Of Mice and Men: Character Analysis- Crooks

We all experience loneliness and isolation at different times in our lives.  This is true both as individuals and sometimes as part of racial, ethnic, religious or other groups.  Some people and groups are more isolated than other because of factors in the society in which they live.   In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, Crooks represents blacks in America and his character represents the longing for acceptance and understanding of blacks in society.  Crooks, like many blacks during the time the books was written, longs for companionship and acceptance in order to realize the American dream.

The way Crooks communicates with other people reveals his withdrawn nature.  Crooks is for the most part drawn “into himself.”  He will not talk to white people often, partly because of the way he was raised.  Growing up in the town of Soledad, his father did not like Crooks playing with the white kids.  Crooks keeps people away by shouting, “you got no right to come in my room.”  Crooks also tortures Lennie with thoughts of George not coming back.  Through these outbursts, Crooks shows that he does not have much experience talking to people. 

Since others see him as an unequal human being, Crooks feels as if he doesn’t have a right to talk to his white peers.  He feels that since he’s just a “busted-back nigger” talking his words “don’t mean nothing.”  Just because he is black, Crooks is not respected by, nor listened to by his fellow farmhands.  Crooks wishes that his words could mean something.  Curley’s wife supports his idea that he is worthless by telling Crooks in front of everyone that she could have him “strung up on a tree.”  Crooks has been looked down upon by white people his entire life.  He feels worthless since his life does not more than one woman’s word. 

Crooks wants someone to care about what he thinks and not judge him because he is black.  Crooks did not care “who the guy [was],” he just wanted someone to listen.  This was evident when he was talking to Lennie.  Crooks wanted to have a relationship with someone who would listen to him like Lennie listened to George.  When Crooks had visitors in his room, it was hard for him to “conceal his pleasure.”  Crooks’ loneliness is apparent by the way he was excited to have visitors in his barn.  This shows that Crooks was longing for any kind of companionship.

Through the way he spoke and acted around other characters, it is evident that Crooks was very lonely and withdrawn.  He also had a feeling like he was beneath everyone else.  Due to these main three factors, Crooks felt isolated.  He had no friends and no one to really talk to.  Judging by his overwhelming loneliness, and lack of companionship, it can be concluded that Crooks’ American Dream is to, in spite of his racial barrier, be veiwed as an equal individual.