Both Curley’s Wife and Crooks Essay

Steinbecks novel Of Mice and hands was set in the Great depression in 1930s America. The characters f whole the struggles and harsh successions many working Ameri spates organisationd in that era. Isolated, lonely, marginalised and mis pullful, mount personal had to create new lives for themselves. In the novel Steinbeck describes several(prenominal) characters that ar defenseless due to the social context of that time Crooks and Curleys wife face particular hardship which result in them being outsiders in the mall they consider home. Steinbeck implies archaeozoic on in the novel the views other characters chip in of Crooks and Curleys wife whitethorn differ from the modern subscriber. Though both women and shameful concourse had progressed in their rights by the time of the setting of the novel, gaga attitudes and mistreatment of black people and to an extent women were still present. Steinbeck immediately emphasises Crooks and Curleys wifes low status via their i ntroduction.They argon both introduced in much(prenominal) a way to highlight their low regard by others and how they are viewed by society. Steinbeck describes Crooks low status very early in the ledger by dint of with(predicate) the old swamper edulcorate. sugarcoat describes how Crooks gets abuse from the boss for things that are beyond his control. An he give the immutable buck hell too. Ya capture the stable bucks a jigaboo. The initial comments depict Crooks as an outsider as he is the only character described to have been getting abused by the boss. It as well as shows how Crooks is used as an outlet of the bosss frustration. Candy then describes Crooks using a racial slur. This represents Crooks isolation further as Candys initial description of Crooks is finished his colour and not his personality or other features.The use of the racial term reflects also how society substantiates Crooks and that this type of manner of speaking was acquiesceable to the people of these times. Steinbeck uses a similar ploy when initially introducing Curleys wife, as he introduces her again through Candy. We see early on how Curleys wife is regarded on the counterpane and this gives us an early view of why she is marooned as such. well- she got the mettle well I think Curleys, married . . . a tart Candys initial watch over to the highest degree Curleys wife elicits the potence subject that she behaves in a flirtatious manner towards other ranchers, which has caused the ranchers to overturn her and t presentfore caused her segregation. The second remark by Candy suggests the opinion of her by other ranchers. The use of the strong derogatory term for her evidently suggests that she is isolated out of hatred towards her coquettish attitude.We see early on the Curleys wifes carcass language backs up what is said intimately her by Candy. She is described as try oning to gain attention via her body. Leaned against the brink frame so that her body was thrown off. It shows the vainness of Curleys wife which can easily lead to her exclusion due to her being self-obsessed and unable to name to the other workers. The line also shows how she is more inclined to use her body to gain attention from the others and this shows how she has become desperate for attention due to her isolation. The language used in the line about how her body is thrown forward which allows Steinbeck to clearly illustrate the extent of which she is going to gain attention, depicting early on the effects of her aloneness.In the novel we see how Steinbeck suggests Crooks also demands self-segregation, we see this when Lennie initially tries to talk with Crooks. You got no right to come in my mode. This conveys how Crooks being subjected to so much isolation has become accustomed to it, by chance suggesting he has become an introvert. It also shows how Crooks puts on a defensive social movement due to his marginalization on the ranch. Crooks talks about hi s rights on several occasions. Nobody got any right in here but me The introductory comment shows how Crooks claims instant owner ship of his quarters, this reflects how his constant seclusion on the ranch and society has made him need to protect and claim things that are his.Steinbeck in the novel symbolizes through Crooks possessions how he seeks a way of removing his isolation. A tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil label for 1905 The use of the dictionary and civil code allows Steinbeck to convey to the reader how Crooks is a learned man and also is not someone to quickly accept being excluded. It evokes sympathy and a degree of empathy for Crooks as we see how he tries to find a way for him to be accepted and also we see he is not a simple a rancher but a man of slight intellect. The use of the civil code also suggests how Crooks may not have initially understood the reasons for his segregation.Both Crooks and Curleys wife are seen to feel as though n o-one understands their situation of being alone. Steinbeck does this through the use of rhetorical questions in their dialect. Spose you couldnt go into the bunkhouse and play rummy cause you was black. Howd you like that? This remark by Crooks explores how he understands that his seclusion is due to his colour. Steinbeck by using a rhetorical question also allows the reader to sympathize with Crooks and also picture what he describes.Steinbecks reference to the word black as opposed to nigger also shows how Crooks though secluded tries to maintain his dignity and self-respect. When Curleys wife is talking with Lennie, Steinbeck does the same thing as he did with Crooks. Aint I got a right to talk to nil? The use of language in this remark also allows us to sympathize with Curleys wife as it allows the reader to empathize how frustrated she may feel from being shunned on the ranch.Steinbeck shows how Curleys wifes attitude and derogatory remarks about the ranchers has led to her being disliked and shunned on the ranch in chapter 4 when she is in the stables. Standin here talkin to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an a dum-dum and a cheating(a) ol sheep- an likin it because they aint nobody else. This quote shows her low regard for certain ranchers and how she is forced to try and socialize with people she doesnt like out of desperation. It also shows how her remarks about the ranchers bindle stiffs may have caused her to be isolated and marginalized by the workers. It also evokes the idea she lacks the ability to communicate with the other workers in a way where they react in a positive manner. The quote also indirectly suggests Curleys wife is not really meant on the ranch as she says they aint nobody else which illustrates how she has no-one, with whom she can properly relate to.Both Curleys wife and Crooks are partly subjected to isolation due to the social context of the time period of time in which the book is set. Crooks being a black man in 193 0s America would have suffered large amounts of seclusion and racial violence. Steinbeck conveys this through the threat made to him by Curleys wife, I could get you thread up on a tree so easy it aint even funny. The use of the threat allows Steinbeck to explore and clearly depict how Crooks cant escape that in this society he will also be second class and vistaed upon as various and an outsider. The line shows explores the idea that due to him being classed as different, he is nonimmune to being lynched or suffer some sort of violence so easily as it is accepted in society. The use of such a powerful image paves the way for Steinbeck to show the reader the extent of Crooks seclusion. in like manner he does same for Curleys wife, as being a charwoman in 1930s America she would have not had many rights.Steinbeck as yet when conveying this message uses more subtle imagery as a white woman had slightly higher regard than a black man. Steinbeck references how women were usually meant to be in the household, she wore a cotton house barde and Think I like to stick in that house alla time? the first quote describing her attire allows Steinbeck to suggest early on that her marginalized on the ranch is partly due to her gender, the use of the house dress implies that she is not meant to be on the ranch and is out of place. It secondly suggests that she constantly tries to head off being isolated at home and is further out-casted for not to the full compelling her role. The second remark also implies how society was such that people were meant to accept their place and, she is shown to not accept her place and therefore caused her to be shunned because it.The marginalized characters in the novel have several things in common and, ironically, if these characters could look beyond their own issues they might find some mutual trust and support. Steinbeck portrays Crooks and Curleys wife (alongside George and Lennie) as having dreams of a better future. Curleys w ife wanted to be a film star Coulda been in the movies and Crooks desires a better life as represented by the civil code. provided as with the American dream it only happens for a few and it consists of loneliness and despair. At the end of the novel there is not apparent freedom from isolation for Crooks, yet Curleys wife gains some freedom in death. the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face