Divided In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

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Audre Lorde once said, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” John Steinbeck, the author of the novella, Of Mice and Men, introduces the struggles of the Great Depression set in the 1930s. The theme of companionship is between two migrant workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, who work in Soledad. They face many obstacles and try to fulfill their American Dream. People getting mistreated can change the way they act, and this can be seen through the characters Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife. Candy is an example of someone who is prejudiced by others because of his age and disability. Candy gets discriminated against because he is old and missing a hand. Steinbeck …show more content…
He is also getting mistreated because they killed his dog, who has similar qualities that relate to Candy. Candy becomes even more lonely than usual and changes the attitude of how purposeless and powerless he is to society. Even though there is ageism shown in the story, there is also racism. Similarly, Crooks is an example of someone who is prejudiced by others because of his race. Crooks gets discriminated against because he is African American. Steinbeck states, “I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room” (Steinbeck 100). Unlike other men, Soledad, who has a bunkhouse to stay in, Crooks lives in a barn alone. Crooks is being treated inferior to other men because the other men on the ranch keep calling him different names that hurt him. The other men of the ranch exclude him from participating in activities. He is not allowed to talk back because he is powerless and inferior to other men and is afraid he will get beaten up and will not get his job anymore on the ranch as a stable buck. He does not let anybody in his room because he is treated misfairly by others and wants to have some power in his …show more content…
Likewise, Curley’s wife is an example of someone who is prejudiced by others because of her gender. Curley’s wife gets discriminated against because she is the only woman on the ranch. Steinbeck remarks, “Seems like they ain't none of them care how I gotta live. I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself” (Steinbeck 85). Curley’s wife could have had a career of being an actress, which would have fulfilled her American Dream. Curley’s wife has not accomplished her dream because the director says he is going to write a letter for her to be in one of her films, but she never gets the letter he promised her. Curley's wife is lonely, and the men on the ranch have no sympathy for her. She gets called Curley’s wife because Curley thinks of her as a possession. She stays home all day and wants to make something of herself. The men on the ranch do not talk to her because the men on the ranch will get in trouble with Curley. Sexism is a common idea that happens in society today. Throughout the novella, Of Mice and Men describes the discrimination that goes with Candy, Crooks, and Curley's
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