Prejudice

Question 1

Crooks: Topic Sentence

Answer 1

Crooks is presented as an intelligent and literate man who is the victim of explicit racism and enforced segregation in 1930’s America.

Question 2

Crooks: Q1

Answer 2

“N*****[,] I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” (Curley’s wife to Crooks)

Question 3

Crooks: C1

Answer 3

This language was common among ranch workers in the 1930s.
Lynchings were illegal acts of vigilante “justice” that have been a part of United States history since the Colonial Period.

Question 4

Crooks: Q2

Answer 4

“I ain’t wanted in the bunk house […] ’Cause I’m black.” (Crooks to Lennie)

Question 5

Crooks: C2

Answer 5

This shows that there was still heavy influence from the Jim Crow Laws, which despite not being put in place so harshly in California, were state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation.

Question 6

Candy: Topic Sentence

Answer 6

Steinbeck presents both Candy and his dog as victims of ageism, which derives from a culture of prioritising utility over compassion in 1930s America.

Question 7

Candy: Q1

Answer 7

“When they can me here […] I won’t have no place to go” (Candy to George and Lennie)

Question 8

Candy: C1

Answer 8

A robust social safety net for the elderly didn’t exist in the 1930s, meaning older individuals were often forced to continue working, even in poor health.

Question 9

Candy: Q2

Answer 9

“He was the best damn sheep dog I ever seen.” (Candy to the ranch hands)

Question 10

Candy: C2

Answer 10

Given the economic troubles faced across the country, and given the basic principle of capitalism to pursue profit above all else, there was little tolerance of general inefficiency in 1930s USA.

Question 11

Curley’s Wife: Topic Sentence

Answer 11

Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as a victim of casual sexism and unequal opportunities for women in 1930s America.

Question 12

Curley’s Wife: Q1

Answer 12

“She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger.” (George to ranch hands)

Question 13

Curley’s Wife: C1

Answer 13

Steinbeck clearly recognised the impact of sexual objectification on the female psyche, as evidenced in a letter he wrote to Claire Luce, an actor playing Curley’s wife in a stage version of the novella. In the letter, he states that ‘if she is to be noticed at all, it will be because some one finds her sexually desirable”.

Question 14

Curley’s Wife: Q2

Answer 14

“‘I met a guy […] He says he was gonna put me in the movies. “ (Curley’s wife to Lennie)

Question 15

Curley’s Wife: C2

Answer 15

Single women hit by the Depression suffered even more than single men; unemployed men were able to seek relief, but women rarely did so for fear of being publicly condemned and shamed. Moreover, women who tried to work were faced with unequal opportunities, as most jobs favoured men.

Question 16

Curley: Topic Sentence

Answer 16

In the novella, Steinbeck presents Curley as a character who is resented by the farm hands on the basis of his status, as well as his cruel and aggressive behaviour.

Question 17

Curley: Q1

Answer 17

“He’s the boss’s son. […] You try to keep away from him, will you? (George to Lennie)

Question 18

Curley: C1

Answer 18

This highlights the importance of social hierarchy and the way in which privilege is used to oppress others.

Question 19

Curley: Q2

Answer 19

“Curley sounds like a son-of-a-bitch to me. I don’t like mean little guys.” (George to Candy)

Question 20

Curley: C2

Answer 20

In the 1930s, ranch communities were almost exclusively made up of young men. As such, a culture of fraternity, but also toxic masculinity, developed. Informal hierarchies were based on characteristics such as physical strength, self-confidence and authority.