The role of Crooks and accounting for his hopelessness Essay Example for Free

The role of Crooks and accounting for his hopelessness Essay John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California in 1902. His father worked for the local government in Monterey County, and his mother was a schoolteacher. His most famous books were written in the 1930s and 1940s, and are set in California. John Steinbeck wrote the novel Of Mice and Men in 1936, around the time of mass unemployment such as America and Europe had not experienced before. At the time Steinbeck was a young man, he wanted to write about the difficulties millions of Americans like himself were being faced with. There was a boom time in 1920s America, and there was work to do and fortunes to be made but in the 1930s came a time of unemployment and poverty. Black people suffered a great deal worse than white people in the Depression. In large numbers they left the southern states, hoping to find work in the north. When they got there they realised there was no work there either and racism was just as common. In the novel set in South California, we are introduced to the only black man on the ranch and through this man Steinbeck aims to portray the relationships between black and whites in America. Crooks is named because of his crooked spine. Steinbeck develops the character of Crooks, the black stable buck in the fourth chapter, describing him as a, proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people kept theirs. Crooks as we see is bitter, angry and frustrated by the hopelessness of a black man in a racist culture. Crooks is constantly reminded he is inferior to white and, out of pride, he refuses to take part in their future dream. Crooks is made to live in a separate place to the other ranch workers, his place on the ranch is permanent. He is not a migrant worker and has been able to collect a few possessions together. Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boot, a big alarm clock and a single-barrelled shotgun. And he had books too, a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed. His possessions tell us quite a bit about him, both as an individual man and as a representative of black people at this time. His belongings tell us that he was an intellectual man and could read, we know this because of the many books he has, so it was made obvious he could read. He also owned a single-barrelled shotgun, which was for his own protection, which is understandable in his position. He also kept a California civil code for 1905 that would keep him updated of his rights as a black man in society. Everybody also calls Crooks, the nigger. Steinbeck gives some idea of how common racism was by the fact that ranch men dont intend to insult Crooks as a man when they call him nigger, but they are constantly reminding us that black people were degraded in the was everyday. Nigger was used casually as a commonplace name and is shows the hurt it directs and causes for black people. Candy says, They let the nigger come in that night. Little skinner name of Smitty took after the nigger. Done pretty good, too. The guys wouldnt let him use his feet, so the nigger got him. If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda killed the nigger. This quote suggests that they use Crooks for entertainment and he is used as a source of fun at his expense. This shows the way in which Crooks is treated and the reason he wont socialise with the other men. Candy also says to George, The boss gives him hell when hes mad, referring to Crooks. This explains the way the boss also treats Crooks. He takes his anger out on him when hes in a bad mood. Crooks cant stand up for himself because hes black and the boss realises that Crooks is too weak a character in the society they live in to do anything so this accounts for Crooks hopelessness against the white men. Crooks also suffers from the extrmes of loneliness on the ranch, A guy goes nuts if aint got nobody. Dont matter no difference who the guy is, longs he with you. I tell ya a gets too lonely an he gets sick. The only relationship he can find is with his books. Crooks experiences isolation from the other men because the society he lives in is racist. He is made to live on his own in the barn and cant join in many social activities. The words, dont matter no different who the guy is, longs he with you shows that Crooks would work for nothing, as long as he could communicate with others. Crooks can also identify that although Lennie relies on George, George also relies on him to be a friend and the fact that Lennie is retarded makes no difference because they have something all other workers are envious of Friendship. Crooks realises that because of his physical difference he is submitted to racial discrimination which blocks him from ever achieving a relationship between the men on the ranch and he accounts for his hopelessness at ever finding friendship. Crooks is a very lonely character, he is an outcast because not only is he a cripples but he is black. Most men are prejudiced against him. He has to stay in his room because of his appearance. As Lennie appears in his doorway, Crooks quickly puts his barriers up and says sharply, You got no right to come in my room. This heres my room. Nobody got any right in here but me..I aint wanted in the bunk-house, and you aint wanted in my room. Lennie asks, Why aint you wanted? Cause Im black. This shows how bitter he is and how he has been forced to be separated from the others just because of his appearance. Crooks loneliness is a result of rejection from everyone else on the ranch. He is forced to live alone in a barn, where he lives his life in isolation because of his colour. When Lennie visits him in the room, Crooks reactions reveal the fact that he is lonely. As a black man with a physical handicap, Crooks is forced to live on the border of ranch life. He is not even allowed to enter the white mens bunkhouse, or join them in a game of cards. His resentment typically comes out through his bitter, sad, and touching vulnerability, as he tells Lennie: A guy needs somebodyto be near him. Chapter four focussed on the development of Crooks. Race is the biggest motivation for Crooks anger towards men. He is a proud and obviously the most intelligent character in the novel and he used his intelligence to manipulate Lenniw. Spose George dont come back no more. Spose he took a powder and just aint coming back. Whatll you do then? Crooks is filled with contempt and attempts to make Lennie realise how he would not be able to function without George. He does this because he realises this is the only chance he could get to torment a white men, when he was tormented he become bitter and he enjoyed tormenting a man with a mind of a five year old. He tormented Lennie about his relationship with George because Steinbeck made Crooks purposely discuss it to show how jealous he is and how desperately he wants a relationship like Lennie and George have. When talking to Lennie, Crooks reminisces on his past, I remember when I was a little kid on my old mans chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They were always near me, always there. Used to sleep in the same room, right in the same bed all three. This shows the physical closeness he used to have with other people and with contrast to how now hes isolated and lonely with no one. Crooks tries to make Lennie realise his own isolation. When Candy enters and Lennie and him start talking about the dream, Crooks is sceptical of Lennie claiming to own land, telling him that such dreams will never materialise. Hes negative about the dream at first because he knows people dont look further than the colour of his skin. He starts to wonder why should he be excited about a white mans dream when his own will never happen, Youll talk about it a hell of a lot, but you wont get no land. Crooks changes his attitude towards Lennie when he realises that Lennie has decent intentions and that he is no real threat because of his mentally challenged nature. Crooks softens his rigid contempt and offers to help Lennie and Candy when he thinks they have a chance of achieving a farmhouse. This shows he uses his manner as a defence. if youguys would want a hand to work for nothing just his keep, why Id come an lend a hand. Crooks desperation to get out of his lonely spell prompts him to make such a drastic, but shy, suggestion. Crooks becomes so frantic for a relationship that he offers his services to George and Lennie for free, just to escape his loneliness. Making his dream of acceptance and company hopeful. His attitude soon shifts back to normal as Curleys wife exposes his frailties, characterising him as a crippled character. Curleys wife provides some interesting similarities to Crooks; both are shaped tongued and intelligent, and effected by their minority status at the ranch. She knows the power she wields over men, being Curleys wife and even threatens him with lynching. Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do to you if you open your trap. Suddenly reality catches up with Crooks, Crooks stared at her hopelessly. What was he thinking about living with white people, planning out his dream when they talk to him that way? When Curleys wife leaves he asks the men to leave afterwards because he is upset that he has been reminded of how hopeless he really is due to his physical race. He tries desperately to savage his pride and dignity, Member what I said about howin and doin odd jobs?Well just forget it Curleys wife destroyed and shattered the dreams he had with Lennie and Candy, he was suddenly dawned with the acceptance of his fate and realises that hell never be able to achieve his dreams due to the harsh reality that people cant look beyond his appearance, making him hopeless of ever gaining those dreams.

Raising the Dropout Age Essay -- Education, GED, high school

Children are told from a young age that it is mandatory for them to graduate from high school, but it’s not until they are on the verge of dropping out that they hear the importance for staying in school. It is also when they hear how high school students who dropouts learn the incredible price to pay in the future when they give up on an education. Thinking with a teenage state of mind and trying to take the easy way out they go straight for a GED, which is told to be an equivalent earning of a diploma. Stated in a complete listing of educational resources most teachers tend to argue that â€Å"The General Educational Development lacks the depth and breadth found in a traditional high school education† (â€Å"The Facts about Getting a GED† par.5) Initially, the program was created for World War II veterans to receive their high school education after the war and not for students who decided that they wanted to give up (â€Å"General Educational Development† par.1). This was until the year of 1959 when veterans were not the only ones getting there GED but also those adults who had yet to finished high school (par.1). In the article â€Å"Dropouts†, from Education Week, it was stated that â€Å"Overall, the dropout rate has changed among racial and ethnic groups; the minorities tend to have higher dropout rates than their white classmates†(Kaufman and Bardby par. 4). As of today the GED profile is still changing into 3.5 to 6 million young teens between the age of 16 and 17 year olds who have decided that they do not want to finish school (Haskins par.1). Due to the National Public Radio it was stated that â€Å"Many states are willing to reduce the dropout rate by rising the high school dropout age to 18† (Abramson par. 10). This law should be passed throughou... ... set the same as the mandatory age for dropping out of leaving school. This is a high risk for giving children the opportunity to leave their education to earn money which will not benefit them in the long run without a diploma. There are few that will state that the mandatory age of a high school dropout is good at sixteen. Main requirements taught in high school become unnecessary, especially lower skilled jobs so not all people who dropout will be unsuccessful. Therefore, society is creating an economic waste by providing a service that has very little benefit to the majority of people (Rodriguez par.2). The PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, provided facts that show that not all GED recipients are less successful than high school graduates. In example, both comedians Bill Cosby and Dave Thomas both received a GED and became highly successful. (Schleicher 1).

An Example of a Great Classification Essay

My iTunes Library and How It Defines Me â€Å"New York is more than a tan that you’ll never lose,† this quote is by Lady Gaga, who is one of my favorite singers. Quotes like these are unique. This quote shares uniqueness with the music I listen to, which defines me and my personality. I consider myself to be a very unusual and colorful character. Anyone who didn’t know me should be able to figure out my personality just from listening to the music I own. This is primarily because I listen to a variety of genres when it comes to music. The genres that dominate my â€Å"Top 25 Most Played† playlist are: pop, alternative, electronic, hip-hop, and jazz. Pop music for me isn’t just a genre, it’s a lifestyle. Pop is basically the soundtrack to my life. Whether it’s a night out on the town with my closest friends, recovering from a bad break-up, or needing some encouragement after a rough day; there’s a pop song to be played. And with my iTunes library, there’s never a shortage in pop music. Roughly 60 percent of the 1500 songs in my music library are all pop. The most popular artists I listen to in this genre are: Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Maroon 5, Lady GaGa and Ke$ha. Each of these artists has a different â€Å"persona† when it comes to pop music. Miley Cyrus is the rebellious teen who just wants to have a good time. Some of her songs feature heavy processed vocals, while in other ballads, she shows off those pipes that made her famous. Britney Spears is the pop queen of my generation. She shouldn’t necessarily be classified as a singer because she’s more of a performer. Britney plays the â€Å"Good Girl Gone Bad† role perfectly and she has let us know this since she sang her most infamous lyric â€Å"I’m not that innocent! † Demi and Selena are the pop princesses next door. They never sing anything too risque. Maroon 5 is more of pop-rock, and their music is for one of those rainy days when I’m sad. Ke$ha and Lady GaGa deserve their own branch of pop music because their songs are so exotic compared to other artists. Ke$ha is all about glitter, drugs, and partying. I’m certain every single one of her songs mentions glitter or alcohol. She also â€Å"wakes up in the morning feelin’ like P-Diddy† according to her hit single â€Å"Tik-Tok. † How a Caucasian female can wake up in the morning feeling like an African American male baffles me. Lady GaGa is probably the most talked about pop artist. She manages to out-weird herself at every award show. GaGa is all about accepting one’s self, and singing about topics one would not normally sing about. Topics such as but not limited to: sex, money, homosexuality, rebelliousness, colorful hair, religion, and alcohol have all made appearances in one of GaGa’s hit singles. These ladies are all unique in their own way and they make up the reasons why I love pop music. Alternative or â€Å"Indie† music is for the hipster inside of me. It’s music that can express feelings or emotions that I can’t quite explain. My all-time favorite alternative artist is Florence and The Machine. Her haunting voice looms over every track she sings and it’s truly mesmerizing. My favorite song by Florence is â€Å"What the Water Gave Me† from her latest album Ceremonials. Another band that I feel like belongs in this genre is Fleetwood Mac. Of course, anyone who is superior to me in age may question what I know about Fleetwood Mac. I consider Rumours one of my favorite albums of all time as well as one of the greatest albums ever. â€Å"I Don’t Wanna Know†, â€Å"Dreams†, â€Å"Go Your Own Way†, and â€Å"Songbird† are the standout tracks on this album. Alternative music takes up about 20 percent of my iTunes library. It’s definitely the genre I listen to when I feel like nothing else quite explains what I’m feeling. Electronic music really serves only one purpose in just about anyone’s life: to give them something to dance to. This particular genre of music is mastered by DJ’s who often remix pop or hip-hop songs to their tastes. My favorite DJ is the Frenchman David Guetta. He often produces music for several pop artists and releases the songs on his own compilation album. Electronic music also has a sub-genre that has gained notable fame as of late, Dub-step. Dub-step features heavy bass and synthesizers that make the listener want to contort their body in the strangest fashion. This genre came from Europe and was popularized by Britney Spears in America with her comeback single â€Å"Hold It Against Me. † Electronic and dub-step are also much more popular in Europe than they are in America. I feel like this adds charm to my strange library of music. A rather small amount of charm I might add. I’m rather finicky when it comes to this genre so I only have a few songs in this category. Hip-hop for many members in the local community is a lifestyle. For me, it’s something to listen to when I feel narcissistic. This genre takes up a smaller portion of my iTunes Library because I don’t agree with it all of the time. Hip-hops all about being better than everyone else; and by better I mean being hotter, richer, or more talented than the competition. Some notable artists in this genre that I like are: Mac Miller, Beyonce, Kelly Rowland, and Nicki Minaj. Mac Miller is a relatively new artist in this genre. His first studio album actually came out a week ago. However, his lyrics amuse me and he always has a rather swell beat. Beyonce and Kelly Rowland are the same type of artist. This should not come as a shock considering they both got their start in they girl group Destiny’s Child. They are both all about over-sexualizing one’s self and dancing around in skimpy outfits. Beyonce has branched away from that with her latest album 4 which has more of a soul vibe to it. Nicki Minaj is probably the Lady GaGa of hip-hop. She’s very strange. She raps amazingly fast and takes on several alter-egos as she performs. One of this alter-egos is â€Å"Roman. † Roman speaks in a very deep voice and yells profane things often. He can be heard on Nicki’s single â€Å"Roman’s Revenge. † Jazz music is literally music for the soul. It’s music that when you listen to it, you can feel the singers despair, ecstasy, or remorse. The genre takes its roots in the diverse city of New Orleans so it’s only fitting that I represent my home state with some jazz. The only artist that dominates my most played list in this genre is Amy Winehouse. She had a rather tragic life. Her career was often overshadowed by her troublesome addictions that she eventually succumbed to and ended up losing her life over. However, Amy’s talent shouldn’t be forgotten. She was a singer with remarkably talent. Whenever I listen to her smash record Back to Black I almost feel as if I’ve entered her world and can feel her sorrows. To me, that’s what jazz music is all about. The diverse range of music I listen to represents the unusual character that I am. Pop music represents the fun side to me; alternative music represents the more intelligent side of me; electronic music represents the inner party animal that dwells within; Hip-hop represents the part of me that doesn’t care about others opinions; while jazz represents that part of me that’s unpredictable. All of these genres reside in my iTunes library and that library paints the picture of me.

A Lesson And Meaning Of A Toy - 1558 Words

As an individual growing up does one remember that round â€Å"toy† almost resembling a ball, half of it was blue and the other half red and all around it were various shapes cut out of the hard plastic with pieces inside? One could pull apart this â€Å"toy† and dump out all of the solid pieces that matched the shapes of the cut outs, and one by one put them back in by matching the shape of the cut out and the solids together. It is possible that as a child one is learning about shapes and the differences between squares, circles, triangles, stars, etc., but is it also possible that this â€Å"toy† could have a deeper lesson and meaning as one grows older? Thinking about this â€Å"toy† it could be suggested that it could also be teaching the lesson that one size doesn’t fit all. Although all of parts had essentially a similarity in that they were all shapes and all had to fit somewhere, each one was still different. 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