S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. He lives by himself in his own bunk in the harness room with a few spartan possessions, and his attitude is aloof and distant from the other men on the ranch. Crooks is lonely because he is a black man on a ranch that is otherwise white. his sanctuary—the harness room; where the white man snickers, and indecent remarks are impenetrable. In this essay I intend to write about why Crooks and Curley’s wife experience loneliness and isolation and in what way they try to deal with these difficulties. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.". While he was born in California, where his father owned a chicken ranch, he has always felt different and unaccepted because of his race. “This here’s my room. He is "more permanent than the other men," and his loneliness is exacerbated by constantly seeing ranch hands come and go. Premium He has long been the victim of oppressive violence and prejudice and has retired behind a facade of aloofness and reserve, his natural personality deadened and suppressed by years of antagonism. Through his conversations with Lennie, Candy, and Curley’s wife, it is obvious that Crooks is sorrowful, which have evolved through isolation. He, like Candy, realizes that once he is no longer useful he will be "thrown out." One of the main themes of Mice and Men is loneliness. However, Crooks as a person constantly disputes this loneliness and ascertain that the most important aspect in a relationship is when people stay together and have close contact. Elsewhere, Crooks as a person presents another important theme of loneliness. He takes care of the horses on the ranch. which supports Crooks‘ understanding that loneliness thrusts you to insanity. What is Crooks’ initial evaluation of Lennie? Source(s) Of Mice and Men Crooks is a quick-witted, vivacious, stable-hand who takes his name from his physical Why do George and Lennie run away from Weed in. At first, he turns Lennie away, hoping to prove a point that if he, as a black man, is not allowed in white men’s houses, then whites are not allowed in his, but his desire for company ultimately wins out and he invites Lennie to sit with him. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. First off, Crooks doesn’t have a happy background. Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, in which takes place during the Great Depression, Crooks is a very sad and lonely person. ” Crooks’ positions are really pessimistic but besides realistic. Crooks is lonely because he is the only African-American man for miles around. Are you a teacher? The reader has to decide whether Crooks deserves sympathy, or if he is just a cruel, bitter and gruff stable-buck. How'd you like that?...A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Her humiliating threat carries weight, and Crooks withdraws into himself. He is envious of George and Lennie's friendship, as well as the camaraderie of the bunkhouse, complaining to Lennie: You got George. 4  Pages, his conversations with Lennie, Candy, and Curley’s wife, it is obvious that. The Lonely Stable Hand. When he tries, for example, to order Curley's wife from his room, she threatens to have him lynched if he is uppity. You know he's goin' to come back. Crooks exhibits the corrosive effects that loneliness can have on a person; his character evokes sympathy as the origins of his cruel behavior are made evident. He is only black man in the ranch and is disabled. Crooks openly admitted to how he gets sick of being so lonely, and just as soon as he finally managed to open up and expose himself to the outside world, he emotionally withdrew back within himself just as quickly, for having permanent company and a real chance of surfacing from his abyss of loneliness was too good to be true. The character Crooks, is an example of a lonely character in the story because he uses so much evidence that makes whoever is reading the story believe he is a lonely and is without nobody. A guy needs somebody—to be near him...A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. 1472  Words | Why does Crooks … That he becomes part of the dream farm is an indication of Crooks' loneliness and insecurity. As Lennie circles dangerously close to Crooks, Crooks realizes the danger he is in and gently calms Lennie down, explaining that George is not hurt and that he was just "supposin'." 6. black man in the ranch and is disabled. Premium Premium Despite his pride, Steinbeck shows that he is actually very lonely and wishes that he had more company. Crooks is unhappy because he holds frustration, humiliation and loneliness. The other men at the ranch do not relate with Crooks unless he is working because he is black. Racism sets him apart and diminishes his life. ©2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Last Updated by eNotes Editorial on April 8, 2020. Crooks is lonely and subtly expresses that he wants company and a friend to be around with him. CROOKS Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. When he does he is very insulting in his language. We learn that they refuse to let him sleep with them in the bunkhouse. This implies Crooks is restricted access to some areas of the ranch. Years of segregation and harsh treatment have exacerbated Crooks's bitterness and, consequently, his loneliness. Whether it be mental retardation, elderly age, or even race it is clear that society’s prejudice shows how detrimental it is to the characters. Not having any friends is one of the reasons why Crooks is lonely. Crooks is a lively, sharp-witted, black stable-hand, who takes his name from his crooked back. existence of the Great Depression. Steinbeck’s use of describing the setting doesn’t only lets us know where the characters are but in this case it lets us know who the character is. Curley’s wife is lonely because she’s a woman. Racism, Discrimination, Of Mice and Men 850  Words | Crooks, as the only character of color, and doesnt really have people that know him because of his color. Why is Crooks lonely? Premium Loneliness is an important theme in Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men – Chapter Four - Crooks Essay Crook’s actions along with not having any friends show why he must be the lonelinest character. Crooks’s character is intriguing because of the history he brings on his crooked-back. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. 5  Pages. I tell ya...I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick" (Steinbeck, 36). from Oxford University Ph.D. from St. Andrews University, Top subjects are Literature, History, and Law and Politics. His rejection of friendship or companionship is caused by the anguish of his loneliness. Crooks suffers because he is treated as an outcast and forced to play card games and read books by himself instead of socializing with the other workers. Steinbeck’s use of describing the setting doesn’t only lets us know where the characters are but in this case it lets us know who the character is. Crooks is so unhappy because of: his unhappy past, unpopularity at the ranch, and his pain for a better life. As the story shows, Crooks is lonely too because his experience is inherently more fraught with danger than that of the other hands. ", "'Cause I'm black. When he discovers George and Lennie in his room, he peremptorily orders them to get out, saying: "I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room. The objects in his room and the way they are placed all tells us something of Crooks’s lifestyle. Books ain’t no good. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. Steinbeck presents Crooks to have the lowest status and authority on the ranch. demonstrates his care free attitude, but somewhere deep down lies A guy who needs somebody—to be near him.(pg. Perhaps what Crooks wants more than anything else is a sense of belonging—to enjoy simple pleasures such as the right to enter the bunkhouse or to play cards with the other men. from all. He has a crooked back and has begun to mimic the cruel and violent behaviour of the other men on the ranch. We first meet Crooks briefly, when he sticks his head in the bunkhouse: 'The door opened quietly and the stable buck put in … Not all the characters are lonely; Steinbeck makes it clear that only Crooks, Curley’s wife and Candy are the lonely characters in the ranch. He is described as "a proud, aloof man" who "kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs." How does Crooks taunt Lennie? Cut off by color segregation from the gregarious atmosphere of the ranch house, he lives alone in the harness room. Where, then, can he find some security for his future? Crooks’ structure in the novella also hints the theme of loneliness. Crooks tells Lennie that he experienced loneliness as a child due to his race and was often not allowed to play with neighborhood kids. Salinas Valley of California during the Great Depression. Crooks was probably very lonely and might have been addicted to drugs, drunk, etc due to medicine in his box. He has a cynical intelligence and a contemptuous demeanor that he uses to prevent others from inevitably excluding him because of his race. He’s segregated for the clear. Other than when they are working, the other men shut Crooks out off all of their activities except horseshoes. Nonetheless, his loneliness is such that, even though he does not believe they will achieve their dream, he offers to come and work for them free of charge if they ever do. 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