Due to years of loneliness, Crooks is a private man and so was very annoyed when Lennie interrupted him whilst applying liniment to his back; this was a private act of a private man.
" 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," is an example of Crooks' loneliness as he proposes to work for George and Lennie if they buy a ranch of their own. He tries to reassure Lennie that he can still work hard despite his disability. He wants to join George and Lennie's dream to counteract his loneliness. This is emphasised by the fact that he is willing to work for just a bed and some food and go without wages.
"They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me," is a possible reference to Carlson's remark about Candy's dog. This gives the impression that the general idea within the ranch is that Crooks is inferior to the others. This suggests that Steinbeck thinks that some black people feel the same way about white people as some white people feel about black people. Steinbeck uses 'Of Mice and Men' to portray issues which he feels strongly about and does this all the way through the novel. Also, Crooks has been used by the ranch-men for entertainment. At Christmas "they let the nigger come in" and made him fight with Smitty. This demonstrates the total lack of respect for Crooks because he is black.
Steinbeck involves the relationship between Lennie and George in the extract even though they are separated. This shows that Lennie has made a new relationship with Crooks but his strongest relationship is still with George. The statement from Lennie, "He'll come back to-night" is proof of the trust in George and Lennie's relationship; even though Crooks has implied that George may not come back, Lennie strongly believes that he will. This was emphasised earlier in the novel by Slim, as he says, "Ain't many guys travel around together.
