How Does Segregation Effect One’s Life – Of Mice and Men  and To Kill a Mockingbird

    The topic of discrimination is the subject of many pieces of literature, all of which show different effects that this segregation can have on the characters concerned. To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck both illustrate the segregation and prejudice surrounding African Americans during the 1930’s. Conversely, Harper Lee in To Kill a Mockingbird strives to highlight the rift between the races and unequal rights while in Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck’s main focus is on the unattainable American dream for African Americans. Regardless, both pieces of literature shed light on the struggle of overcoming prejudice; showing the effect that segregation can have on the African American people. Both pieces of literature are set in the 1930’s, when America was still reeling in the effects of the Great Depression. The Jim Crowe laws are still a  part of life at this time and they play a large part in both pieces of literature. However, while To Kill a Mockingbird is set in small town Maycomb, Alabama, Of Mice and Men takes place on a farm in California. However, how do these pieces of literature show what the effects of discrimination are on the characters? How does the prejudice surrounding their race change their everyday lives?

    Firstly, both sources deal with the issue of segregation and prejudice surrounding African Americans during the period preceding the Great Depression. In To Kill a Mockingbird,  Tom Robinson resides in a settlement separate from the white portion of the town in the African American settlement just beyond the town garbage dump. Their church is also isolated from the rest of the town, just outside of the town limits. Likewise, in Of Mice and Men, Crooks is forced to bunk separately from the remainder of the men and is prohibited from entering their bunk room. These examples of segregation of African Americans based purely on the colour of their skin is apparent throughout both pieces. When Scout introduces the African American portion of the town, she states, “A dirt road ran from the highway past the dump, down to a small Negro settlement-” (Lee, 228). This quote shows the deliberate isolation of the African Americans from the white portion of the community, demonstrating that the African Americans are ‘not fit to be seen’ and are relegated to a small, run down settlement past the town dump. Thus, the respectable visitors of the town are presented only with the clean, white exterior of Maycomb while keeping the black underbelly well hidden beyond the limits of the town. Their church is hidden in the same fashion: “First Purchase African M.E. Church was in the Quarters outside the town limits-” (Lee, 157). The church is outside of the town, kept safe from prying eyes as if it is something to be ashamed of, used only for worship by the African Americans and gambling by the whites. Conversely, Of Mice and Men demonstrates the effects that this isolation has on the African American people, showing how Crooks reacts to his segregation from the rest of the men. When Crooks says, “I ain’t wanted in the bunk house, and you ain’t wanted in my room” he shows that all of those years of isolation have caused him to become bitter and to react to the segregation by further isolating himself (Lee, 68).  This demonstrates one example of the effect that segregation can have on a certain people.

Secondly, both pieces of literature address the struggle to overcome prejudice and how different characters have different reactions to this struggle. In Of Mice and Men, Crooks makes an effort to break free of the stereotypes and prejudice that surround him by befriending George and Lenny and becoming a part of their dream. Crooks was not always isolated and bitter as he did grow up around white famillies, was even friends with the white children in his community. Crooks tells Lenny that “The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them and some of them was pretty nice.” showing that he has not always been segregated solely because of his race (Stienbeck, 70). This quote proves that Crooks always made an effort to not simply confine himself to the expectations that have been set for him. However, Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird is the exact opposite, preffering instead to simply fit in his place. He makes no effort to break free of the cage of his stereotypes and is perfectly content to play his part and perform menial tasks for his ‘betters’. Scout introduces him by saying, “He seemed to be a respectable Negro, and a respectable Negro would never go up into somebody’s yard of his own volition.” demonstrating that he is respectable and fits in the African American expectations (Lee, 257).

Despite their similarities, both pieces have some notable differences. The main focus of John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men is the American Dream. On the contrary, Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird focuses primarily on inequality and the rift between the races. In Of Mice and Men, the main point is the collective American Dream of owning land, and how that dream is unatainable for most African Americans. Steinbeck demonstrates this most adeptly: “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 God damn one of ‘em ever gets it. […] Ever’body wants a little piece of lan’-” (74). This quote shows the obsession with the American Dream and how very few people ever achieve this paradise that is the dream of owning land. On the other hand, the main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is the racial inequality and the injustice that comes along with those prejudices. Being set in a relatively small, racist community, this novel does a very fine job of showing the rift between the races in the period just after the Great Depression. Harper Lee states, “[…] without catching Maycomb’s usual disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up […]” she demonstrates that, during this era, people are obsessed with the prejudices and stereotypes concerning the African American people (117). This shows the inequality between the races and talks of Maycomb’s obsession with the African American people, the ‘usual disease’.

In conclusion, both pieces of litterature illustrate the inequality and segregation surrounding African Americans in the period after the Great Depression. However, while this subject is the main focus of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the main focus of John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men is the unaitainable American dream. It has been shown that both pieces of classic literature shed light of the effect that segregation can have on African Americans and the different ways in which they struggle to overcome the prejudice that surrounds them. This examination of the effect that discrimination has on these characters leads us to pose the question; how would their experiences differ if these novels were set in the present time? 

Two Things I Did Well:

1. I prepared an excellent thesis.
2. I expanded in my final thought and left the audience thinking.

Two Things I Could Improve On:

1. Prepare my quotes better and make sure that they relate to the topic
2. Make sure to keep my formatting consistent.