Explore the presentation of Crooks in of ‘Of Mice and Men’
In ‘Of Mice and Men’, Steinbeck uses Crooks to demonstrate themes of loneliness, prejudice and
hopes and dreams on the ranch, his microcosm of 1930s America. He is used to illustrate hierarchy
and discrimination, the difficulties that came with being a black man. The reader is able to grasp an
understanding of what life was really like for anyone of colour or disabled during 1930s America
from Crooks’ character.
Loneliness is one of the biggest themes explored through Crooks and we learn that this leads to
bitterness. As a black man, he is segregated from the rest of the men on the ranch and therefore
finds himself alone most of the time. As a reader, we already learnt that men working on ranches in
the 1930s became extremely lonely-“Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the
world”, let alone a man of colour who was not allowed to socialise with white people. In Chapter 4,
we learn just how lonely he is when he tries to get Lennie to understand just ‘a tip of the iceberg’ of
what he goes through-“ S’pose you had to set out here an’ read books.” Crooks emphasises how the
other men on the ranch at least have the ‘luxury’ of having other people to talk to-“It’s just bein’
with another guy. That’s all.” Crooks had been alone for so long that when he actually came into
contact with others he did not know how to react positively -“Crooks scowled but Lennie’s disarming
smile defeated him.” Being alone had made Crooks turn bitter and cold so even when he had an
opportunity to talk to someone, he had forgotten how.
Another theme widely explored through Crooks is prejudice. In the time the novel was set, America
was an extremely racist place. To start with, Crooks was not allowed in the bunk house with the
other men on the ranch simply because he is black.- “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse…
‘cause you was black’. Crooks was given a place to stay in the barn amongst the horses-‘both for him
and the horses.’ This gives us the impression that the boss and the other workers think of Crooks
more as an animal rather than an actual human. An example of this is in chapter 4 when Curley’s
Wife reminds Crooks of just how effortlessly she could get rid of him-‘I could get you strung up on a
tree so easy it ain’t even funny’. Curley’s wife was clearly talking about lynching here, which was so
common in 1930s America and a real threat mostly to people of colour. The fact that this horrific act
was being spoken about as if nothing, demonstrates the warped thinking about black people in
those times. They also saw him as entertainment. Just like one would watch animals perform in a
circus,-‘They let the nigg*r come in that night’, they watched Crooks and dehumanised him. They
have never seen him as an actual person and therefore never treated him like one.
Crooks demonstrates that even at the bottom of the hierarchy, people still try to enforce the little
power they have; the strong preyed on the weak. Especially during the Great Depression when
people lost everything, they would give anything to have some sort of authority over anyone or
anything else. Although Crooks is black, because Lennie did not know he was ‘supposed’ to treat
Crooks any differently, he showed him kindness and came and spoke with Crooks. However, because
Crooks was so used to having authority held over him, the minute he had the opportunity to hold
only the minutest bit over someone else, he grabbed it.-‘ Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his
torture.’ This shows how everyone wants power no matter how little of it they get. Crooks
attempted to make Lennie suffer so he could gain the upper hand over him. Deep down in Crooks’
heart, he might not have wanted to make Lennie suffer, however his mind followed his will and
desire to have authority and power over someone else.
In ‘Of Mice and Men’, Steinbeck uses Crooks to demonstrate themes of loneliness, prejudice and
hopes and dreams on the ranch, his microcosm of 1930s America. He is used to illustrate hierarchy
and discrimination, the difficulties that came with being a black man. The reader is able to grasp an
understanding of what life was really like for anyone of colour or disabled during 1930s America
from Crooks’ character.
Loneliness is one of the biggest themes explored through Crooks and we learn that this leads to
bitterness. As a black man, he is segregated from the rest of the men on the ranch and therefore
finds himself alone most of the time. As a reader, we already learnt that men working on ranches in
the 1930s became extremely lonely-“Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the
world”, let alone a man of colour who was not allowed to socialise with white people. In Chapter 4,
we learn just how lonely he is when he tries to get Lennie to understand just ‘a tip of the iceberg’ of
what he goes through-“ S’pose you had to set out here an’ read books.” Crooks emphasises how the
other men on the ranch at least have the ‘luxury’ of having other people to talk to-“It’s just bein’
with another guy. That’s all.” Crooks had been alone for so long that when he actually came into
contact with others he did not know how to react positively -“Crooks scowled but Lennie’s disarming
smile defeated him.” Being alone had made Crooks turn bitter and cold so even when he had an
opportunity to talk to someone, he had forgotten how.
Another theme widely explored through Crooks is prejudice. In the time the novel was set, America
was an extremely racist place. To start with, Crooks was not allowed in the bunk house with the
other men on the ranch simply because he is black.- “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse…
‘cause you was black’. Crooks was given a place to stay in the barn amongst the horses-‘both for him
and the horses.’ This gives us the impression that the boss and the other workers think of Crooks
more as an animal rather than an actual human. An example of this is in chapter 4 when Curley’s
Wife reminds Crooks of just how effortlessly she could get rid of him-‘I could get you strung up on a
tree so easy it ain’t even funny’. Curley’s wife was clearly talking about lynching here, which was so
common in 1930s America and a real threat mostly to people of colour. The fact that this horrific act
was being spoken about as if nothing, demonstrates the warped thinking about black people in
those times. They also saw him as entertainment. Just like one would watch animals perform in a
circus,-‘They let the nigg*r come in that night’, they watched Crooks and dehumanised him. They
have never seen him as an actual person and therefore never treated him like one.
Crooks demonstrates that even at the bottom of the hierarchy, people still try to enforce the little
power they have; the strong preyed on the weak. Especially during the Great Depression when
people lost everything, they would give anything to have some sort of authority over anyone or
anything else. Although Crooks is black, because Lennie did not know he was ‘supposed’ to treat
Crooks any differently, he showed him kindness and came and spoke with Crooks. However, because
Crooks was so used to having authority held over him, the minute he had the opportunity to hold
only the minutest bit over someone else, he grabbed it.-‘ Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his
torture.’ This shows how everyone wants power no matter how little of it they get. Crooks
attempted to make Lennie suffer so he could gain the upper hand over him. Deep down in Crooks’
heart, he might not have wanted to make Lennie suffer, however his mind followed his will and
desire to have authority and power over someone else.
