Crooks In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Being an outcast is not always a horrible thing. For some people it is a ticket to express yourself but for others such as Crooks, in John Steinbeck’s book “Of Mice and Men” being an outcast is a different experience. Crooks is the only black man in the barn, he is isolated from everyone else, and he is very lonely. Have you ever felt like you were out of place because of a physical feature you have such as skin tone or possibly a birth mark? “… They play card in there but I can’t because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me.” (Steinbeck 68). Crooks like all other skin coloured people during this time were not considered important and were segregated from everyone else. Crooks in this scene…show more content…
Crooks was also aware that he will have to live with the fact that his existence is less important than a white mans. Have you ever wanted to lock yourself away for a long time to get away from everyone around you? What if you did not have a choice too? “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right coming in here but me.” (Steinbeck 68). Although it seems as if Crooks is forcing himself to be isolated from everyone else it is quite the opposite. Everyone else has forcefully isolated him into the barn where he works and sleeps. As a result of the isolation, Crooks collected and hoarded small things such as dirty books, and battered magazines. These things he collected helped him take his mind off of being away from everyone else. Have you ever felt lonely? The kind of lonely that made you angry and dead inside? Or what about the kind of lonely you choose to be? “He kept his distance and demanded other people keep theirs.” (Steinbeck 67). Being lonely comes with a choice. Knowing he is somewhat unwanted or completely unwanted near other people he was angry at the fact that no one wanted him around. He did not want anyone coming near him if he is not
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