Of Mice and Men Discrimination Essay

Discrimination if often based on many qualities and abilities. Some of the most clearly shown examples in John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men are gender, age and racial discrimination. The victims of these types of discrimination are Curley’s wife, who is unhappy and bitter about her life, Candy, the old, disabled swamper and Crooks, the black stable buck. Throughout the novel, these three characters face many hardships because they are harshly judged and often misunderstood. Curley’s wife is probably one of the most misunderstood characters in the novel, often being looked down upon, or talked badly about. She is the only woman on the ranch, and who appears consistently throughout the novel. At one point, some of the workers are talking about her role in the ranch, and what she should and shouldn’t do. “Ranch with a bunch of guys ain’t no place for a girl, ‘specially like her.” George is commenting on his opinion of a woman’s place in a ranch and is voicing his disapproval that a woman is there, especially a woman who has the same attitude as Curley’s wife, and who is constantly trying to flirt with the workers. She is always being judged, and isn’t even accepted at her father-in-law’s ranch. The men talke badly about her and constantly insult her. Just the fact that she isn’t even given a name, but is just called “Curley’s wife” shows that the workers deemed her of little importance, and seem to not see her worthy of being acknowledged by name. She leads a hard life, where she is often insulted and seen as not important. On conclusion, women, or perhaps more specifically, Curley’s wife, are discriminated greatly against by men. Candy is an old worker, who, due to a serious injury, now works as the swamper. He is constantly worried of what will become of him as soon as he is too old to work, which he fears might be soon. He expresses these fears to George after hearing him and Lennie discuss their dream. “They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I