Racism in of Mice and Men

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RACISM IN OF MICE AND MEN In “Of Mice and Men" the character of Crooks is used to show the racism towards black’s at the time the book is set. Crooks also shows the American Dream and the feelings of all the ranchers, their loneliness and need for company. Crooks is a black man, but at the time the novel was written, blacks were referred to as "niggers" as a white insult. Being a”nigger”, Crooks is hated by the whites at the ranch and he hates this. As he says "If I say something, why it's just a nigger sayin' it" and this shows his anger. Being hated has made him seem cruel, but also he sees himself as less important human. He says to Lennie "You got no right to come in my room.....You go on get outa my room. I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse and you ain't wanted in my room." This also shows he built up anger and shouted at Lennie because he is a ‘easy target’. However later he is friendly saying "I didn't mean to scare you" shows us that Crooks has a kind heart under his harsh outside. We also get that Crooks after been treated differently he decides to mock what most ranchers including Lennie and George hope for the American dream. This is a dream where all American’s will be equal and they will get their own land in in Lennie’s case tend to rabbits and grow alfalfa We should not look at Crooks as a evil, for looking at the American dream this way as it is other’s actions that cause him to act like by people not caring what he says he's only an "nigger" is the way they think of him and nothing else. However you can say that just because he is being treated unfairly does not mean that he can ruin others hope and dreams after all that is what they live for. All in all I think that the way John Steinbeck uses crooks as a example to show racism in 1920’s America, shows us that you can be a normal human being but just because of the colour of your skin you can
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