Discrimination In Of Mice And Men

Words: 480
Pages: 2

“People must learn to hate and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love” by Nelson Mandela. Discrimination is the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex. In the book Of Mice and Men one of the main issues that caused conflict in the novel is discrimination. Each character in the novel is treated differently for how they are in some way. Discrimination in Of Mice and Men is demonstrated by agism against Candy, racism against Crooks, and disability discrimination against Lennie. To start of, Candy faces discrimination because of his age. Candy’s dog is a symbol of the way in which the old, disabled, or infirm are not valued on the ranch. “All but …show more content…
Crooks is the stable hand who takes care of the horses and lives by himself because he is the only black man on the ranch. “They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink”(pg. 34). This shows how the boys on the farm won’t allow Crooks to play cards because he’s black. They discriminate against him by having him live in a little shack across from the “bunkhouse.” Being a different color from others for example Crooks could feel segregated from everyone because he looks different, even though that does nothing to change his personality. Like Candy and Crooks, Lennie is discriminated as well throughout the novel because of his mental disability. Since Lennie has a mental disability people think of him differently. “ ‘Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time” (41). George treats Lennie like he is helpless. Sometimes he discourages Lennie, which affects his thoughts on things. Mental disabilities can make someone feel bad that they can not do things normally. Agism against Candy, racism against Crooks, and disability discrimination against Lennie are some examples of discrimination in the novel Of Mice and Men. Being old does not make someone useless it just means that an elderly cannot do something as fast as young adults. No matter the color of someones skin. Everyone should be treated equally. Disabilities are not put onto someone on purpose.