Skip to main content

In Of Mice and Men, what flaws does Crooks have?

Crooks is a pathetic figure because he is ostracized by the white workers and because he suffers chronic pain from his broken body. It seems inevitable that he would build up some resentment against fate and against humanity, but he cannot show it because he is at the very bottom of the social ladder. He could easily lose his job if anyone took a dislike to him, and he could even lose his life, as...

Crooks is a pathetic figure because he is ostracized by the white workers and because he suffers chronic pain from his broken body. It seems inevitable that he would build up some resentment against fate and against humanity, but he cannot show it because he is at the very bottom of the social ladder. He could easily lose his job if anyone took a dislike to him, and he could even lose his life, as Curley's wife intimates when she suggests that she could have him lynched if she accused him of attempting to rape her. This doesn't come out in the dialogue but the reader understands the implications and sees it clearly in the fear the girl produces in Crooks just by suggesting the power she possesses.


Crooks only dares to show his sadistic streak, which is his main flaw, when he is tormenting Lennie by hypothesizing that George might not come back from town. 



Crooks' face lighted with pleasure in his torture. "Nobody can't tell what a guy'll do," he observed calmly. "Le's say he wants to come back and can't. S'pose he gets killed or hurt so he can't come back."



Crooks, who is a victim of racial prejudice, also has a certain amount of prejudice himself. He shows this when he tells Lennie:



"They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me."



Steinbeck liked people, but he didn't have any illusions about them, and he wasn't sentimental. He was an extremely democratic and sociable man. He shows this very clearly in his book Travels with Charley (1962), in which he writes about how he traveled all over America in a house-trailer with the purpose of meeting all different kinds of American people.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more