‘How does Steinbeck use outsiders in ‘Of Mice and Men’ tell you about life in the 1920’s’
...suspicious of why Lennie does not talk and starts questioning him ‘you taking his pay away’ ‘seen wise guys before didn’t get over me.’ When Lennie goes to the bunker house he meets Curley, the boss’s son, straight away Curley doesn’t like him and Lennie is told to stay away from him. In chapter 4 Lennie goes into the barn and starts to speak to Crooks, Crooks starts to wind him up about George not coming back ‘George ain’t coming back,’ ‘don’t you think’ Lennie starts to act like a child and starts to worry. In chapter 5 Lennie is in the barn with his dead puppy when Curley’s Wife walks in, Lennie starts to talk about the dream ranch to her and then goes on to say about his habits and Curley’s Wife lets Lennie stroke her hair, Lennie starts to panic because Curley’s Wife starts to scream and then he starts to shake her head, then he accidentally breaks her neck so he run’s to the bush remembering what George told him to do in the first chapter. Candy Candy is another key outsider in the book. He is an outsider because he is a cripple, he has lost his right hand ‘he pointed with his right hand, and out of the sleeve came a round stick like wrist, but no hand.’ Candy is also very old and is very noisy and likes to gossip. When Candy is in the bunkers Carlson starts complaining about his dog and is trying to get Candy to let him shoot him. Candy at first was saying no to him but then he convinced him to do it. When the dog was shot candy completely change his mind about what he wants with his life when he hears about the dream ranch he wants to go with George and Lennie. ‘$250 in bank for compensation and $300 in bank.’ Candy is looking for an easy way out of his job and at any opportunity talk about it. Candy is like Lennie and cannot keep his mouth shut, when he is looking for Lennie he talks to crooks about the dream ranch trying to prove that it will work out for them. Candy also really dislike’s Curley’s wife and sees her as a troublemaker and when she walks into the room he takes up his chance and argues with her. I think that since he sees that the dream ranch will work and that he wont be around much longer so he doesn’t care that he gets fired because he would’ve quit anyway. When Candy sees Curley’s Wife dead in the hay he run’s to find George, Candy’s only worry is how will they solve the problem and get the dream ranch. But candy knows inside that the dream ranch was always a dream and it won’t happen. Crook’s Crook’s is an outsider because he is the only black on the ranch. People don’t really respect crooks and crook’s doesn’t respect them either. Crook’s only come in the book as a significant character in the chapter when he is with Lennie and Candy and he comes across as a very accusative and insecure person, thinking everyone is looking to be mean and nasty to him. He calls himself a ‘Negro stable buck’ and he thinks that he’s treated like an animal because he is black. When people start to first come in he becomes very defensive and says ‘being a stable buck and a crippled man like the freedom of his own room can do what he likes.’ Crook’s is very intelligent and he knows all his rights, he is also described very accurately ‘thin pain-tightened lips.’ Crook’s Starts to wind up Lennie about George I think he does this because he sees an opportunity to try and show Lennie what it feels to be ‘black’ and ‘different,’ crooks really enjoys the feeling of having power over...