Part 4: Crooks

In part 4, I learned a lot about Crooks. Crooks is the stable buck and does all the hard work around the ranch. Steinbeck portrays Crooks' guilty pleasure by saying, "Crooks' face lighted with pleasure in his torture" (71). This shows how Crooks was fooling with Lennie, asking what Lennie would do if George never came back. Lennie started to freak out and Crooks didn't care. Later in the chapter, I learned that Crooks was only trying to get someone to talk to and share his feelings about his life. Crooks told Lennie, " If I say something, why it's just a negro sayin' it" (70). This shows how Crooks trusted Lennie. He is trusting Lennie with his feelings. Crooks even says, "...If you... guys would want a hand to work for nothing-just his keep, why I'd come an' lend a hand" (76). Crooks was talking about George and Jennie's dream land and how he would help if they needed it. I was surprised that Crooks offered because I wouldn't expect him to believe they would be able to make it. This showed me how Crooks was letting Lennie in. I was very surprised how Crooks ended up in this chapter because I didn't like him at first. Towards the end of part 4, I started to really appreciate him. In this chapter, I learned that all Crooks wants is someone to talk to and that he trusts Lennie.