· He is a “nigger”
o He has very few rights and cane be treated very badly he would be blamed in a law court for a crime
§ Curley’s wife exploits this when she says “you know what I could do... I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny”
· She would be believed as she is white but he would not
o He has become proud and aloof in order to be defensive about his position on the ranch and society
§ He does not like people coming into his room- “you ain’t wanted in my room”
· He clings onto the few rights that he has
· “nobody’s got any right but me”
§ The others don't want him in the bunk house and he knows why “cause I’m black”
· Only Slim treats him the same as the others, uses “Crooks” instead of “nigger”
o He is treated like an animal
§ Sleeps on straw “long box filled with straw”
§ His medicine and the horses is kept together “a range of medicine bottles both from himself and for the horses”
· He is disabled
o He was kicked in the back by a horse and has a crooked back
§ Reflected in the surroundings of his work space where everything is broken, it is like him
§ Gave him his nickname of “Crooks”
§ This causes him pain all the time and he uses “liniment” to try and ease it
· The pain in his back reflects the emotional pain of loneliness that he goes through on the ranch as a result of being excluded
Loneliness
· despite being aloof Crooks is very lonely on the ranch
o he as his own room and no one to talk to
o he reads for comfort
§ to escape reality
· harsh situation as a “nigger”
§ to ignore /escape loneliness
· These books are described as “dirty” and “old” suggesting that they have been well used.
· They are also on a “special shelf” suggesting that they are very important to him in his bad situation
§ When he hears about the dream farm he is willing to work for nothing in order to get away from his situation and loneliness
· After Curley’s wife puts him down, he does not want to any more, he is scarred by what has happened to him
o When Lennie and later Candy come to his room he allows them in
§ “come in and set a while… long as you won’t get out and leave me alone”
§ “it was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger”
Power
· Crooks has very little power as a nigger but when Lennie comes into his room Crooks enjoys having power over him
o When he discovers Lennie’s weakness (inability to cope without George) he exploits it asking what would happen if he did not come back
§ He enjoys having power over Lennie as he has no power over anyone else “Crooks face lighted with pleasure in his torment”
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