Predjudice/discrimination Flashcards
(8 cards)
What does Crooks’ comment about “heaven” and “land” reveal about the effects of prejudice?
Crooks says, “Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody never gets no land,” expressing his loss of faith in the American Dream. This bitter statement reflects how systemic racism has eroded his hope and belief in a better future. The use of double negatives gives a sense of despair and isolation, almost spiritual in tone. As a victim of lifelong discrimination, Crooks has internalised society’s rejection, showing how prejudice not only isolates people physically, but also emotionally and spiritually, leaving them disillusioned and resigned.
How does Steinbeck use Crooks’ encounter with Curley’s Wife to reveal racial prejudice?
Steinbeck uses Curley’s Wife’s threat – “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” – to expose the deep-rooted racism Crooks faces. The reference to lynching evokes the terror of extrajudicial violence in 1930s America, particularly by groups like the KKK. Although California wasn’t part of the Deep South, Steinbeck shows racism as a nationwide problem. Crooks’ powerlessness is starkly highlighted when he “reduced himself to nothing,” revealing how even the least respected white character could destroy a Black man’s life. This moment shows the brutal social hierarchy of the ranch and reinforces how prejudice dehumanises its victims.
How does Steinbeck present discrimination against people with disabilities through Lennie?
Lennie is immediately introduced as a liability when George warns, “If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job.” This reflects how mental disability was heavily stigmatised during the 1930s, with treatment options like lobotomies or electroshock therapy being both primitive and cruel. Lennie’s dependence on George shows that disabled individuals had no independence or protection from a society that valued only economic productivity. The shared pronoun “we” emphasises how disability affects not just the individual, but how society sees it as a burden on everyone.
In what ways does Curley’s Wife experience gender-based discrimination?
Curley’s Wife is dismissed by male characters who see her only as a source of trouble. Carlson’s line, “Why’n’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?”, reflects the widespread belief that women’s roles were confined to the domestic sphere. She is unnamed, reinforcing her lack of identity outside of marriage. No one cares that her husband neglects her, and only Lennie listens to her dreams. Her treatment mirrors 1930s gender norms, where women had few rights or prospects, and ambitions were seen as delusional or dangerous.
How does Steinbeck show the toxic effects of gender expectations through Curley?
Curley is obsessed with control and physical dominance, shown through the disturbing image of his “glove fulla Vaseline” – a symbol of his possessiveness over his wife. His constant aggression stems from a need to assert masculinity in a world where he feels insecure. His failure to control his wife leads to him being ridiculed by other men, suggesting that toxic masculinity is both performative and fragile. Steinbeck critiques the pressure placed on men to dominate, just as he critiques how women are confined and objectified.
How does Candy’s relationship with his dog reflect prejudice based on age and disability?
Candy’s dog is described as “a good sheepdog once” – mirroring Candy’s own former usefulness. The dog is old, smelly, and blind, just as Candy is “stoop-shouldered” and missing a hand. Carlson’s insistence that the dog be shot and replaced with a puppy symbolises how society discards those who are no longer productive. This reflects Social Darwinist thinking of the time – only the strong (or useful) survive. Candy’s quiet acceptance of this foreshadows his own fate and reveals how capitalist values dehumanise the vulnerable.
Why does Steinbeck link multiple characters to different forms of discrimination?
Each character – Crooks (racism), Lennie (ableism), Curley’s Wife (sexism), Candy (ageism) – represents a different marginalised group, allowing Steinbeck to paint a broader picture of 1930s American society. The ranch acts as a microcosm, where empathy is absent and power is unequally distributed. While Steinbeck does not offer solutions, he invites readers to recognise how discrimination shapes lives, often in irreversible ways. These characters’ dreams are crushed not by personal failings, but by systemic prejudice.
How does Steinbeck link prejudice to the failure of the American Dream?
All the marginalised characters in the novella dream of a better life – Crooks wants companionship, Lennie wants to tend rabbits, Candy wants security, and Curley’s Wife dreams of fame. But their dreams are all destroyed by prejudice: racism keeps Crooks alone, sexism silences Curley’s Wife, ableism makes Lennie a threat, and ageism renders Candy useless. Steinbeck shows that the American Dream is inaccessible to those whom society refuses to value, making discrimination not just personal but structural.
