Candy and Crooks
            
             In many novels characters often feel the need to belong. Authors do this to further reveal the characters unknown behavior. John Steinbeck, in the novel Of Mice and Men, illustrates how two characters feel the need to belong. The two characters are Crooks, a black man with a crooked back, and an old man with no right hand named Candy. These two men want to be a part of Lennie and George's dream to have a farm of their own to feel they belong and have a sense of security. Candy and Crooks want to be part of the dream farm because they would like to be of use, be treated equally, and have a place to call home.
             Candy and Crooks want to be of service and work in the farm that Lennie and George constantly speak about. They currently work at a ranch where they are ignored and tolerated. Because they feel useless there, they want to get away and feel content with themselves, and Lennie and George's dream farm is the way to do it. For instance, Candy says "Jus' as soon as I can't swamp out no bunk houses they'll put me on the county. Maybe if I give you guys my money you'll let me hoe in the garden even after I ain't no good at it" (Steinbeck, 60). Candy offered to pay for almost all of the land for the dream ranch if George and Lennie would let him work there, even though he is not a good worker he wanted to help. Again, Candy tells how he has become useless "Candy Said, 'I ain't much good with on'y one hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch'" (Steinbeck, 59). This proves how unconfident he feels about himself and how he would like to be in a place where he can work enjoyably. Likewise, Crooks is disabled and wants to prove himself. Crooks has more issues to worry about since he is the only black
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             man who works on the farm that they are presently lodging in. No one expects much of Crooks, and consequently he feels worthless. ...