Discuss how discrimination affects the characters in Of Mice and Men.
In the novella Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores discrimination in the 1930s through a range of characters. Discrimination occurs when an individual is treated less fairly than others due to something out of their control. The issues of discrimination against women, African Americans and the mentally disabled are demonstrated by the characters Crooks, Curley’s wife and Lennie. These characters are forced to experience a different lifestyle from the average American at the time. One of the characters that experience discrimination in Of Mice and Men is Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is probably one of the most misunderstood characters in the novel, often being looked down upon, or talked badly about. She is the only woman on the ranch. Curley’s wife is unable to be the person she is for the reason that Curley owns her and she is his possession, Curley’s wife is recognized as Curley’s wife and his not able to have her own individuality. This is an example of the way women were commonly treated, especially on a ranch during the 1930s. Curley’s wife endues loneliness due to unable to socialise with anyone on the ranch other than Curley, because he doesn’t trust her with any of the ranch workers and often watches her every single move making sure she doesn’t talk to anyone - “I can’t talk to nobody but Curley…” Curley’s wife also suffers from loneliness because she is identified as “being trouble” in a flirtatious manner which prevents her from socialising and making friends with the ranch workers. George specifically recommends Lennie to not even “…look at that bitch… I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her” (p.36) knowing Lennie’s reputation for trouble. The loneliness she experiences forces her to put down those characters who are socially lower than her on the ranch. As an African American, Crooks has the lowest station on the ranch and so Curley’s wife intimidates him through racism - “Listen, Nigger…” (p.80) – in order to make herself feel