Crooks suffers racial abuse, physical and mental abuse, segregation, disability and loneliness. Crooks is the only black man on the ranch. During the 1930s there were laws enforcing segregation. Crooks, has his own room in the bunkhouse, a small room leaning off the barn. During the 1930s black people were openly expressed as ‘niggers’. Such racism is no longer tolerated. In Crooks’ past he has been beaten by white people, this just shows how whites believe they are superior to other races. Crooks was given his nickname because he has developed a crooked back due to his past experiences with white people. Finally Crooks suffers with loneliness because he thinks he’s going crazy. During his conversation with Lennie he reveals that he has seen things on the ranch but he is not sure if he actually seen them, and he says if he had a friend with him, his friend could tell him if he did actually see these things or if he just imagined it. "S'pose you didn't have nobody. S'pose you couldn't go into the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you were black...A guy needs somebody-to be near him....I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick. This quote was taken from Crooks’ conversation with Lennie. Crooks only socializes with the other ranch hands is when on horseshoe game night. In Crooks’ room he has a copy of the Californian Civil Code, which implies Crooks is concerned about his rights.
Candy suffers with ageism and disability. Candy lost his right hand in an injury on the ranch; he received two hundred and fifty dollars compensation. Candy is the swamper who cleans the bunkhouse. Carlson intimidates Candy into agreeing to allow him to shoot his old dog, his only companion. Before George and Lennie came to the ranch Candy was lonely and isolated, but he made friends with George and Lennie and becomes the third member of their dream.
Curley’s Wife suffers with loneliness and sexism. We never get to know her name which implies that she is only Curley’s ‘property’ and she has no purpose or meaning, or identity. This shows that during the 1930s women were inferior to men and women were only meant for sex, cooking, cleaning and looking after their lover. She is insulted by George who calls her ‘jailbait’, jailbait means she is trouble and is only out to cause any trouble she can. She is flirtatious and is always hanging around the bunk-house, claiming she is looking’ for Curley. She is a very lonely women because she is the only woman on the ranch and has nobody to talk to, all Curley is interested in is showing off and fighting. She reveals to Lennie hat she doesn’t like Curley and she only married him because she didn‘t receive a letter she had been promised to get into Hollywood.
Curley suffers with a disability he receives during George and Lennie’s stay on the ranch. However there is more to Curley’s suffering than meets the eye. Curley is small and he hates larger men, and is out for a fight with larger men. "He glanced coldly at George and then at Lennie. His arms gradually bent at the elbows and his hands closed into fists. “Curley is a newly wed and he is very protective and obsessive with his new wife, however he still visits the brothels. Brothels are places where women sell themselves. Curley tells candy and George he has a glove full of Vaseline to keep his hand soft for his wife.
Lennie suffers with mental immaturity and he’s child-like. Lennie has a limited intelligence and is a burden on George. He relies on George for his survival. He idolizes George, he imitates George and obeys George’s every wish, however Lennie is George’s opposite. ‘Behind him, walked has opposite.’ He shares George’s dream, however Lennie’s true dream is to tend the rabbits. Lennie likes to pet and touch things, like a child. This got Lennie into trouble, in Weed, when he grabbed onto a lady’s dress because he thought it felt nice, the poor lady thought Lennie was going to attack her. Lennie is also very forgetful and George has to constantly remind Lennie of important things, like what to do and where to go. Lennie is the complete opposite of what he seems, Lennie is actually kind and gentle and wouldn’t harm any living thing, deliberately. Lennie is an abnormally strong man and can do the work of two men, when bucking barley.
Finally George, George is a small man but has brains and a quick wit. George really only stays with Lennie because he made a promise to Lennie’s Aunty Clara, he does everything for Lennie, looking after his affairs, looking after his work card and tries to keep him out of trouble. He needs Lennie as a friend, not only because Lennie's strength helps to get them both jobs, but so as not to be lonely. His threats to leave Lennie are not really serious. He is genuinely proud of Lennie. George is honest to people, people he trust anyway. An example of this is when he admits to Slim he used to play tricks on Lennie and once made him jump into a river and Lennie nearly drowned.
My overall review on the novella is; the book is good, reveals a lot about Americans, the way they act and think. However the true meaning I think of the book is that friendship is the strongest power of all.