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STUDYWORLD STUDYNOTES

Of Mice and Men

Crooks, the stable buck, has worked at the ranch the longest and has accrued many possessions. He is physically handicapped and a loner, exhibiting a proud and aloof attitude towards the other workers. When Crooks is rubbing liniment on his back Lennie comes in and smiles wanting to be friends with him, but Crooks gets angry. Lennie asks him why he is not with the other workers, Crooks says because he is black and the others don't want to be with him. When Lennie mentions the plans he has with George about a farm with rabbits, Crooks thinks he is crazy. Crooks tells Lennie about how during his childhood his family was the only black family in the town. Then Crooks asks Lennie what he would do if George did not come back, and Lennie got scared. Candy comes looking for Lennie, and they all start talking, when Lennie tells about the plans for the land, Crooks tells him it will never happen. Curley's wife comes into Crook's room but all the workers want her to go home. The men tell her to leave but she refuses, then laughs at Lennie's idea of land. When Crooks tells her to leave, she threatens him but then leaves, and George comes for Lennie.

Review:

Later that night, while George and most of the other ranch hands are visiting a whorehouse, the outcast Lennie enters the room of the other outcast, Crooks. At first, Crooks objects to this invasion of privacy, but eventually Lennie wins him over. Crooks describes the difficulties of discrimination at the ranch, while Lennie speaks of the dream he, George, and Candy share. When Candy enters and speaks of his part attempting to make the dream a reality, then Crooks wants to join them. Curley's wife, looking for company, enters the room. Crooks and Candy argue with her, but she plays up to Lennie. She leaves when George enters the room. George, in turn is angry to know that another man, Crooks, has entered their dream.