Prejudice In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Prejudice is a baseless preconceived opinion regarding a specific person and/or group. “The human mind must think with the aid of categories”, and places what it doesn’t know much about into stereotypes (Cherry 1). It is a way to make sense of the unknown. However, prejudice can end up becoming harmful towards a person and/or group. Prejudice can negatively impact one’s opportunities, personality, and reputation. Prejudice can diminish any opportunities that may be available to those being judged. Take for example the mentally disabled character Lennie, from Of Mice And Men. Lennie is never doing anything but what his best friend George tells him to do. Because of this, the other ranch hands in the book don’t assume Lennie can do much more
Crooks, the black, physically disabled ranch hand in Of Mice And Men is a prime example. The other ranch boys are extremely racist, with the exception of Slim and Lennie. Even Curley’s wife insults Crooks with “Well you keep your place then N*gger. I could get you strung up a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” (Steinbeck 89). This type of insult has caused Crooks to become hateful towards everyone, and act as if he doesn’t want any company; for example, Crooks says to Lennie, “...’I ain’t wanted in the bunk house and you ain’t wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 75). Crooks convinces himself that he doesn’t need friends, as no one likes him anyway. However, when Lennie treats him as a real person, Crooks realizes that a small few aren’t horribly racist. But even that can’t convince Crooks to stop his
Curley’s wife from Of Mice And Men, for example, is discriminated against simply because she is a woman; while talking to Lennie, Curley’s wife gives the defense “...Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am anyways?...What kinda harm am I doin’ to you?” (Steinbeck 96). The ranch hands have painted Curley’s wife as a whore who can only cause trouble. They see her not as a person, but rather nothing more than a distraction seeking attention. Even Lennie is convinced of this, and Lennie can barely grasp the idea of racism, let alone sexism. He says to Curley’s wife, “Well, George says you’ll get us in a mess” (Steinbeck 96). Also, the fact that Curley’s wife doesn’t even get a real name symbolizes how she is seen as nothing more than an object. Prejudice in its negative uses can cause multiple types of harm to an individual. It can affect how other’s see them, how they act towards others, and what they are given the chance to do. Prejudice is complicated in the fact that it is difficult for people “to dismiss their existing categorical beliefs” about certain races, sexes, intelligence level, etc. (Cherry 1). Once a group or individual is placed in its stereotype, people cannot seem to believe anything else. Feelings of prejudice are constant; they will likely not