Crooks Does Not Think Much About the Dream. Crooks Does Not Think It will Come True.
Crooks' first reply to Lennie telling him about the land is skepticism, as he is not convinced that George and Lennie will actually be able to achieve their dream of owning a piece of land. He questions Lennie about the feasibility of their plan and whether they truly understand the obstacles they may face.
Crooks first says that he thinks it is a bad idea because he doesnt believe that they are going to get rabbits.
His second visitor tells Lennie about a land they can own and work on together, just like George and Lennie had dreamt of. This reminds Lennie of the conversation he had with Crooks where Crooks had pointed out that most guys have similar dreams of owning land, but they rarely come true.
Crooks tells Lennie that if George doesn't return, Lennie will be sent to an asylum or locked up because he is too "dumb" to take care of himself.
Crooks tells George that Lennie is a nice fella because he recognizes Lennie's genuine kindness and innocence. Despite Lennie's mental disability and social awkwardness, he doesn't have any malice in him and treats others with kindness. Crooks appreciates Lennie's sincerity and straightforward nature.
Crooks felt comfortable opening up to Lennie because he saw that Lennie's mental disability made him less judgmental and understanding of others' struggles. Additionally, Lennie's innocence and genuine curiosity made Crooks feel heard and valued, creating a sense of connection and trust between them.
He tells Crooks about the plan of getting a piece of land with George and Lennie.
Crooks is surprised when Lennie tells him about the dream to own a farm with George, Candy, and the rabbits. He's initially skeptical but becomes more hopeful as he realizes that Lennie genuinely believes in the dream. Crooks is moved by the idea of being included in the dream, feeling a sense of belonging and camaraderie.
George tells Lennie that he will go to the booby hatch, referring to a mental institution, if he continues to cause trouble. This conversation happens after Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife in "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck.
Crooks tells Lennie that George might not come back from town, upsetting Lennie and making him worry.
Curley's wife tells Crooks, Candy, and Lennie about her loneliness and desire to connect with someone. She confides in them, sharing her frustrations and dreams, hoping to bridge the gap between herself and the other ranch workers.
He has been isolated and abused for a long time at the ranch. Maybe he sees that Lennie, being fairly simple, will not judge him as inferior because of the colour of his skin. Crooks welcomes the company as he leads a very lonely life, but he tries to hide this. He is mean to Lennie when he first arrives, but he begins to soften. This meanness is his defence mechanism. He wants to have friendships but doesn't want to be rejected or disappointed, so he tries to keep people at a distance. He is even accepting of Candy coming into their conversation. Things only change when Curley's Wife comes in and starts ridiculing them. She reminds Crooks of his lowly status and that he has no rights due to his skin colour. This is when Crooks changes back to his mean unfriendly ways. Also, at this stage in the novel all the other men have gone into town drinking and looking for women. They have left Lennie, Crooks and Candy behind - they are not thought fit to go with them (Lennie is simple and might cause trouble, Crooks is black and therefore it is not acceptable for him to socialise with the men, and Candy would cramp their style). Maybe Crooks is glad that he is not the only one left behind, and feels sorry for Lennie also being left behind.
Lennie Crooks often stretches the truth or bends the rules in order to increase his own benefits or achieve his personal goals, even if it means taking advantage of others or causing harm in the process.