Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a tale about two friends who struggle to survive in California during the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time of economic destruction which led to racism, ableism, sexism, and ageism. John Steinbeck uses certain character to represent how characters were treated during this time period. Steinbeck uses Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy to convey these depictions. As you go through each chapter you start to understand that each one of these characters are exasperated by one mean or another by the means of race like Crooks, sex like Curley’s Wife, or age like Candy. In the Great Depression, most people’s main goal was to survive by any means necessary and just like animals, man’s primary instinct is to prey and trample over the weak.
In a country where slavery existed the Civil Rights movement ended in 1960’s. However, bigotry, and racism never ended but instead tenuously died down. One of the peaks of racism in U.S history was also when the novel Of Mice and Men, during the Great Depression. The only African American character, Crooks is used to represent the hardships that African Americans faced during this time period. For instance in one scene Curley’s Wife, Lennie, Crooks, and Candy are left alone at the farm they get into an argument in Crooks room. One quote that distinguished itself from the other quotes is when Curley’s Wife fulminate, ‘“Well you keep your place then #@*$!@. I could have you strung up on a tree so easy it”’(Curley’s Wife (81). This arrays how during the Great Depression innocent African American were harmed and discriminated against just for speaking their mind. This classical novel represents many societal issues when man is left with his initial instincts to defend for themselves. Causing bigotry to overcome a sovereign country.
The Great Depression happened 10 years after woman were given the right to vote. Many historian agree that although this was the first movement for equal rights between both sexes that woman never started to earnestly protest until the 1970’s. Before then woman were mostly thought of as either housewives or trouble. This statement is shown excellently in Of Mice and Men with Curley’s Wife, Steinbeck goes as far to give subtle details like not giving Curley’s Wife a name to depict woman in the 1930’s. One of the most interpretive sections of the book is After Curley’s Wife passes by looking for Curley, when Lennie develops some feeling for her causing George to yell at Lennie. One quote of his jumble of words came out clear. When he ordered, ‘“Don't you even take a look at that b*tch. I don't care what she says and what she does. I seen 'em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.”’(George(32). This showed that woman were thought as property who distracted man from being able to achieve their American dream. This idea blew through the roof during the Great Depression where there was an increase of whore houses all throughout world history woman never had rights or were figures in government. Not until protest began in the early 1900’s were woman allowed to vote. In the novel, Steinbeck uses C.W to represent how woman were depicted in the 1930’s.
Were always told to respect our elders but during the Great Depression many people had very little respect towards the elderly and the crippled. Candy represents discrimination towards the elderly. One section that represents this is when George and Lennie finally arrived at the farm and the first one to greet them is Candy so they have an active conversation. When Candy first spoke to George and Lennie he explained, “I ain't much good with only one hand. I lost my right hand here on this ranch. That's why they give me a job swampin'."~Candy. Candy admits that his no good on the ranch because of his age and disability. My belief is that the only reason why Candy wasn’t fired was because he lost his hand at the ranch so instead they gave him a terrible job swamping. As people started caring more about their self the elderly was left without good health care, and without some to take care of them. Candy represent age & physical disability.
As predator must attack prey to survive, Of Mice and Men’s theme is when in a time of survival we were left with animal instincts to segregate, instead of uniting. Crooks, Curley’s Wife, and Candy all experienced hatred, discrimination, and undeserving punishment. For instance when Crooks gets threated by Curley’s Wife, or when Curley’s Wife is killed, and even when Candy is left alone. All of this characters are completely different expect for the fact that they are unique. And it is this uniqueness that caused this characters to all be discriminated against. In a country accepting of all religions, races, and genders I could clearly say that although racism, sexism, and ageism were more political issues, I could notably say that although it is a still an issue, it has turned into a more of a societal issue. In a time of an economic crises are home land was filled with barbaric souls who in attempt to live life had to topple over people who were different to get there.