In John Steinbeck’s “OF MICE AND MEN” a large variety of social statuses and social classes are observed in the characters, which range from: Negros, women, elderly, the rich and the poor during 1930’s America. Whilst it is a touching story of dreams and friendship it is also rather saddening because of its setting during the Depression and hardship that everyone had to face.
Crooks is the Negro stable buck, he has a crippled back and is often discriminated against by people of higher social status such as: the Boss, Curley’s Wife and Curley. As Candy the old man tells Lennie and George (the main protagonists) “The boss gives him hell when he’s mad.” Whilst not being allowed to sleep in the bunkhouse with his white counterparts, his room in the barn shows that he is a rather intelligent individual who reads the 1905 California civil code. He is probably one of the most intelligent but also the best at horseshoes and is respected for this. At one point you see how powerless he is in truth when Curley’s wife threatens to hang him from a tree.
Let’s have a look at Curley’s Wife; the attractive seductress and breaker of dreams, how she fits into the story is that she stirs up trouble for others with her aggressive husband Curley. Whilst saddened by never being to become famous and fulfil her dreams of becoming an actress she settles for living on a ranch. Throughout the book you see how almost everyone distrusts her, even her own husband suspects that she’s cheating on him. When Curley finds her walking around the ranch he’ll tell her to go back to the house. A name that the ranch hands call her behind her back is Tart because she seems to try and flirt with them. The fact the she does not have a real name and is referred to as Curley’s Wife shows how she is viewed as a lesser in the era of the novella and maybe does not deserve a name.
Candy the old, one handed swamper feels