How does the theme of discrimination in Of Mice and Men shape the way the characters

are portrayed by John Steinbeck?

Of Mice and Men is a novella written by John Steinbeck, published in 1937 that has become
a well-known classic. The novel is set during the Great Depression and tells the story of two
travelling farm workers, George Milton and Lennie Small, who are searching for a place to
call home. Steinbeck’s writing captures the harsh realities of life during this era and explored
themes of friendship, loneliness, and the American Dream, creating a book that criticised
society and brought to light topics that were unspoken about at the time. One of the key
themes explored in the novel is discrimination as it shapes the way the characters behave
within the storyline. The author shines a light on the prejudices and injustices faced by those
who were considered ‘different’ whether it be race, gender, disability, age, or
socioeconomic status. Through the characters of George and Lennie, Steinbeck portrayed
the discrimination faced by migrant workers who were often treated as second class and
subjected to harsh working conditions and prejudiced wages. Discrimination is the unfair
treatment of individuals or groups based on characteristics such as race, gender, age,
religion, disability, or sexual orientation. It is a pervasive issue that has been present
throughout all of history and continues to affect so many today. Of Mice and Men provides
a powerful commentary on just how damaging the effects of discrimination can be and the
importance of treating people from all walks of life with respect and dignity.

Discrimination is explored in Of Mice and Men through the theme of characterisation,

particularly evident in the behaviour of Lennie and George. Lennie is forced to hide his
disability, which is never explicitly explained but is likely a cognitive impairment, from those
around him. George is aware that Lennie’s disability makes him vulnerable to discrimination
so he encourages Lennie to stay away from people on the farm such as Curley and his wife
who he knows will take advantage of Lennie’s slow processing. George explains to Slim,
another worker on the ranch, “He ain’t bright. Hell of a good worker though. Hell of a nice
fella, but he ain’t bright”, highlighting both George’s fiercely protective nature towards
Lennie while also giving the audience a glimpse into why you should not judge a book by its
cover. Though Lennie may not be ‘bright’, the learning disability that some may see as an
impairment allows him to feel emotions such as joy, happiness, and kindness on a deeper
level. This portrayal of the discriminatory acts against Lennie Small in the book offers a
scathing critique of American society during the Great Depression, highlighting the unjust
treatment of those with disabilities who were left without the resources or support they
needed to thrive. Steinbeck’s novella emphasised the need for understanding and empathy
towards those who are different and was a call for change.

Another example of discrimination in Of Mice and Men is found in the setting of the
character of Crooks, an African American stable hand who is forced into segregation. His
living quarters, a private room in the barn away from all the other farm hands, are symbolic
of the isolation and disenfranchisement of African Americans in American society during the
Great Depression era. Crooks tells Lennie, “S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunkhouse and
play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that?”. This quote reveals Crooks’ feelings
about his exclusion and highlights the emotional toll of discrimination as he is stripped of his
dignity by not being able to play cards with his white peers. Through the character of Crooks
and the setting he was commonly confined to, Steinbeck challenged the notion of the
American Dream as one of unequal opportunity. He showed that prejudice prevents
individuals from achieving their full potential and emphasised the need for a more inclusive
society.

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck uses the character of Curley’s Wife to symbolise the
injustices women faced in American society during the time. Curley’s Wife is never given a
first or last name and her only form of identity is linked to her husband, symbolising that she
is his ‘possession’. The novella focuses on the woman’s physicality when describing her,
rather than her personality, for example, for her first appearance in the novel she is
immediately objectified; “full, roughed lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her
fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages”. This immediate
categorising of Curley’s Wife underscores the sexism and lack of general respect for women
present in society at the time. Furthermore, her constant longing for freedom and a better
life highlights the limited opportunities available to women at the time, as it was out of the
question that she would ever work on the farm with the men. She dreamed of someday
becoming an actress and admits to Lennie that instead, she married Curley to escape her
oppressive family. Shortly afterwards, her tragic end symbolises the lack of control that
women had in America at the time and further highlights Steinbeck’s portrayal of the
woman as a decorative object for men to look at, as they all huddle over her body after she
has been fatally murdered. Overall, Steinbeck’s use of symbolism in Curley’s Wife
emphasised the need for greater respect for women’s voices and shows the degree to which
women were sexualised and talked about in a derogatory manner in society.

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck provides powerful and thought-provoking
points about the societal issues of its time, particularly in the area of discrimination. The
author's portrayal of the discriminatory acts made against Lennie, Crooks, and Curley’s Wife
illustrates the importance of understanding and empathy towards every category of those
subjected to discrimination, such as race, gender, age, religion, disability, and sexual
orientation. In the writing of the novella, Steinbeck exposed American society as he knew it
and asked for a more equal and just world through the two main characters Lennie and
George, who were chasing the seemingly impossible American Dream.