Discrimination (OMAM)

Question 1

How is discrimination presented within Of Mice and Men?

Answer 1

Within Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck presents discrimination as a pervasive force, which acts as a reflection of the predatory society that existed within 1930s America, ultimately isolating individuals and preventing them from accomplishing their dreams.

Question 2

What quote shows the damaging effect of segregation on Crooks?

Answer 2

“a guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody”

Question 3

How does Steinbeck portray Crooks in terms of discrimination?

Answer 3

He represents the deep-rooted racial marginalisation prevalent within America during the 1930s, particularly throughout rural areas such as Southern California, where the novel is set

Question 4

What is unique about Crooks compared to the other characters in the novel?

Answer 4

He is the only Black man

Question 5

What is the significance of Crooks’ quote about loneliness when it comes to discrimination?

Answer 5

“a guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody” - showcases the immense psychological toll of isolation, it is not just unpleasant, but destructive for a person’s wellbeing

Crooks is both physically lonely due to being segregated from the other workers, but is also mentally isolated, as he lacks anyone to connect with or confide in

Evokes immense sympathy from the reader as it showcases Crooks’ humanity

Steinbeck reiterating a core belief that the novel highlights - that human connection is essential for our survival, and the discrimination and hardships of 1930s American society strips people of that

Question 6

Where does Crooks reside?

Answer 6

“had his bunk in the harness room”

Question 7

Crooks sleeps in the harness room, along with the horses and other animals. What does this reveal about the discrimination Crooks experiences?

Answer 7

“had his bunk in the harness room” - physical segregation from the other white workers, completely isolated, treated as if he were an animal due to his race (subtly dehumanised) , segregation, lack of human company fuels his hostility

Question 8

Which two possessions that Crooks owns are notable ?

Answer 8

“tattered dictionary” “gold-rimmed spectacles”

Question 9

What do Crooks’ possessions reveal about his character?

Answer 9

“tattered dictionary” “gold-rimmed spectacles” - The juxtaposition between these phrases highlights the complexity of Crooks’ character

“tattered” - suggests wear and hardship; Crooks’ is portrayed as someone who values knowledge and education despite his circumstances, clinging to the scarce resources he has

whereas

“gold-rimmed” - conveys a sense of luxury and dignity, Crooks takes pride in his intellect and is a knowledgeable individual despite the mindless labour that he performs on a daily basis

Together, these items provide a wider juxtaposition between Crooks’ intellectual prowess, and how society treats him; he is educated, thoughtful and perceptive, but is disregarded and marginalised due to his race. Most notably, the “tattered” state of his dictionary is symbolic of the perpetual hardship that Crooks faces, and how ultimately, in this society, no level of value or intelligence can protect someone from discrimination.

Reader sympathises with the tragic nature of this prospect.

Question 10

What is tragically ironic about Crooks’ character and what does it demonstrate?

Answer 10

“I was born right here in California” - defiance, displays the injustice of Crooks’ circumstances, despite being native to California (unlike the other itinerant workers who have travelled across the country looking for work) he is still treated like an outsider

Indicates that racism is not directed to a person’s place of origin but rather their skin colour

Highlights the hypocrisy of American society, where Black individuals were ultimately viewed as “other,” even when they had deep roots in the country; prejudice erases identity and history

Reflects the broken promise of the American Dream — the idea that birthplace and hard work should guarantee belonging and opportunity, yet Crooks has only encountered degradation and dehumanisation by doing such

Question 11

What quote displays Crooks’ cynical attitude to the American Dream?

Answer 11

“Nobody never gets to Heaven, and nobody never gets no land”

Question 12

Why does Crooks act pessimistically?

Answer 12

Crooks has a cynical attitude due to the loneliness and disrespect he has experienced in his own life

Steinbeck is reinforcing the message that suffering is an endless cycle; those who suffer go on to make other feel the same way they have

Question 13

Why does Crooks compare the dream to reaching Heaven?

Answer 13

“Heaven” symbolises peace or justice, and “land” refers to the American Dream. Crooks believes both are impossible, especially for Black men in a racist society.

Heaven is a conceptual belief that comforts those moving towards the afterlife, the same way in which dreams comfort those moving forwards in life

Achieving the American Dream, for those who struggle the most in society, would be equivalent to reaching Heaven

Question 14

What message is Steinbeck trying to deliver when he says “nobody never gets no land”

Answer 14

For the lowest reaches of society, escape from their circumstances is impossible due to the systematic barriers that exist. The working class, people of colour and the disabled are unable to achieve the dream, as the ingrained marginalisation within the structure of society prevents them from doing so.

Question 15

What quotes demonstrate Crooks’ lack of belief in himself and his prospects of a future outside the ranch?

Answer 15

“reduced himself to nothing”, “voice was toneless”, “jus’ forget it”

Question 16

Why is Crooks so quick to retreat when provoked?

Answer 16

When Crooks briefly allows himself to imagine joining George and Lennie’s dream, he is soon reminded of his place — especially after Curley’s wife threatens to have him lynched (“you know what I could do?”) . His “toneless” voice and giving up - “Jus’ forget it” - show how internalised racism and fear continue to silence him. He has been conditioned by the racist society of 1930s America to expect exclusion and never achieve his own desires.

Question 17

What can be concluded about discrimination by Crooks’ character?

Answer 17

Crooks is a tragic figure, shaped and scarred by the racist society of 1930s America

Steinbeck uses him to show how discrimination isolates, dehumanises, and ultimately destroys hope.

Through Crooks, Steinbeck critiques the American Dream, suggesting that it is a fantasy reserved for the privileged, and entirely impossible for someone like him to achieve.

Question 18

Structurally, why does Crooks begin and end Chapter 4 (the main chapter where racism and discrimination is showcased) in the same way?

Answer 18

Crooks is seen rubbing liniment into his back on both occasions

Implies that racism is an inescapable society; for Crooks, the lone Black man on the ranch, he will never be able to escape the hostility and isolation which he faces, as the systemically racist society of 1930s America prevents him from doing so.

Question 19

What context can be given about racism in 1930s American society?

Answer 19

In the 1930s the Jim Crow laws enforced segregation and normalised systemic racism in America

Crooks therefore acts as an ALLEGORICAL FIGURE who represents the racial injustice that millions of Black Americans faced in this society

Question 20

What is notable regarding Curley’s wife and the theme of discrimination?

Answer 20

She is both a victim of it and someone who perpetuates it upon other characters who have an even lower status in this hierarchal society

Question 21

What does Curley’s wife’s lack of a name signify?

Answer 21

It reduces her identity to her relationship with a man, reflecting her lack of agency and power, and symbolising how women were often objectified and denied individuality.

Question 22

What derogatory labels are used for Curley’s wife?

Answer 22

“Jail bait”, “Rat trap”, “Tart”, “Tramp”

These labels show how she is sexualised and dismissed, reflecting misogyny and the men’s projection of blame and fear onto her.

Question 23

What does Curley’s wife express about her loneliness?

Answer 23

“I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely”

This reveals her emotional isolation and desperation for conversation, indicating her inner pain, directly caused by her status as a woman in this society, who was expected to be loyal to her husband

Question 24

Women in 1930s society were expected to be loyal to their husband and not engage in promiscuous behaviour. Why is this a problem for Curley’s wife?

Answer 24

Curley is neglectful and she does not enjoy their relationship

“Swell guy ain’t he?” - rhetorical question, Curley is not sufficient company to satisfy her loneliness, he is neglectful/ shows a lack of respect towards his wife but she has to have complete loyalty to him or else she is seen as promiscuous

Question 25

What context can be given for women in 1930s America?

Answer 25

Women, especially in rural or working-class settings, had limited rights and were expected to conform to domestic roles, or else they would be seen as dangerous or immoral.

Question 26

How does Curley’s wife act as a perpetrator of discrimination?

Answer 26

She becomes an agent of oppression, particularly in her interactions with Crooks, Candy, and Lennie, revealing how the hierarchal structure of this society allows even oppressed members of society to exert authority, when faced with those that are even lower in status.

Question 27

What does the phrase 'They left all the weak ones here' indicate?

Answer 27

Curley's wife feels vulnerable in this situation, as she is the only woman left on the ranch, and has no support from anyone else In order to defend herself, she mocks the men that stand before her, describing them as "weak" for their stigmatised traits (learning disability, age and disability, race) Steinbeck reinforces his message that 1930s American society is predatory in nature, as the only way to assert dominance over others is to degrade and marginalise those with a lower position within the societal hierarchy Similar to Crooks, it also emphasises how suffering is an endless cycle; those who suffer go on to make other feel the same way they have, in order to regain a sense of fulfilment and superiority

Question 28

What does Curley’s wife's threat to Crooks imply?

Answer 28

"You know what I could do to you...?" This threat exposes the brutality of racial power dynamics, highlighting her leverage over a Black man in a racist society.

Question 29

What chilling line does Curley’s wife say regarding racial privilege?

Answer 29

"I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny." Illustrates how she can weaponize her racial privilege, despite having no real power in most settings due to her being a woman.

Question 30

How does Steinbeck critique 1930s American society through his presentation of Lennie and Candy?

Answer 30

Steinbeck critiques how 1930s American society treated those who were seen as less productive — particularly the elderly and the disabled. Through Candy and Lennie, Steinbeck highlights the harsh realities faced by people whose value is measured solely by their physical ability to contribute labour.

Question 31

What is Candy symbolic of and what is his greatest fear?

Answer 31

Candy, the old swamper, is symbolic of how ageing workers were marginalised and discarded once they were no longer “useful", due to the belief of Social Darwinism being exhibited by 1930s American society His greatest fear is being cast aside as his physical abilities decline, and being replaced by younger workers who can outperform him.

Question 32

What quote shows how Candy feels inadequate?

Answer 32

“I ain’t much good with on’y one hand.”

Question 33

Why does Candy feel as though he deficient in this society?

Answer 33

Candy’s self-perception is shaped by how others see him — as incomplete and less than. His disability isolates him and fuels his desperation to join George and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm.

Question 34

What will soon happen to Candy?

Answer 34

He will have "no place to go"

Question 35

What is significant about Candy having "no place to go"?

Answer 35

Showcases brutal economic reality at this time — if you are unable to work, you are discarded. Candy is painfully aware of the temporary nature of his usefulness, and his anxiety reflects broader societal attitudes toward the elderly.

Question 36

What context can be given for why Candy is discriminated against?

Answer 36

In the 1930s, there were few employment protections or pensions for older or disabled workers, meaning people like Candy were often left destitute once they could no longer work.

Question 37

How does Carlson describe Candy's dog?

Answer 37

"damn near blind" "stinks like hell" "he ain't no good to himself"

Question 38

What is the significance of the way Carlson describes Candy's dog?

Answer 38

"damn near blind", "stinks like hell" - Carlson attempts to portray death as a relief from the dog's suffering, as it is so old that it has lost its purpose and is seen as useless in society "he ain't no good to himself" - Carlson’s utilitarian argument mirrors society’s view that life without practical value is life not worth living. The cold, emotionless killing of the dog symbolises how vulnerable people are easily discarded when they are seen as no longer serving a purpose

Question 39

What does Carlson's description of the dog reflect?

Answer 39

Reflects its owner, Candy, who is soon to lose his function in society and will be rejected too; the farm is a microcosm for wider society

Question 40

What quote proves that Candy's dog did once have a purpose, and whaaaat is its significance?

Answer 40

"best damn sheepdog I ever seen" - Once had a purpose, but now that it has been lost, due to forces outside of his control, he is deemed worthless No matter who you are in society - or what you once achieved - no sentimental value can protect you from being discarded once you lack a purpose to serve

Question 41

How is Lennie presented in terms of discrimination?

Answer 41

Similar to Candy, Lennie’s mental disability places him in an precarious position. In a time before mental health was understood or supported, people like Lennie were often institutionalised or rejected from society.

Question 42

What quote shows how learning disabilities were misunderstood at this time?

Answer 42

"dumb as hell" 😂 The casual language (“dumb”) shows how society at the time lacked understanding or sensitivity around disability. George's defence of Lennie highlights both his care and the low expectations society has for people like him.

Question 43

What does Crooks threaten Lennie by saying?

Answer 43

"They'll take ya to the booby hatch. They'll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog."

Question 44

What is significant about Crooks' threat to Lennie?

Answer 44

"Booby hatch" is a derogatory 1930s term for a mental asylum or psychiatric institution. The line shows how society dehumanizes and institutionalizes people with mental disabilities. The simile “like a dog” further reduces Lennie’s status — implying that, in the eyes of society, he is not only less than a person but less than human. This threat comes from Crooks, who himself is a victim of racial discrimination, showing how oppressed individuals can mirror oppressive systems onto others weaker than them. The quote reflects the absence of care and inclusion for those who don’t fit societal norms — they are hidden away, restrained, and feared.

Question 45

What is Steinbeck's message regarding those with learning disabilities like Candy and Lennie?

Answer 45

Both Candy and Lennie dream of a better life — “a place where we belonged” — but their dreams are ultimately crushed by the unforgiving reality of a society that rejects the weak. Through the deaths of Curley's wife (Eve) and Lennie himself, Steinbeck highlights how oppressed individuals like Candy and Lennie will inevitably fail at achieving their dreams, due to the inherently predatory nature of 1930s American society, where those who are seen as inadequate (whether that be through disability, race or gender) are dismissed and discriminated against.

Question 46

what can be concluded about Candy and Lennie with regards to discrimnation

Answer 46

Candy and Lennie represent different faces of discrimination against the “unfit.” Steinbeck uses their stories to challenge readers’ perceptions of value and humanity, showing how society’s obsession with strength, productivity, and control leaves no space for compassion or inclusion. The killing of Candy’s dog and Lennie’s ultimate fate underline the tragic cost of being different in a world that only respects usefulness — making a powerful statement about America’s moral failure during the Depression.