The Theme Of Discrimination In Of Mice And Men

In Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, discrimination is a big issue throughout the play. There is not only discrimination against African Americans, but also against cripples and the mentally disabled. Discrimination is one of the main causes of loneliness, which makes it an important aspect when it comes to the theme of this novel. At the ranch, they have a stable buck named Crooks. Crooks is a crippled African American man and he has been working on the ranch for many years. Since he’s African American, Crooks is not allowed in the bunk houses so he has his own little room out where the stables are. The other men usually wouldn’t talk to him or go to visit him in his room. They would not even let Crooks play cards with them. When Lennie goes into his room one day, Crooks tells him “‘This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see?’” (Steinbeck 71). No one listens to Crooks or pays him any attention and he knows that. He even knows that he is not just an African American, but he’s a crippled African American which lowers his value in the eyes of a white man. Discrimination caused Crooks to be lonely and to suffer for Sides 2 most his life. When Lennie and Candy came in his room and began talking to him, he lit up a little. He tried to sound like he didn’t want them in his room and that it angered him that they were coming into his space, but really he was taking in every bit of human contact that he could. Although, when Curley’s wife comes in, the moment is ruined and the discrimination that had disappeared for a few minutes is back again when Curley’s wife states “‘ Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up …show more content…
He’s not a bad guy, but he doesn’t comprehend like an adult would. When he and George get to the ranch, many of the people like Lennie, except for one person. From the moment Curley laid eyes on Lennie, he wanted to pick a fight. Curley saw Lennie’s weakness and wanted to use that as an advantage. Throughout the novel, Curley has it out for Lennie and the moment he gets the chance, he goes in for the fight. “Curley stepped over to Lennie like a terrier. ‘What the hell you laughin’ at?’ Lennie looked blankly at him ‘Huh?’ Then Curley’s rage exploded. ‘Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella.’” Curley lashes out
Sides 3 on Lennie when really all Lennie was smiling about was the fact that he was going to be able to tend to the rabbits. He beats Lennie’s face up pretty bad, but Lennie doesn’t hurt him until George tells him too. Curley beats Lennie up for no good reason. Simply because he’s big and Curley was looking for a fight. This discrimination against Lennie lasts all the way to the end of the novel until George has to kill him. All in all, discrimination played a key role in the theme of the novel Of Mice and Men it induced loneliness and caused pain. Discrimination takes place throughout the book, throughout the world during the 1930’s, and throughout the world today. With books and novels such as these, people learn