Crooks Quotes

Question 1

Dreams:
Crooks dreams of freedom and escape from his painful reality.

Answer 1

“Crooks was looking across the room now, looking toward the window.”

Question 2

Dreams:
The cyclical structure of chapter 4 illustrates how Crooks will be unable to escape his miserable life on the ranch.

Answer 2

“In one hand he held a bottle of liniment, and with the other he rubbed his spine.”

“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.”

Question 3

Dreams:
His life experiences have made him bitter and cynical- he doesn’t believe that dreams can come true or life can get better.

Answer 3

”I seen hunderds of men…Hunderds of them…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.”

““Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.””

Question 4

Dreams:
Crooks initially wishes to join the dream to feel accepted and prove his worth.

Answer 4

‘He hesitated. “…If you…guys would want a hand to work for nothing—just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a- bitch if I want to.”’

Question 5

Dreams:
Curley’s Wife’s treatment of Crooks reminds him that life cannot improve for him.

Answer 5

“You guys comin’ in an’ settin’ made me forget. What she says is true.”

Question 6

Dreams:
He abandons the idea of joining the dream after his encounter with Curley’s Wife.

Answer 6

‘“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks. “I didn’t mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.”’

Question 7

Friendship:
Crooks is perhaps jealous of George and Lennie’s friendship and he cruelly tries to get Lennie to imagine a life without George.

Answer 7

“”S’pose George don’t come back no more…What’ll you do then?…Well, s’pose, jus’ s’pose he don’t come back. What’ll you do then?””

Question 8

Friendship:
Crooks is desperate for Lennie to understand the importance of friendship and how lucky he is to have George.

Answer 8

“Maybe you can see now. You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody… How’d you like that?”

Question 9

Friendship:
Crooks craves companionship from anyone.

Answer 9

‘“He whined, “A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you.”’

Question 10

Friendship:
He craves the benefits and simple interactions that come with friendship.

Answer 10

“he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so… He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by.”

Question 11

Loneliness:
Crooks occupies much of his time reading, yet it doesn’t compensate for friendship.

Answer 11

”He reads a lot. Got books in his room”

“”S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books…Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody—to be near him.””

Question 12

Loneliness:
It is unusual for Crooks to participate in social events on the ranch as he is forbidden from entering the bunkhouse.

Answer 12

“They let the nigger come in that night.”

“”I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”

Question 13

Loneliness:
He lives in the barn with animals, cut off from others.

Answer 13

“in the harness room; a little shed that leaned off the wall of the barn…the little room”

Question 14

Loneliness:
His loneliness is partially self-imposed as he distances himself from others for his own protection.

Answer 14

“Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs.”

Question 15

Loneliness:
Despite his initial fear of Lennie and Candy, he enjoys their company as he is momentarily relieved from loneliness.

Answer 15

“’Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.” His tone was a little more friendly… “Come on in. If ever’body’s comin’ in, you might just as well.” It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger.”’

Question 16

Loneliness:
He didn’t always live a lonely life- he once had friends and was close with his family.

Answer 16

“The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them… Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there. Used to sleep right in the same room, right in the same bed—all three.”

Question 17

Loneliness:
He is lonely as he is the only black man on the ranch, but he is also lonely on a societal level.

Answer 17

“There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.”

Question 18

Loneliness:
Crooks believes that loneliness causes misery and bitterness, turning you into a cynical person.

Answer 18

“A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody…I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”

Question 19

Loneliness:
Lennie lacks the intellectual capacity to empathise with Crooks and understand his pain.

Answer 19

‘Gradually Lennie’s interest came around to what was being said. “George says we’re gonna have alfalfa for the rabbits.”’

Question 20

Loneliness:
Candy fails to understand Crooks’ loneliness.

Answer 20

‘“Must be nice to have a room all to yourself this way.” “Sure,” said Crooks…it’s swell.”’

Question 21

Power:
Crooks is powerless to challenge the tirades and intimidation he faces.

Answer 21

“The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that.”

“he had thin, pain-tightened lips”

Question 22

Power:
He doesn’t assert himself or make demands of the other men as he is in a subservient position to them.

Answer 22

‘The door opened quietly and the stable buck put in his head; a lean negro head, lined with pain, the eyes patient. “Mr. Slim.”’

Question 23

Power:
He has a more stable position than the other men, yet it is a more degrading position than most.

Answer 23

“being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than the other men, and he had accumulated more possessions than he could carry on his back.”

Question 24

Power:
He reminds himself of the little power and few rights he has.

Answer 24

“a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.“

Question 25

Power:
He is exercising the few rights he has when Lennie enters.

Answer 25

‘Crooks said sharply, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me… “Well, I got a right to have a light. You go on get outa my room.”’

Question 26

Power:
He acknowledges his powerless position on the ranch.

Answer 26

“If I say something, why it’s just a nigger sayin’ it…This is just a nigger talkin’…So it don’t mean nothing…”

Question 27

Power:
Crooks has intellectual power over Lennie and he uses it to emotionally abuse him in the same manner he endures.

Answer 27

“Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory”

“Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture.”

Question 28

Power:
Curley’s Wife cruelly comments on the insignificance of Crooks.

Answer 28

“They left all the weak ones here…a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep”

Question 29

Power:
Crooks accepts the racial abuse and vicious threats from Curley’s Wife as he is powerless to challenge her.

Answer 29

“Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself.”

‘Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. “Yes, ma’am.”’

Question 30

Power:
Crooks is even more powerless than Curley’s Wife.

Answer 30

“Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”

Question 31

Prejudice:
The Boss unfairly uses Crooks as an outlet to vent his frustration, yet Crooks accepts his mistreatment.

Answer 31

”The boss gives him hell when he’s mad.”

“But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that.”

Question 32

Prejudice:

The men don’t question the mistreatment of Crooks, they expect it.

Answer 32

‘“Give the stable buck hell?” he asked. “Sure. Ya see the stable buck’s a nigger.”’

Question 33

Prejudice:
In the rare moment when Crooks was allowed in the bunkhouse at Christmas, he is violently assaulted in an attack that the men find entertaining.

Answer 33

‘“Little skinner name of Smitty took after the nigger. Done pretty good, too…If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda killed the
nigger. The guys said on account of the nigger’s got a crooked back, Smitty can’t use his feet.” He paused in relish of the memory.’

Question 34

Prejudice:
He is only referred to by his race, his degrading job or cruel nickname.

Answer 34

“Crooks, the negro stable buck”.

Question 35

Prejudice:
He lives in constant fear of attack, so he feels the need to protect himself.

Answer 35

“Crooks possessed…a single-barreled shotgun”.

Question 36

Prejudice:
Crooks is instinctively defensive and cautious when Lennie arrives as he expects trouble.

Answer 36

“he stiffened and a scowl came on his face. His hand came out from under his shirt.”

Question 37

Prejudice:
He is subjected to racial, verbal and emotional abuse by the other men.

Answer 37

“Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”

Question 38

Prejudice:
In his treatment of Lennie, he mimics the language that he himself is subjected to.

Answer 38

“I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room… Don’t come in a place where you’re not wanted.”

Question 39

Prejudice:
Crooks accepts the racial abuse and vicious threats from Curley’s Wife.

Answer 39

‘Crooks had reduced himself to nothing… He said, “Yes, ma’am,” and his voice was toneless.’

Question 40

Prejudice:
Curley’s Wife believes she can easily ensure Crooks’ brutal death due to the prejudice and discrimination towards back people in this society.

Answer 40

“Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”

Question 41

Physical description:
He has been permanently injured due to his work on the ranch.

Answer 41

“Got a crooked back where a horse kicked him.”

Question 42

Physical description:
He faces a brutal existence on the ranch, and endures excruciating pain daily.

Answer 42

“His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head.”

“His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thin, pain-tightened lips.”

Question 43

His room:
He feels trapped and confined in his small lodgings.

Answer 43

“a little shed…the little room”

Question 44

His room:
He has to share his space with the animals.

Answer 44

“Crooks had his apple box over his bunk, and in it a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses.”

Question 45

His room:
The lack of light in his room reflects the hopelessness of his life getting better.

Answer 45

“In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light.”