Power And Powerlessness

Question 1

Crooks

Answer 1

“You got no right to come into my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.”

Question 2

“You got no right to come into my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.”

Answer 2

-Repetition “my room” and “no right”:
He asserts authority which is rare for him-> emphasizes his limited power due to his race.
-Defensive tone/ language:
As he’s often marginalized he uses this language to claim control over his place.
^- underscores how illusory and restricted he is as this is over such a small and confined place.

*1930s: Migrant workers were already belittled so the fact crooks was black led to him being also belittled by not only his boss but society. This shows how powerless he is.

Question 3

Curleys wife

Answer 3

“I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”

Question 4

“I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”

Answer 4

Tone:
Reflects the dangerous social power that curleys wife holds. She’s speaking in a casual and dismissive tone which further makes the phrase disturbing.
“It ain’t even funny”:
Strips away any sense of remorse by almost joking about it in a way.
Dramatic irony:
Although she’s seen as powerless by men, she can weaponize race and gender to assert dominance among society.

*Lynching-> A white womans accusations true or not results in immediate and brutal consequences. The scene shows how power can be manipulated within oppressive structures.

Question 5

Candy

Answer 5

“They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll put me on the county.”

Question 6

“They’ll can me purty soon. Jus’ as soon as I can’t swamp out no bunkhouses they’ll put me on the county.”

Answer 6

-Language:
Uses resignation and fear to show how his physical ability stripped him of power.
-Phrase “put me on the county”:
Refers to being sent to a poor house which Candy dreads.
-Colloquial dictation “can me”:
Reflects how common and dehumanizing the process was.
+He understands that his value lies solely on his ability to produce labour.

*People who couldn’t work often ended up on gov-run institutions/ poor houses.
->His fear mirrors the brutal utilitarian mindset.