression strikes. Causing economic downturn throughout the twentieth century and leaving many lives in tatters as Americans face taking a loss, stock, homes, savings plus more importantly jobs. Dealing with unemployment men turn helplessly to migrant functioning. Moving away from home (if they may have one) and having into manual labour upon farms to get low spend and a place to stay although it wasn’t structured job and they discovered themselves moving from place to place.

Since Poverty led to working on ranches ‘of mice and men’ was born, a novel created in the late 1930’s to unravel the issues and unfair means of the 30’s and the 1930s. Highlighting lower income, loneliness, sexism and more importantly Racism, the key theme of the storyline. Being a major issue Racism swarmed America and started overtaking most white peoples heads. Black captivity was behind them but however racism/discrimination towards different contests wasn’t plus the Jim Crow laws were soon introduced quickly segregating coloured persons and making them outcasts in there own countries. So we were 100 years following slavery, nevertheless we were slap bang in the middle of segregation which, was also not a great experience intended for the black race.

In a bid to avoid the dark-colored Americans coming from being equal, the the southern area of states handed a series of laws known as John Crow laws which discriminated against blacks and made certain they were segregated from white wines. Blacks had been gradually fired from many jobs together to use different transport, bathrooms ect. To white persons, whites did start to rule America. ‘Crooks’ Is known as a character Steinbeck created to highlight how unfairly this time was and with no real importance to the tale crooks has a major importance in the book as he was put there to demonstrate us just how wrong segregation really was and just how lonely and miss cured these people were.

We first get a thought of thieves in part two in which he is first bought up, if she is not on the picture yet we get a little picture of what he’s just like and what his position is. Candy explains just how when the employer is in a negative mood it’s always applied for on the steady buck declaring “An’ he give the steady buck heck, too'” meaning Crooks, Instantly the first time Criminals is pointed out in the whole book its in a negative approach as through innocence he’s treated as if done a problem.

Candy explains to George and Lenny for what reason the secure buck gets hell by simply adding about “ya see the stablebucks a nigger” in those days racial slurs such as the vocabulary used toward black people wasn’t thought about as negative but looked upon as regular, they were allowed to say things like that although now days you’d get in a whole lot of difficulties as racism isn’t approved. Candy procedes tell them how Crooks isn’t allowed inside the bunk property, the small typically western and room packed with beds had been they all sleeping. He isn’t allowed in simply because he’s black and segregation prevents him from doing this as its combining with light people that was frowned upon at that time.

He says “they let the nigger in that night” reminiscing a single Christmas once Crooks was allowed in the bunk property “smitty required after the nigger, done pretty good too” this individual tells of how a white guy called smitty decided to conquer crooks up just for fun and says “the guys wouldn’t let him employ his feet” on account of thieves having a twisted back they will thought even though beating him up for not any reason, merely entertainment they presume its reasonable because he couldn’t use foot. But weren’t getting almost all negative investments from crooks, candy likewise says “Nice Fella, also. ” “He Reads a whole lot, got a whole lot of books in his room” Steinbeck has turned crooks smart, he’s made it so criminals won slowing smitty and has made him a ‘nice guy’ because he wanted to enough time typical belief victim of a black person he truly does so by giving him satisfaction, identity and not showing key weekness.

He’s also produced him crippled to give him more strength and more of the heroic area. It also means he’s trapped at the ranch as it will be rare for almost any other place to take him in and so already ahead of we meet up with this character we have a whole lot of sympathy and respect for him and all he’s going through. All of us finally get to meet him in phase 3, although it is fairly brief.

Crooks pokes his mind through the door of the bunkhouse as he isn’t allowed to step into it, learning he cant step any further he calls slim although instead of saying sleek he says “Mr slim”, black people were required to formally talk about white persons so thieves was anticipated to use Mister and Mrs or Ma’am and Sir when getting close to a white-colored person, in the event that approaching 1 at all otherwise he’d get in a lot of trouble and maybe be hung, he was thought to respect light people as though not worthwhile to all of them. We then officially meet up with Crooks in chapter 5, a whole section dedicated to him which in these kinds of a short story with such an unimportant figure is very rare but Steinbeck obviously felt very strongly about racism and getting a picture across that crooks recently had an identity and personality, having been just like the rest of them but was hated due to colour of his skin area.

Crooks has the longest summary of his figure and in which he lives in the book so that we get a vivid information and a chance to get to know him, and that he is a real character which has a personality and feelings. Thieves is said to live in “a small shed that leaned off the wall of the barn”, putting criminals in the barn and expressing “crooks had an apple package over his bunk, in addition to it a variety of medicine containers, both intended for himself plus the horses” displays his status is that of an animal, they school him while dirt, lower then the horse. His foundation is just a container on hay and covers as well, which Steinbeck creating an image of your man treated like an pet.

Stereotypes might of believed he was a messy black man but in actual fact criminals is a “proud” and clean man. Being old, crippled and most significantly black thieves has been not able to get himself a girlfriend and staying like he is never is going to, so as an alternative to a female he features “dirty books”. When Lenny Meets Thieves he doesn’t have a clue regarding racism, this individual isn’t hurtful in any shape or form as he has got the mind of the child and doesn’t appreciate it.

He asks “why ain’t you wanted” because he cant see why crooks wouldn’t be allowed in the hokum house which shows racism isn’t normal or in genes or perhaps occurs to you as a kid, racism is taught for you by the persons you develop up with and by pictures you observe in the contemporary society. Lenny doesn’t use his white position in his dialogue with crooks what so ever in addition to the chat crooks basically has the upper hand for once. Criminals says “this here’s my own room.

No person got virtually any right in here although me” and trys to eliminate Lenny, nevertheless not that he doesn’t want the business because he truly does, that’s what he demands the most although it’s a matter of basic principle, he provides the idea that white people don’t let him in there room, why should this individual let them in the room? He’s read up his place in society and he is aware of his legal rights, and one among his privileges is his room. Thieves snaps by Lenny expressing “I aint no the southern area of nigro” exhibiting he hasn’t accepted the simple fact that he’s less of any man then simply Lenny, he knows he’s the same besides a colour and he provides a confidence.

He starts patronizing and teasing Lenny to make himself feel better as he see’s someone that’s an easier concentrate on then himself to pick that proves an awful streak. Upsetting Lenny expressing things like “spose George entered town therefore you never been aware of him no more” and “they’ll consider you to the booby emerge. They’ll connect you up with a training collar, like a dog”.

Crooks didn’t always used to become segregated both, he attended a normal university and had white friends nevertheless his daddy didn’t approve as he understood it wouldn’t last and they’d develop up and be on him. “on my personal old mans chicken ranch” his family owned a rooster ranch so he wasn’t from an unhealthy typical dark-colored slave relatives, showing the fantastic depression could put you in circumstances unlike those people you were raised in. he says “its simply a nigger stating it” identifying nothing he admits that means anything at all and he doesn’t have got a state because he’s black. In Lenny and Crooks dialogue there on completely different wave lengths, speaking on different levels entirely.

Its possible for crooks to share his tale and to include someone to talk to about his feelings and loneliness because he knows Lenny isn’t currently taking anything in and will not remember anything, its just a physical existence to talk to thus he isn’t talking to him self. Crooks only picks in Lenny as a result of power and status, the majority of his existence he’s recently been teased and tortured as well as the boss gives him these kinds of hell thus he’s finally found someone he can tease and pain back.

We get an insight of crooks loneliness and know how much it is really getting to him thus we forgive him to get the bullying because we all know Lenny’s scenario is no had been near as bad while Crooks, crooks has no a single but Lenny has often had George, Crooks expresses this sobbing “you know he’s likely to come back, spose you didn’t have nobody, spose you couldn’t type in the bunk house and play rummy because your black” he obviously is very desperately depressed, he desires someone to speak to more after that anything and its made even more difficult as he hasn’t always been such as this. He clarifies how he “had two brothers, we were holding always near me, always there.

Used to sleeping in the same room” and so he was accustomed to having his brothers around, sharing an area and having someone to speak to all the time. He’s been segregated from family and friends for a lifetime by itself and with social levels rock bottom stifling loneliness Can be putting him in a state of mind and he’s trying to place Lenny in the shoes. Crooks seems extremely cynical and sceptical about Lennys dream and offers given up almost all hope in religion saying “nobody ever before gets to heaven” he doesn’t believe a god might put him through this kind of.

Crooks likewise defends himself saying “you say We smell, you all smell to me” he almost certainly doesn’t genuinely thing white-colored people ‘smell’ it’s just a matter of if you can say it in my opinion, I can state it to you. It’s almost childish, you smell, not any you do! In that case Candy comes onto the scene and joins Thieves and Lenny. Crooks is happy to have the ability to this unexpected company, some thing he’d imagined happening and is also more after that pleased to have got people inside the barn with him not really that he’d let that on. Candies says “I been in this article a long time, a great crooks been here quite a while.

This is the first-time I’ve experienced this room” he’s demonstrating the real interesting depth of segregation as they’ve both been there years and years nevertheless they have never seen each other’s rooms but segregation like this was typical. Crooks demonstrates just how lonesome he is if he offers to give up all independence and pay to work for absolutely nothing and become almost a servant for George, Lenny and Candy and return, just some company hesitatingly saying “if you…guys wants a side to work for nothing-just his keep, so why I’d come an lend a hand. “. Then simply it’s every unsettled simply by Curley’s wife’s appearance. She’s nearly because lonely as crooks, not allowed to talk to any individual but her husband whom she doesn’t feel to get at all.

This individual leaves her alone to the whore property and she’s expected to speak to nobody. She’s hurt and looking for some business, just anyone to talk to. Your woman expresses her loneliness declaring “what am I doing? Discussing with a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an a dum-dum and a terrible ol sheep and im liking it” although she’s insulting all of them she’s in the same way desperate for some company and wants these to talk to her, but they possess other suggestions. They have it drummed in to there minds she’s trouble and Crook’s especially knows he shouldn’t be talking to her.

He coldly shouts at her saying “I had enough, you got not any rights arriving a female mans place. You got zero rights messing around in at all. You just get out an receive out quick. If you don’t, im likely to ask the boss to not ever let you come in the barn no more” crook’s overstepped the mark in the society he lives in. he can’t actually boss in regards to white girl.

He hasn’t said anything unreasonable, he knows his rights but he’s harmful her offering himself a good of authority. She reply’s to that within a bad approach snapping at him “listen, nigger guess what happens I can carry out to you in the event you open your pitfall? You know what I possibly could do? ” he realises he’s overdone it and returns to his typical lonely self responding with a simple “yes ma’am” and ‘sits upon his bunk drawing in himself’.

After having Chocolate and Lenny in the room and being able to have normal conversations departing out virtually any racism he’s almost forgotten himself and segregation, the time he had with the other two was a lot more like a bit of imagination not reality. He believed for a tiny he would have an equal companionship but then Curley’s wife comes and button snaps him from it and will remind him of his place and position. What this individual did was paralyse his childhood when he played with white colored kids, this individual just fooled himself in thinking these people were maybe his friends nevertheless after the argument he soon realises that the would never happen, he would under no circumstances be approved so following she leaves he improvements.

He converts cold on the other two again and withdraws his give to improve company even though he’d even now love to do that, he feels it’s only a far away fantasy as dark-colored people will not ever have similar friendships with white people. Curley’s partner has turned out she’s racist but she’s not alone for the reason that, she vulnerable to have him hung. Almost all she’d of had to do was run returning to the farm and notify the employer or Curley he touched her and he’d become killed devoid of trial, in the same way a form of payback.

Crook’s will just have to always be accused with a white person and presently there authority would get him killed, that was your reality penalized a dark man, that was the fact of crook’s situation. Taking the racism and unfairness of segregation in the 1930’s Steinbeck has efficiently created this character of any black gentleman, trapped in his crippled body system, desperately unhappy and abused but given him a great identity, a personality, a proper background and family and made him a real person. He’s featured how desperately they were cared for, how they sensed, what they went through and what we cant allow happen again in the future.

Criminals wasn’t part of the story as a result but having been there to represent what it was just like at the time as well as the seriousness with the horrors of racism that went on and he’s performed that outstandingly giving a perfect picture and make all of us as an audience feel pertaining to the character of Crooks and also think about what went on back then and to help guarantee segregation will not return.