Crooks's room is small, basic and functional. But it's homely and it's his own--it's full of possessions.
From his possessions (rubber boots, an alarm clock and a shotgun) we can tell that he's practical and active. His books show that he reads and thinks too. This is the first sign that he'll be a fully developed character with a personality and a background.
People who try to come into his room get a frosty reception. Privacy is one of the few rights he has.
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Crooks is a victim of racism
Crooks is the only black man in the book. He's excluded fom the bunk house because the other workers say he smells. He's lonely and misses the company of other people--he says "A guy needs somebody--to be near him"
His loneliness makes him bitter and he seems jealous of George and Lennie's friendship. In Chapter Four, he tries to make Lennie feel as lonely as he does by suggesting that George might leave him
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Crooks is a survivor but has little power in the r
Crooks os good at his job and he's the best at the horseshoe game. But he's at the bottom of the pile of ranch workers
Because Crooks is black, he can't hope to ever have power. When Lennie tells him about the dream farm he offers to work there for free. This is because life on a farm would give him dignity, which he doesn't have now
The dream has a powerful effect on Crooks--it gives him the courage to stand up to Curley's wife. However, it becomes clear how fragile his confidence is when she threatens to have him hung and he tries to make himself invisible--he "reduced himself to nothing".
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