Treatment of the Inferior
In the novel, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, a social hierarchy controls the ranch. The boss is the most powerful and recognized while Curley is second, followed by lim, the white ranch workers, Candy, Curleys wife, and lastly, Crooks. Society views and treats the three bottom tiers of the social ladder, the elderly and crippled, women, and African Americans, each in a distinct and disrespectful way because of their physical ability, gender, and race, which also leads to depriving them of their dreams.
Candy works at the ranch as a swamper, but because he is old and crippled, the rest of the ranch workers see him as useless. Candys injury causing the loss of his hard makes his worth as a ranch worker lessen, and he says so himself, claiming that, I aint much good with ony one hand. I lost my hand right here right here on this ranch. Thats why they give me a job swampin (65). Because everybody sees him as useless, his only dream is to be useful as a person. This is why he wants to be a part of George and Lennies dream of having their own ranch, to hoe in the garden even after I aint no good at it. An Ill wash dishes an little chicken stuff like that. But Ill be on our own place, an Ill be let to work on our own place, (66). For Candy, being nothing of worth is him is his biggest fear, but it is inevitable, as the moment he becomes too old to work, the boss will fire him. Candy tells George that, When they can me here I wisht somebodyd shoot me. But they wont do nothing like that. I wont have no place to go, an I cant get no more jobs, (66). However, it is not just Candy who sees himself as useless; the other ranch workers also think so, although they dont outwardly tell him that. During the scene when many of the ranch workers, including Carlson, Curley, George, and Slim, are on the search for Lennie, Candy is the only one to not participate in the search. Everybody deems him incapable of doing so because of his status of a cripple and an old man. Curleys wife makes her opinion about Candy known when she appears at Crooks cabin. And her eyes [travels] from one face to another. They [leave] all the weak ones here, she [says] finally, (84). In this quote, Curleys wife is assuming Candys being as a weak and useless person. Curleys wife, like Candy, has her dreams crushed by the way society treats her.
The ranch workers treat Curleys wife, the only example of a woman in the ranch society, as an object, not as a person. Throughout the book, the author refers to her as Curleys wife, never as an actual name. This strips away her individuality and importance in the view of the ranch workers. In the Great Depression in which this novel takes place, people see women as weak and a lower class of society. Candy describes Curleys wife as a tramp. I seen her give Slim the eye. Curley never seen it. An I seen her give Carlson the eye, (31). The ranch workers frequent visits to cathouses further prove that they see women as an object to be used. Even Curley, her own husband, treats her like an object. During the ending scene when Curley sees his wife dead, he doesnt mourn her, he only seeks revenge. Slim [stands] looking down at Curleys wife. Slim says, Curley-maybe you better stay here with your wife. Curleys face [reddens]. Im goin, he [says]. Im gonna shoot the guts outa that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand. Im gonna get im, (107). The typical response to spouses death is sorrow. However, Curley sees his dead wife as a possession that Lennie breaks, and his only response is anger at Lennie. In reality, Curleys wife rarely ever shows any sign of being mean, nor is she the tart that she is said to be. When Curleys wife is first introduced to George and Lennie, she is nothing but nice and is only trying to make conversation. Candys previous description of her sways George, leading George to interpret her actions as flirting. He tells Lennie, Dont you even look at that bitch. I dont care what she says and what she does. I [see] em poison before, but I never [see] no piece of jailbait worse than her, (35). The reason that she so frequently shows up talking to the ranch workers is she strives for attention and she doesnt want to be lonely. However, everybody deprives her of that as they ignore her and treat her as if her intentions are bad, all because of societys outlook as women. The only person Curleys wife is of a higher class than is Crooks, an African American treated with racism and prejudice.
Crooks, the African American stable buck, is treated differently by the ranch workers because of his nationality. Everybody refers to Crooks as a nigger, and although using that slang is common in that era, it is still derogatory. Even Candy, who is relatively polite and nice to Crooks, still refers to Crooks as a nigger. He also tells of other peoples view of Crooks by saying, The boss gives him (Crooks) hell when hes mad, (22). The boss obviously sees Crooks differently than some other low class ranch workers, and then specifically picks on Crooks. The workers also segregate Crooks from their activities and game. Crooks relates that, They play cards in there, but I cant play because Im black. They say I stink, (75). Even when the men let Crooks join them while playing horseshoes, they only see Crooks as something to beat, not as another fellow player. Slim is the only person other than Lennie to treat Crooks as an equal.
You told me to warm up tar for that mules foot. I got it warm.
Oh! Sure, Crooks. Ill come right out an put it on.
I can do it if you want, Mr. Slim.
No. Ill come do it myself. He stood up. (55)
If it was any other person, they would have taken up on Crooks offer to put on the tar, or even have ordered Crooks to do it for them, thinking that they have complete authority over Crooks. Because of everybodys blatant feelings about Blacks, Crooks is left alone and companionless. All Crooks wants is for people to accept him and be equal, so that he can have a companion to be with.
Crooks [says] irritably, You can come in if you want.
Candy [seems] embarrassed. I do know. Course, if ya want me to.
Come on in. I everbodys comin in, you might just as well. It [is] difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger. (82)
In this dialogue, Crooks obviously wants Candy to come in and talk to him, although he tries to hide it. Crooks is stripped of friendly human contact because of the way society perceives African Americans.
In conclusion, the elderly and disabled, women, and African Americans are all treated unfairly for things they cannot control in Of Mice and Men. Candy, Curleys wife, and Crooks, and all victims of this treatment, and have their dreams taken away because of it.
Word Count: 1267
Steinbeck, John.Of Mice and Men. New York: Bantam, 1937. Print.
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