1. Of Mice and Men: Section 4
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2. Summary
Crooks, the black stable-hand (‘a proud, aloof man’), is rubbing liniment on his back when Lennie comes and joins him.
Most of the men are In town with only the ‘weak ones’ left on the farm. Crooks torments Lennie with the possibility that George wont come back and Lennie gets angry at the potential threat to George.
Candy joins them and they discuss the farm they plan to buy. Crooks doesn’t believe them but candy and lennies enthusiasm and plans bring him around. He asks to do odd jobs for free if they take him.
Curleys wife arrives. She and candy argue after she insults them.
Crooks asks her to leave and she threatens to ‘have him strung up on a tree’.
George arrives and they leave crooks alone after he rescinds his offer of help.

3. Important parts of the scene
In this scene we get a better picture of the racial prejudice of the time through crooks’ discussion with Lennie.
Lennie’s anger at crooks shows us that he can be dangerous.
This scene also highlights the typical life of the migrant worker and how unlikely it is for them to break out of th cycle. It suggests the American Dream is nothing more that that for most. This highlight the loneliness again, as does Crooks distancing himself from the other men.
Hash injustice is sown in the ease with which Curley’s wife can threaten and humiliate Crooks.
This scene also foreshadows the events leading up to the end with Curley’s wife’s comments to Lennie and crooks’ opinions on the likelihood of the farm plan

4. Themes Racial prejudice
we see the way Crooks is treated and kept as an outcast and how easily he can be threatened without people caring.
Loneliness
Crooks is seen to be a very lonely character both through the actions of others and his own making.
American dream
We see the possible futility of the American dream as something all aspire to but few reach.
We also see the strength of hope in it and how it has the power to change people’s minds.