Essays
The House on Mango Street essay is the first essay that was completed by me in my Humanities class. The essay consists of the basic essay layout that we will be using the entire year that I am in this class. I am really proud of all the work and time tha I put into this project and I hope you enjoy.
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Of Mice and Men Essay
Steven Carroll
Humanities-½
19 February 2014
Three Characters, One Theme
George Santayana once said, “ The wisest mind has something left to learn.” Of Mice and Men was written by the critically acclaimed writer, John Steinbeck. The book is based on two men who want to find work and make a good living during the Great Depression when money was scarce. But, they run into some trouble when they move to a ranch in SAlinas Valley for work. All seems well at the start, but it all goes downhill when one of the main characters, Lennie, makes a huge mistake. Since Steinbeck wants to express the theme of discrimination in this book, he uses the characters Crooks, Candy, and Curley’s wife. Through these characters, Steinbeck is able to express discrimination in many ways.
John Steinbeck shows discrimination towards the elderly by illustrating it through the character Candy. Candy is discriminated when Slim says, “ I wisht sombody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple”(Steinbeck 45). Slim says this when he is talking about Candy’s old dog. However, because Slim says this out loud and Candy is able to hear it, Candy takes offense to the comment even though it was not directed toward him. Candy is offended because he is old and a cripple. Sadly, Candy is discriminated again. He states, “ They says he wasn't no good to himself or nobody else. When they can me, I wisht somebody’d shoot me” (Steinbeck 60). In this quote, Candy is explaining that his dog was killed only because his smell, old age and uselessness. This makes Candy feel that old people are viewed as being no good to society so he wishes that someone would shoot him like his dog. Candy is discriminated because of his age through the words and actions of other men throughout the book.
Curley’s wife is an example of discrimination to women in the book Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife is discriminated when George says, “Jesus, what a tramp, so thats what Curley’s picks for a wife” (Steinbeck 32). This is discrimination toward Curley’s wife because George is calling her a tramp even though he doesn’t know who Curley’s wife really is. George justifies calling her a tramp because she gives other men “the eye” which is saying that she looks at other men besides Curley. This is discrimination because all women are not tramps like Curley’s wife. There are other quotes from the book that describe how women were discriminated in this time period. Curley’s wife is discriminated again when Slim says, “Andy’s in San Quentin right now on account of a tramp”(Steinbeck 56). This quote means that Andy is in jail because he was caught having sex with an under-aged girl. Also this means that the under-aged girl was a slut or a whore. Curley’s wife is discriminated in many ways.
Crooks is an excellent example of racial discrimination in the book Of Mice and Men. Crooks is discriminated when Curley’s wife yells, “Stable Buck, oh Stable Buck! Where the hell is that god damn nigger” (Steinbeck 20). This quote from Curley’s wife is racist because she uses the word nigger to describe Crooks. The word nigger is used in a racist form for white people to belittle and diminish feelings of equality in black people. However, Crooks is discriminated in many other ways. For example when Crooks says Lennie, “Guy’s don’t come in to a colored man’s room very much. Nobody been here but Slim. Slim an’ the boss” (Steinbeck 75). This is racist because Crooks describes in this quote how most white people do not go into a colored man’s room. Also, it is shown in the quote that Lennie is the only one that has ever been in Crook’s room besides Slim and the boss. This shows that either Crooks does not want white people in his room, the boss will not let anybody into Crooks’s room, or nobody will go in there because Crooks is black. Crooks is racially discriminated throughout the book Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck.
Because Steinbeck wants to express the theme of discrimination in his book Of Mice and Men, he decides to add the three characters, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy. John Steinbeck used specific social problems that were prevalent during the time period in which this book was written. Some of those theme’s during this time were, discrimination against women, discrimination against the mentally disabled, and discrimination against colored people. One important part in the book were discrimination against black people is when Lennie is in Crooks’ room. A scene in the book were it is talking about discrimination against women is when George talks about Curley’s wife to Lennie. The last part of discrimination is when Slim is talking to Candy in the bunkhouse about his dog. People should still continue to read Of Mice and Men, even though it is an old book, because it still teaches people about what it was like during the time of the Great Depression. Also, about all the discrimination that happened back then and does not happen now.
Humanities-½
19 February 2014
Three Characters, One Theme
George Santayana once said, “ The wisest mind has something left to learn.” Of Mice and Men was written by the critically acclaimed writer, John Steinbeck. The book is based on two men who want to find work and make a good living during the Great Depression when money was scarce. But, they run into some trouble when they move to a ranch in SAlinas Valley for work. All seems well at the start, but it all goes downhill when one of the main characters, Lennie, makes a huge mistake. Since Steinbeck wants to express the theme of discrimination in this book, he uses the characters Crooks, Candy, and Curley’s wife. Through these characters, Steinbeck is able to express discrimination in many ways.
John Steinbeck shows discrimination towards the elderly by illustrating it through the character Candy. Candy is discriminated when Slim says, “ I wisht sombody’d shoot me if I got old an’ a cripple”(Steinbeck 45). Slim says this when he is talking about Candy’s old dog. However, because Slim says this out loud and Candy is able to hear it, Candy takes offense to the comment even though it was not directed toward him. Candy is offended because he is old and a cripple. Sadly, Candy is discriminated again. He states, “ They says he wasn't no good to himself or nobody else. When they can me, I wisht somebody’d shoot me” (Steinbeck 60). In this quote, Candy is explaining that his dog was killed only because his smell, old age and uselessness. This makes Candy feel that old people are viewed as being no good to society so he wishes that someone would shoot him like his dog. Candy is discriminated because of his age through the words and actions of other men throughout the book.
Curley’s wife is an example of discrimination to women in the book Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife is discriminated when George says, “Jesus, what a tramp, so thats what Curley’s picks for a wife” (Steinbeck 32). This is discrimination toward Curley’s wife because George is calling her a tramp even though he doesn’t know who Curley’s wife really is. George justifies calling her a tramp because she gives other men “the eye” which is saying that she looks at other men besides Curley. This is discrimination because all women are not tramps like Curley’s wife. There are other quotes from the book that describe how women were discriminated in this time period. Curley’s wife is discriminated again when Slim says, “Andy’s in San Quentin right now on account of a tramp”(Steinbeck 56). This quote means that Andy is in jail because he was caught having sex with an under-aged girl. Also this means that the under-aged girl was a slut or a whore. Curley’s wife is discriminated in many ways.
Crooks is an excellent example of racial discrimination in the book Of Mice and Men. Crooks is discriminated when Curley’s wife yells, “Stable Buck, oh Stable Buck! Where the hell is that god damn nigger” (Steinbeck 20). This quote from Curley’s wife is racist because she uses the word nigger to describe Crooks. The word nigger is used in a racist form for white people to belittle and diminish feelings of equality in black people. However, Crooks is discriminated in many other ways. For example when Crooks says Lennie, “Guy’s don’t come in to a colored man’s room very much. Nobody been here but Slim. Slim an’ the boss” (Steinbeck 75). This is racist because Crooks describes in this quote how most white people do not go into a colored man’s room. Also, it is shown in the quote that Lennie is the only one that has ever been in Crook’s room besides Slim and the boss. This shows that either Crooks does not want white people in his room, the boss will not let anybody into Crooks’s room, or nobody will go in there because Crooks is black. Crooks is racially discriminated throughout the book Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck.
Because Steinbeck wants to express the theme of discrimination in his book Of Mice and Men, he decides to add the three characters, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Candy. John Steinbeck used specific social problems that were prevalent during the time period in which this book was written. Some of those theme’s during this time were, discrimination against women, discrimination against the mentally disabled, and discrimination against colored people. One important part in the book were discrimination against black people is when Lennie is in Crooks’ room. A scene in the book were it is talking about discrimination against women is when George talks about Curley’s wife to Lennie. The last part of discrimination is when Slim is talking to Candy in the bunkhouse about his dog. People should still continue to read Of Mice and Men, even though it is an old book, because it still teaches people about what it was like during the time of the Great Depression. Also, about all the discrimination that happened back then and does not happen now.