Part of The Student Room Group

  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

Of Mice & Men : Crooks analysis

Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Of Mice & Men: Crooks Crooks is introduced to us in a very unique way. Steinbeck describes all his belongings, creating a strong vivid picture in the readers head. Crooks the 'negro stable buck' lives alone in a small cramped room. He is someone who is treated very unfairly and unjustly, due to just his colour. When he was young he was kicked by a horse, therefore leaving him with a body which is crooked to the left. He has many things from shoes, a clock, and a shotgun; he also has a dictionary, magazines, a few dirty books, and a pair of 'gold' spectacles. Crooks keeps his room 'swept and clearly neat'. For Crooks his room is his supply of pride. Crooks room alone tells us everything about him. It tells us how he is different from many other ranch workers. ...read more.

Middle

'I aint wanted in the bunk house, and you aint wanted in my room.' This again shows how defensive Crooks can get. He sees the opportunity to finally use his power and hurt someone else the way he is hurt. This in turn makes him feel superior and he feels as though he has kept his pride and respect, however finally Crooks gives in and invites Lennie into his room. This was due to Crooks putting aside his pride and actually feeling how lonely he felt. Steinbeck carries on the theme of loneliness in this chapter, this can be told through the way the possessions of Crooks are described or the way in which he speaks to Lennie. 'A guy needs somebody - to be near him ... . I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick' Steinbeck continues to impose how lonely Crooks is due to him being coloured. ...read more.

Conclusion

Steinbeck once again describes Crooks doing the same thing once again which he was doing in the beginning 'liniment in his pink hand..... Rubbing his back' I believe Steinbeck is trying to show us something by doing this. He is showing what a black man in those times was to do, no matter what, even if temporarily he found his feet he would always be 'reduced to nothingness'. The American dream plays a huge roll in this book and especially in this chapter. Candy's fear is that what happened to his dog may happen to him for being too old. Crooks fear is that the racism may one day get too extreme for him. George and Lennie's want to be their own boss and live of the 'fatta the lan' as two successful close friends. All these people want to have the dream for these reasons, but however as my favourite poet Jonathon Crannier 'Dreams are there to be dreams , not reality. ' ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE John Steinbeck section.

Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

or


Here's what a teacher thought of this essay

3 star(s)

Some good points begin to be explored in this essay; however as a whole response it feels under developed, lacking breadth and depth. Similarities between Lennie and Crooks could have been explored in more detail and even between Curley's wife and Crooks.

3 Stars

Marked by teacher Laura Gater 20/05/2013

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related GCSE John Steinbeck essays

  1. Marked by a teacher

    The Slave's dream

    5 star(s)

    The last line of this stanza, "Then." Has a lot of impact. It is like the final word in an argument. It is saying I will be equal and I will sit at the table with the higher people. The penultimate stanza tells of the guilt that white men will feel in the future.

  2. Good Night Mister Tom - Quick Chapter summary.

    asked to play the organ but it brings back memories of Rachel Mr Tom says yes Chapter 13 (179-185)

  1. Prequel to Of Mice and Men

    thing, in the end George had to sock him over the head to make him let go, the girl ran off shouting to the top of her voice, George drabbed Lennie and told him, ''We gotta get out o' here now Lennie you stupid son of a bitch!''.

  2. Explore Power in Of Mice and Men.

    Steinbeck also uses foreshadowing devices to emphasise Lennie's weakness. The death of Candy's dog and his inability to stop it foreshadows Lennie's downfall. Moreover, the structure of the novella and the events allow for Steinbeck to add a dreadful progression in Lennie's victims from the dead mouse to the "dead

  1. Find 5 different ways in which Steinbeck suspends the tension of the moment

    thus creating tension and suspense as we wait to see if Candy will react. After he has reluctantly agreed to let Carlson kill the dog we are worried for Candy as we know how much it meant to him. 'Candy lay rigidly on his bed' he is unable to move

  2. Loneliness In Of Mice and Men

    Candy and his dog had the same relationship that George and Lennie had shared for so many years. He offers everything that he had to support the friendship including money, he offers the biggest share of money to realize the dream as well as services hoping that the pair will "let" him help out.

  1. Prejudice Within The Novel Of Mice And Men.

    But I know now". Crooks' did not experience racism directly in his childhood, making his current situation even worse. Lennie although appearing to be listening, is actually preoccupied with rabbits, and although Crooks realises that Lennie may not actually be listening he is just glad for someone to talk to.

  2. Of Mice and Men- Crooks' Relationships controlled assessment.

    Moreover, Candy's ability to reveal Crooks through several perspectives portrays him as a non biased narrator which makes his views trustworthy. In reference to Crook's room, Steinbeck constantly uses adjectives like 'little', 'square' and 'narrow' to create a cage-like atmosphere, revealing that he is imprisoned by the white society and

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work