Prejudice in of Mice and Men
In John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, there are many example of prejudice. The main types of prejudice shown in this novel are racial, sexual and social prejudice.
This essay is firstly going to look at racial prejudice. There is much racial prejudice shown in Of Mice and Men towards Crooks the black crippled stable buck. Crooks is more permanent than the other ranch hands and has his own room off the stables with many more possessions than them. This room is made out to be a privilege and also because it means he is nearer to the horses but in fact it is really because the other ranch hands do not want him in the bunk house with them. As a result of this prejudice Crooks has become bitter and very lonely.
When Lennie comes to pet the puppies, not even realizing that Crooks' room is `out of bounds', Crooks instantly becomes defensive and uncivil "I ain't wanted in the bunk room and you ain't wanted in my room" but Lennie in his childish innocence is completely without prejudice " Why ain't you wanted" he asks. Crooks retaliates to this with: "Cause I'm black, 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 line showing that Crooks desperately wants to join in, be accepted, but because of his colour he can't and so he feels the only way he can make himself feel better is to cut himself off further. It is evident his life has become a vicious circle of resentment and mistrust of others.
However, the author reveals that it has not always been this way. When Crooks realizes that Lennie means no harm, he invites him to "Come on in and set a while" before recollecting memories about his childhood. He speaks of it as a kind of paradise: "The white kids come to play at our place, an' sometimes I went to play with them and some of them were pretty nice. My ol' man didn't like that. I never knew till long later why he didn't like that. But I know now".
Crooks didn't experience racism
This essay is firstly going to look at racial prejudice. There is much racial prejudice shown in Of Mice and Men towards Crooks the black crippled stable buck. Crooks is more permanent than the other ranch hands and has his own room off the stables with many more possessions than them. This room is made out to be a privilege and also because it means he is nearer to the horses but in fact it is really because the other ranch hands do not want him in the bunk house with them. As a result of this prejudice Crooks has become bitter and very lonely.
When Lennie comes to pet the puppies, not even realizing that Crooks' room is `out of bounds', Crooks instantly becomes defensive and uncivil "I ain't wanted in the bunk room and you ain't wanted in my room" but Lennie in his childish innocence is completely without prejudice " Why ain't you wanted" he asks. Crooks retaliates to this with: "Cause I'm black, 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 line showing that Crooks desperately wants to join in, be accepted, but because of his colour he can't and so he feels the only way he can make himself feel better is to cut himself off further. It is evident his life has become a vicious circle of resentment and mistrust of others.
However, the author reveals that it has not always been this way. When Crooks realizes that Lennie means no harm, he invites him to "Come on in and set a while" before recollecting memories about his childhood. He speaks of it as a kind of paradise: "The white kids come to play at our place, an' sometimes I went to play with them and some of them were pretty nice. My ol' man didn't like that. I never knew till long later why he didn't like that. But I know now".
Crooks didn't experience racism