Of Mice and Men Blog post

Logan McCormick

Mrs. Parkinson

English 3B

14 March 2016

How does Of Mice and Men talk about racism and segregation?

    In the book Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, racism and segregation are key aspects. This is especially true in chapter 4 because this is when the reader is introduced to Crooks. Cooks lives in his own living area due to the color of his skin. As Crooks says in Chapter 4,”’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink’”(Steinbeck 68). At first Crooks appeals to the audience as an old grumpy man that doesn’t want the company of Lennie, but as you read about Crooks life working at the ranch you come to realize that he has developed this attitude toward others from all of the times he has been excluded or mistreated because he was black. Some may say that Crooks is not a victim of racism because he has his own room and his own furniture. However, this statement only analyzes the point of view of another person and not the view of Crooks. In the time period of which the book takes place is a time when African Americans were still segregated but had earned some respect.  

"America" poetry analysis

Logan McCormick

Mrs. Parkinson

English 3B

7 March 2016

Claude McKay was a famous and very important writer from the Harlem renaissance that wrote “America” in the 1920’s. Throughout this poem McKay explains his views on America at the time. McKay starts the poem America by saying, “she feeds me bread of bitterness,”(McKay) and then he goes on to say “I love this cultured hell that tests my youth”(McKay). These quotations explain that although America is a very bitter place, he loves the country because it challenges him.

During the Harlem renaissance African Americans were facing both struggle and opportunities. The poem shows this by shifting its tone between the positive and negative connotations of America at the time. Words such as: “darkly”, “terror”, and “malice” support the negative view of America during the Harlem renaissance. As for words such as: “love”, “granite wonders”, and “treasures” show the positive aspect of America in McKay’s point of view at this time.