Of Mice and Men: Part 4

Hanna Wurdack

This was a very different chapter. I this chapter I was very intrigued by the treatment of Crooks.

    This chapter started out by telling the readers where Crooks lived. He had his bunk in the harness room. It was a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn. The room was very small and his bed was a box of straw with blankets on top. In this chapter, Many of the men, including George went into town. Lennie, Candy, and Crooks stayed. Lennie came in the doorway of Crook's room because he saw his light on. He was simply trying to make friends, but Crooks right away started to accuse Lennie. "You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here...I ain't  wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room," said Crooks to Lennie. Lennie responded,"Why ain't you wanted?" "Cause I'm black," says Crooks. Lennie just wants to simply make friends. While Lennie is with Crooks, Crooks tells him about his past, but all Lennie can think about are the puppies. When Lennie interrupts Crook's flashback he says,"How long you think it'll be before thos pups are old enough to pet." "This is just a nigger talkin', an' a busted black nigger. So it don't mean nothing, see?" says Crooks. You can see how lonely and depressed Crooks is. Then Crooks starts messing with Lennie, telling him that George isn't going to come back from town. This scares Lennie. "Crook's face lightened with pleasure in his torture." Crooks is so badly damaged. He wants to hurt a white person the way the whites hurt him. "You got George. You know he's goin' to come back. S'pose you didn't have anybody. S'pose you couldn't go in the bunk house and play rummy 'cause you was black," says Crooks. Crooks is so lonely and sad. Then Candy comes in Crook's room, looking for Lennie. Lennie and Candy discuss the "plan" or "dream." Crooks listens and interrupts,"...If you...guys would want a hand to work for nothing---just his keep, why an' lend a hand. I ain't so crippled. I can't work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to." Crooks seems to want in on the dream, also. Maybe he thinks he can once be treated as an equal and make friends. Then Curley's wife interrupts. After Candy yells at Curley's wife for being a tart, Crooks says bravely,"I had enough. You got no rights comin' in a colored man's room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus' get out, and get out quick. If you don't, I'm gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more." Crook's finally seems to have confidence after the "dream" talk. "Listen, Nigger. You know what I can do to you if you open you trap?" she scorns. Crooks is so demeaned by Curley's wife he falls back and acts respectful. Crooks is treated so badly, even though he's a person, too. He's lonely and has no friends and is treated like dirt. At the end Crooks is so mortified he says,"'Member what I said about hoein' and doin' odd jobs. Well, jus' forget it. I didn' mean it. Jus' foolin'. I wouldn' want to go no place like that." Crooks finally gets confidence after talking with Lennie and Candy about the "plan", but then Curley's wife brings him down.

   I made the connection that Crooks and Lennie aren't too different. They are both treated unequally and wrongly. Lennie and Crooks both need to find their independence. They need to learn to defend themselves and their pride. They are both different and treated unfairly for that.

Will things get better for Crooks?

Will Crooks join Candy, Lennie, and George's plan?

Will Crooks stand up for himself? If so, will he be punished?