Of Mice and Men
by John Steinbeck
Table of Contents
Crooks
Crooks
As a black stable hand surrounded by white migrant workers on a ranch in the 1930s, Crooks experiences isolation and loneliness due to the discrimination of the others on the farm. Crooks got his name because of the crookedness in his back. His character is lively and charismatic, and exudes sharp wit. His loneliness becomes evident when Lennie visits Crooks at his room in the stable. Since Crooks is black, he is not permitted to go to the bunkhouse of the white workers. Therefore, when Lennie initially arrives at his room, Crooks says that Lennie has no place there and that he should leave. Lennie does not leave, and Crooks eventually invites Lennie in because he truly wanted the company. Crooks also compensates for his vulnerability through the exploitation of Lennie, someone he considers to be weaker than himself. Specifically, Crooks plays a cruel trick on Lennie by trying to tell him that George has left and is never coming back. This suggestion upsets Lennie, and he retaliates with violent threats toward Crooks, after which Crooks backs down. Crooks wants to belong as one of the workers on the ranch more than anything. He demonstrates this by inquiring whether he could possibly join Lennie, George, and Candy on their land.
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