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In Of Mice and Men, how does Crooks respond when he hears about George's and Lennie's plan?

In Of Mice and Men, Crooks cycles through different responses when he hears of George's and Lennie's plans for their future.


Being an African-American during the time period of segregation, Crooks is not allowed to interact with the other ranch hands.  As he sits alone in his room, it is clear that Crooks does not trust the outside world.  When Lennie asks him why he sits alone, Crooks is direct when he says it is because of his race. Lennie tells Crooks about the plans that he and George have.  At first, Crooks does not really want to listen to Lennie. However, when he learns of their dreams, Crooks responds with disbelief.  He says that many workers like Lennie and George have come to the ranch with the same dream.  Crooks says that he has been around long enough to see that nothing comes out of their hopes.  However, as Crooks listens to Lennie and then Candy talk about how they can envision the finances to make their dream a reality, Crooks is impressed.  He muses to himself that he has never actually seen someone close enough to achieve their dream.  As he thinks, Crooks asks if he could join them in the pursuit of their dream.


However, at this point, Curley's wife enters.  When she verbally abuses Crooks, reminding him that she could have him lynched because of his race, Crooks relents.  He realizes that no matter what his dreams would be, he will always be a man of color in a discriminatory society. At this moment, Crooks tells Candy that he does not want to participate in their dream.  Crooks displays skeptical, hopeful, and alienated responses to Lennie's and George's dream.

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