swept and fairly neat'; however the other characters don't see him as an equal. They even go to the extent of refusing to share a room with him; although this does allow him the freedom of leaving his possessions lying freely around; 'and scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions'. A number of these possessions reflects his personality; ' a tattered dictionary' which suggests that he is quite articulate. Some of these items also highlight his treatment and segregation from society. He had 'a few dirty books' suggesting they were pornography because he wasn't allowed into the cat house due to his skin colour. Crooks didn't have a proper bed unlike the others, 'Crooks bunk was a long box filled with straw on which his blankets were flung'; showing how he was thought of by the boss. As many people saw black men the same as animals, they were treated in the same way; 'Crooks had his apple box over his bunk and in it a range of medicine bottles, for himself and the horses'. All of these possessions were deliberately emphasised by the author to show that Crooks was indeed equal to the others and cause the reader to feel sympathy towards him.
As the reader then begins to visualise Crooks appearance and personality from the description given, the reader begins to feel sympathy towards him. 'He is more permanent than the others' has a big affect on the reader as they wish that he could have options about where he would like to work, and are sad to see that he can't go anywhere as he is crippled and more importantly black. Also Crooks may have opinions, a voice and feelings but no one cares about them due to his hierarchy in society. He is described as a 'proud and alouf' man who prefers but doesn't like or want to be by himself. 'he kept his distance and demanded that the other people kept theirs'. Crooks preferred to be by himself if the others was going to discriminate him; but later on in the novel the reader sees Crooks hunger for friendship. From the description of Crooks' appearance, to the reader Crooks seems to be a intense and depressed character. 'His eyes lay deep in his head and because of their depth seem yo glitter with intensity'. The reader can't imagine the pain Crooks is going through, both emotionally and physically, but he shows only a small amount of pain through the facial expression he constantly has. 'He had pain tightened lips' and 'in one hand he held a bottle of liniment and with the other he rubbed his spine'. Another example of Crooks pain is ' he flexed his muscles against his back and shivered.
As Crooks has been so beaten down by loneliness and prejudicial treatment, he is now suspicious of any kindness he receives. When one of the protagonists, Lennie, arrives into the barn, Crooks become irritated because he has 'no rights' to be in the barn according to Crooks; 'his eyes stiffened and a scowl came on his face'. At this stage of the novel, the reader sees a deprived and power hungry side of Crooks. The reader also sees Crooks make Lennie and some other characters aware of the little rights he has. 'You ain't got a right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right here but me'; this was said sharply reflecting the irritation of Lennie being in the barn. The reader sees Crooks try to have the same authority as the other white characters. At first Crooks treats Lennie in the same as he has been treated by the others. Crooks bullies Lennie, in the hope that he would go away. 'Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outta my room. I ain't wanted in the bunk house and you ain't wanted in my room'. When Crooks realises that Lennie isn't a threat, he tries to seize power over him. He also becomes quite agnostic, 'don't come in a place where you're not wanted'. Crooks is being quite malevolent, and tries to order Lennie around, showing more desperation for power. Crooks is painfully aware that his skin colour is all that keeps him separate in this culture. He also knows that due to his skin colour, if he says anything it doesn't matter and his feelings aren't thought of. 'This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted back nigger. So it don't mean nothing' This outsider status causes him to lament his loneliness, but he also delights in seeing the loneliness of others, perhaps because misery loves company. When Lennie asks Crooks 'why ain't you wanted?' Crooks reply is spiteful yet true; 'Cause I’m black.... They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me'.
But as soon as Crooks becomes conscious of Lennie not caring about about his skin colour, Crooks becomes kinder, and retreats from his over protective manner. From this,Crooks takes this opportunity to embrace this contingency to talk to someone, as knows that Lennie won't tell anyone what is said. 'A guy can talk to you an' be sure you won't go blabbin''. The tragedy in the conversation is that Lennie isn't paying attention to what is being said, he doesn't judge, and he doesn't emphasise with Crooks. Lennie just lets Crooks to talk, and yet Crooks knows this, but still carries on talking; he wants Lennie to be with him, he wants someone to talk to; and Crooks isn't offended by this. The reader sees Crooks open up about his past and his feeling towards his segregation and how he knows that he is the same as the other workers. 'I ain't a southern Negro. I was born right here in California'. This shows that Crooks doesn't seem himself as a Negro, he sees himself as an equal because he was born here, where they are born. Crooks tells Lennie about his past; how he use to play with other white kids and never knew why his father didn't like it. But as he got older, he realised and has hated white people ever since, because of their treatment towards him.
As Crooks is reminded of his hatred towards white people, who tries to show Lennie how it feels to be lonely in an injurious manner. As Crooks knows that Lennie doesn't understand anything that is being said, he takes this and uses it against Lennie.'His excitement had increased.“George can tell you screwy things, and it don't matter". Crooks tries to get Lennie to feel what it's like to be alone, but shortly after, he becomes threaten by Lennie physical power over him. 'S'pose George don't come back'; Lennies' attention only now gradually came to what is being said. Steinbeck delineates Crooks emotions in a cruel manner. 'Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory. Lennie kept on denying it,'but the doubt was too much for him'. As Lennie became more and more worried; ' Crooks face lighted with pleasure in his torture'. This shows that Crooks has the power he wanted and is clever, manipulative and sinister. As Crooks carried on mocking him, 'Lennie's eyes centred and grew quiet and mad'. Then Crooks become conscious of the danger and power Lennie had over Crooks in strength. 'Crooks saw the danger as it approached him. He edged back on his bunk to get of the way'. This is ironic as Lennie is towering over Crooks showing a clear hierarchy in strength, it also shows the position of Crooks in society.
Crooks then begins to talk in a softer tone and shows signs of being psychologically damaged by his constant isolation. As Lennie decides to leave, Crooks becomes aware of the hurt he has caused and doesn't want Lennie to leave. ' I didn't mean to scare you. He'll come back'; he doesn't want to be left alone again. Then Crooks tells Lennie how he wishes he could have someone with him like George and Lennie. 'S'pose you didn't have anybody.... A guys needs someone to be with him'. This reflects Crooks' situation and he becomes sadder as he realises that he wish won't come true and his desperation for a friend. 'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got anybody...an' he gets sick' again reference to himself and his ostracism has left him psychologically scarred. This makes the reader feel sympathy for him as Steinbeck reinforces how Crooks is sick of his isolation.
Then Crooks alters to vulnerability, wishing he had someone to tell everything was fine; 'I seen things out there'; and now he fully opens himself to Lennie and the reader, he becomes weak and terrified. 'I don't know if I was asleep. If some guy was with me, he could tell me I was asleep, an' then it was be all right'. This suggests that Crooks may have seen someone get lynched and wishing it was all a dream. At this stage of the novel the reader can only imagine the terror of being alone and to know that you could be lynched.
After that, Crooks tell Lennie about his brother and how he was never alone. 'Had 2 brothers. They was always near me, always there'. This suggests that Crooks wants to be a child again so he could have the company of his brother. He mentions a strawberry patch and alfalfa on hi Dads' ranch. And from here he becomes negative, pessimistic yet is still being realistic; 'no body gets to heaven and nobody gets no land'. The reader can only suggest that this was Crooks' dream and it never happened and he knows that now there still isn't a chance of it happening. Even though Crooks was being negative, he still enjoyed Lennies' company 'it was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger'.
Then the character Candy arrives, and Crooks don't mind, because he was happy for allowing Lennie into the barn. Candy says to Crooks “Must be nice to have a room to yourself this way”, the other characters would like to have a room to themselves, but Crooks wishes he didn't. He knows what its like to be by himself and doesn't know why the other would want to be alone. Candy then tells Crooks about the dream, him, George and Lennie have, and how its going to come true as they are almost there. As Candy convinces that the dream will come true, Crooks has a sudden change of perspective at things. He becomes optimistic. Crooks sees this has an opportunity to get out of the ranch and start new a life and won't have to worry about being alone. Now Crooks has forgotten about his race, hatred for white people and his isolation; he finally feels accepted and as if he is one of them. The reader is happy for Crooks but knows that this won't last a long time.
Then the character Curleys' Wife arrives, the other 3 characters become cautious and terrified by her presence. Curleys' Wife begins to bully the 3 characters, and Crooks starts to back down into his protective and sinister self. 'Crooks had retired into the terrible protective dignity of the Negro' After a while of listening to Curleys' Wife bully them and make them feel as if they're not wanted, Crooks is reminded of himself and snaps at Curleys' Wife; 'you got no rights coming in a coloured mans room... Now you jus' get out,an' get out quick'. Now Curleys' Wife reminds Crooks what king of power she has over him in a brutal way. 'Nigger, I could get you strung up on a tree so quick it ain't even funny'. Even though women were inferior to men, she still had more rights and power over Crooks because of his skin colour. From this comment, Crooks remembers his position in society and returns to his isolated black self, 'Crooks had reduced himself to nothing'. This is a state black men go into when someone threatens their power. Here Steinbeck highlights the tragedy of Crooks life and reflects how black men were seen as lascivious. The reader feels sorry for Crooks and wishes he was treated better within that time period.
Crooks is an important character because he symbolises a typical man in the 1930's stuck in poverty trap. Even though Crooks is a human being, his racist treatment dehumanises him, and he fights against it. Steinbeck shows this by describing Crooks' room as neat and tidy, and not how a savage beast would keep their room; especially as many people saw black men as savage beasts. Steinbeck presents Crooks as a tragic character who is unable to escape from his life. The reader sees Crooks get an opportunity to escape from his terrible life and become optimistic about it; but he's dream is soon crushed as he is reminded of his social hierarchy. The reader also sees Crooks constantly in pain, both emotionally and physically. This has a big effect on the reader as the reader feels even more sorry as he suffers with many problems and then has to have pain from his back.
