Chapter Four Response

In the fourth chapter of the book the author complicates the author by weaving in a couple of twists into the conflicts. The beginning of the chapter starts off with bringing us the character of Crooks the stable buck a little bit closer. The author focuses totally on him with his writing and for the first time in the book we learn about a character not through dialogue but through the description of the author. I believe the author did this so because Crooks is not accepted in bunk house or along the other farm workers because he's black, this way we do not learn anything about him through dialogue except about his crooked back. The author describes the shocking racism against black people that existed back in that time, and the reader really gets some sympathy for Crooks as a character. Having Lennie who doesn't know too much about how blacks are treated in that time, go into his room and talk to him is a smart choice. It is a good way of educating the reader about the racism because as the reader, Lennie doesn't know anything. Lennie then tells Crooks about the place they'll get because he does not remember not to tell anyone. Crooks tells him he's nuts and says that he's seen too many guys with the same thought in their head blow their money and their dream. Then the wife comes in with her usually "Have you seen Curley?" line and starts talking to Candy, Lennie, and Crooks in a tone that is quite degrading. She for example says "Hmm, they left all the weak ones". They then get in quite a big argument, and as soon as Crooks tells her she is not wanted in his room she reveals the next to nothing rights black people had big then. She says she could have him hanging in a tree in no time if he says anything, and as soon as that is said by her Crooks retreats and does not talk back. In the movie this part of the novel is just skipped, maybe the director wanted to reach a greater audience by not having such a strong topic in his movie. Steinbeck however describes the racism of his time thoroughly to the reader.