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Crooks - Coggle Diagram
Crooks
SAYS
"A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's hes with you. I tell ya," he cried "I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick" (Steinbeck 11).
Crooks' dialogue makes it evident that he is sick of the way he is treated, and despises being so separated from everyone else solely due to his skin tone. While in this quote he talks as if he is describing someone else, he is describing how he himself feels and has been feeling for so long. Though, normally he refuses to display this "weaker" side of him to the rest at the farm.
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His true personality is overshadowed by the strong rejection he's faced the entirety of his life, causing him to form grudges and be the one to separate himself first before anyone else can.
Crooks distances from everyone around him until his loneliness gets the better of him, hence the scene were he finally let Lennie into his room and began to talk to him.
"I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads . . . every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land" (Steinbeck 112).
Crooks has seen many people with these big plans for the future regarding land and farming and living "the life" com and go without ever seeing them actually accomplish these goals.
Because of his doubt, Crooks did not take anything that Lennie had said to him seriously until much later into the end of the conversation. Crooks quietly mentions that he would genuinely offer a helping hand in this dream that may just come true.
Even if there was a small chance of the dream Lennie described coming true, at the bottom of his heart, Crooks wanted to be able to join in and just live life for what it was.
After seeing countless people fail to live out their dreams, Crooks became much more of a doubtful person.
THOUGHTS
"You guys is just kidding' yourself. You talk about it a -- lot, but you wont get no land. You'll be a swamper here till they take yo out in a box; Lennie here'll quit an be on the road in two three weeks" (Steinbeck 114).
Crooks basically described his perspective of the future as picking the crops of someone else for the rest of their years. This is how he believes he will live out his life, and says Lennie and Candy and the rest most likely would too.
Crooks has seen countless people live this crop-picking life, and genuinely believes at heart that for him it would be the same.
Crooks continues to display doubtfulness, expressing that he thinks Lennie could barely last a month let alone get his own land.
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ACTIONS
"Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down onto his bunk and drew into himself" (Steinbeck 118).
As soon as Curly's wife "reminds" Crooks of his place and her power, Crooks immediately steps down and back onto his bed.
Crooks is stated to "draw back into himself", which physically displays his state of hopelessness. and powerlessness.
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POSSESSION & ENVIRONMENT
Possession
"He pulled out his shirt in back, poured a little liniment in his pink palm and, reaching around, he fell slowly to rubbing his back." (Steinbeck 122).
Crooks pulls out a bottle of liniment oil, which is used to treat body pains and aches.
Crooks nickname comes from how crooked his posture is, and he begins rubbing liniment on his back. Liniment is used to treat pain and aches, meaning something had happened to Crooks back for him to need some sort of treatment.
Environment
"Sure", said Crooks, "And a manure pile under the window. Sure, its swell. (Steinbeck 113).
Candy compliments Crooks room, saying it must be nice to have it all to himself. Crooks replies wit sarcasm, mentioning manure under his window topping it all off.
Crooks does not like being alone. He says that loneliness is what drives a man insane. Being separated into a room away from everyone else contributes to his growing loneliness.
EFFECT ON OTHERS
"Spose' George dont come back no more. Spose he took a powder an just aint coming back. Whatll you do then?" (Steinbeck 109)
Crooks taunts Lennie with the idea of George never returning to him after Lennie is finally permitted into Crooks' room.
In response to Crooks "ridiculous" idea according to Lennie, Lennie becomes very frustrated and angry.
Lennie grows extremely anxious and upset with Crooks. The very idea of George leaving him behind and alone seems to terrify him.
As Crooks continues to torment Lennie with these thoughts, Lennie threatens physical violence upon Crooks, forcing him to stop.
LOOKS
"Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black" (Steinbeck 106).
Due to the color of his skin, Crooks is often separated from the rest. Actions as simple as being excluded from a game of cards visibly hurts Crooks.
In response to being separated so much, Crooks says that "They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me." (Steinbeck 106). This basically means that if he is being separated, then he will separate them as well. This draws back into Crooks not wanting Lennie to enter his room.