Crooks’ quotes highlight the loneliness and isolation of the Great Depression.
Crooks in “Of Mice and Men” is subject to prejudice and racism because of his race and crooked back. But he’s resilient and the wisest person on the ranch.
He lives alone in a small room on the ranch where the story takes place and spends most of his time reading books.
In this blog post, I will share some of my favorite Crooks quotes from the novel.
Of Mice and Men Quotes With Page Numbers
Crooks Quotes Of Mice and Men
“George patted a wrinkle out of his bed, and sat down. “Give the stable buck hell?” he asked.
“Sure. Ya see the stable buck’s a n****r.”
“N****r, huh?”
“Yeah. Nice fella too. Got a crooked back where. a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that. He reads a lot. Got books in his room.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, about Crooks (George Milton and Candy), Chapter 2, Pages 19, 20
“They let the n***** come in that night. Little skinner name of Smithy took after the n*****. Done pretty good, too. The guys wouldn’t let him use his feet, so the n***** got him. If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda killed the n*****. The guys said on account of the n*****’s got a crooked back, Smitty can’t use his feet.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, about Crooks (George Milton and Candy), Chapter 2, Page 20
“Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends.
Crooks said sharply, “You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 68
“You go on get outta my room. I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room.”
“Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.
“‘Cause I’m black.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Lennie Small, Chapter 4, Page 68
“Crooks scowled, but Lennie’s disarming smile defeated him. “Come on in and set a while,”
Crooks said. “‘Long as you won’t get out and leave me alone, you might as well set down.” His tone was a little more friendly.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Lennie Small, Chapter 4, Page 69
“I was born right here in Southern California. My old man had a chicken ranch, ’bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol man didn’t like that. I never knew till long later why he didn’t like that. But I know now.” He hesitated, and when he spoke again his voice was softer. “There wasn’t another colored family for miles around. And now there ain’t a colored man on this ranch an’ there’s jus’ one family in Soledad.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 70
“This is just a n***** talkin’, an’ a busted-back n*****. So it don’t mean nothing, see?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 71
“I seen it over an’ over – a guy talkin’ to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing is, they’re talkin’, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’. It don’t make no difference, no difference…It’s just the talking. It’s just bein’ with another guy. That’s all.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 71
“George can tell you screwy things, and it don’t matter. It’s just the talking. It’s just bein’ with another guy. That’s all.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 71
“Nobody can’t tell what a guy’ll do…”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 71
“S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ’cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody – to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 72
“A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Pages 72, 73
“A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 73
“The stable buck went on dreamily, “I remember when I was little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there. Used to sleep right in the same room, right in the same bed – all three. Had a strawberry patch. Had an alfalfa patch. Used to turn the chickens out in the alfalfa on a sunny morning. My brothers’d set on a fence rail an’ watch ’em – white chickens they was.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 73
“Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 74
“Want me to tell ya what’ll happen? They’ll take ya to the booby hatch. They’ll tie ya up with a collar, like a dog.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 74
“I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a … one of ‘em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out there. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody never gets no land. It’s just in their head.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 74
“They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a…one of ’em ever gets it.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 74
“Candy leaned against the wall beside the broken collar while he scratched his wrist stump. “I been here a long time,” he said. “An’ Crooks been here a long time. This’s the first time I ever been in his room.”
Crooks said darkly, “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Candy, Chapter 4, Page 75
“He hesitated. “…If you…guys would want a hand to work for nothing – just his keep, why I’d come an’ lend a hand. I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 76
“In town in a whorehouse. That’s where your money’s goin’…. I seen it happen too many times. I seen too many guys with land in their head. They never get none under their hand.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 76
“Everybody wants a little bit of land, not much. Jus’ som’thin’ that was his. Som’thin’ he could live on and there couldn’t nobody throw him off of it.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 76
“After a pause Crooks said, “Maybe you better go along to your own house now. We don’t want no trouble.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 77
“Crooks stood up from his bunk and faced her. “I had enough,” he said coldly. “You got no rights comin’ in a colored man’s room. You got no rights messing around in here at all. Now you jus’ get out, an’ get out quick. If you don’t, I’m gonna ast the boss not to ever let you come in the barn no more.”
She turned on him in scorn. “Listen, n****,” she said. “You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?”
Crooks stared helplessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself.
She closed on him. “You know what I could do?”
Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you keep your place then…. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”
Crooks had reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego–nothing to arouse either like or dislike. He said, “Yes, ma’am,” and his voice was toneless.
For a moment she stood over him as though waiting for him to move so that she could whip at him again; but Crooks sat perfectly still, his eyes averted, everything that might be hurt drawn in.
She turned at last to the other two.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Curley’s wife, Chapter 4, Pages 80, 81
“If you ain’t sure, you better take the safe way.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 81
“Crooks avoided the whole subject now. “Maybe you guys better go,” he said. “I ain’t sure I want you in here no more. A colored man got to have some rights even if he don’t like ’em.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 82
“Candy said, “That bitch didn’t ought to of said that to you.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” Crooks said dully. “You guys comin’ in an’ settin’ made me forget. What she says is true.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 82
“Crooks called, “Candy!”
“Huh?”
“‘Member what I said about hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs?”
“Yeah,” said Candy. “I remember.”
“Well, jus’ forget it,” said Crooks. “I didn’ mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’ want to go no place like that.”
“Well, O.K., if you feel like that. Goodnight.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 82
Crooks Character Description
Crooks is an influential character in John Steinbeck’s novel, “Of Mice and Men.”
He is the only African-American on the ranch, referred to as the “stable buck” due to his job and racial background. Despite the racism and segregation he experiences, he is characterized as intelligent and resilient.
Steinbeck provides a deeper understanding of his character with the quote, “Yeah. Nice fella too. Got a crooked back where a horse kicked him. The boss gives him hell when he’s mad. But the stable buck don’t give a damn about that. He reads a lot. Got books in his room.” (Chapter 2, Pages 19, 20)
The physical impairment caused by a horse kick has given him the moniker “Crooks,” further isolating him through a visible difference. However, he unyieldingly weathers the boss’s furious outbursts, showing his hardened exterior.
An educated man, Crooks is also an avid reader, signifying intellectual depth that contradicts the narrow-minded perceptions of racial stereotypes. This reveals his complexity and grit in the face of adversity.
Crooks, as a character, offers deep insights into the prevalent societal norms and personal struggles of marginalized individuals in the backdrop of the American economic crisis.
His dialogues reflect not only his character’s loneliness and disillusionment but also his longing for companionship and a sense of belonging.
Through Crooks, the readers experience the harsh realities of racial prejudice and broken dreams prevalent in that era. Thus, his character is pivotal in mirroring the broader societal dynamics of the time.
Crooks’ dialogues explain his perspectives and emotions. In one of his notable quotes, he says, “I seen it over an’ over—a guy talkin’ to another guy and it don’t make no difference if he don’t hear or understand. The thing is, they’re talkin’, or they’re settin’ still not talkin’. It don’t make no difference, no difference…It’s just the talking.”(Chapter 4, Page 71)
These words reveal Crooks’ perception of human communication and his longing for companionship.
This longing for companionship is further emphasized when he mentions, “A guy needs somebody—to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody.” (Chapter 4, Page 72) This sentiment reflects his isolation brought by his racial background.
In another profound monologue, “A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what ‘s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by.” (Chapter 4, Page 73)
Crooks is yearning for a companion who can validate his thoughts and perspectives.
Another critical quote by Crooks is, “I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads [. . .] every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.” (Chapter 4, Page 74)
Here, he sheds light on the harsh reality of the American Dream, contrasting it with the idea of Heaven – aspiring but unattainable.
What is Crook’s dream quotes?
“I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hundreds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a … one of ‘em ever gets it.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 74
What are some quotes that show Crooks is lonely?
“It’s just the talking. It’s just bein’ with another guy. That’s all.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 71
“S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ’cause you was black. How’d you like that?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 72
“A guy needs somebody – to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 72
“A guy sets alone out here at night, maybe readin’ books or thinkin’ or stuff like that. Sometimes he gets thinkin’, an’ he got nothing to tell him what’s so an’ what ain’t so. Maybe if he sees somethin’, he don’t know whether it’s right or not. He can’t turn to some other guy and ast him if he sees it too. He can’t tell. He got nothing to measure by.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 73
“Crooks said darkly, “Guys don’t come into a colored man’s room very much.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks and Candy, Chapter 4, Page 75
What does Crooks say to Lennie in Chapter 4?
“S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go into the bunk house and play rummy ’cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horseshoes till it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody – to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 72
“The stable buck went on dreamily, “I remember when I was little kid on my old man’s chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They was always near me, always there. Used to sleep right in the same room, right in the same bed – all three. Had a strawberry patch. Had an alfalfa patch. Used to turn the chickens out in the alfalfa on a sunny morning. My brothers’d set on a fence rail an’ watch ’em – white chickens they was.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 73
What Does Crooks Love the Most?
Crooks demonstrates a profound love for a sense of belonging and the simple pleasures of life. His fond childhood memories on his father’s chicken ranch, where he enjoyed the company of his brothers and the sight of white chickens in the alfalfa patch, underpin this desire.
More than anything else, Crooks yearns for these simple, shared moments and the right to participate in activities with the other men, such as entering the bunkhouse or playing a card game.