Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Analysis

Broken dreams can be one of the many causes of loneliness and depression. Of Mice and Men is a novella written by John Steinbeck. It tells of the adventures of George and Lennie, who are traveling companions that are looking for work. On one ranch, they meet a woman who is only known as Curley’s wife, who seems to cause all the problems. Curley’s wife is described as an attractive woman seeking attention. Through the dialogue between Curley’s wife and other characters, John Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as a woman with broken dreams, who is acting out for attention.

The restrictions the men on the ranch have enforced on Curley’s wife have caused her to endure unending loneliness. As Crooks and Lennie are speaking to one another, Curley’s wife, standing in the doorway, is irritated that they won’t talk to her, and yells, “Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while. Think I like to stick in that house alla time?” (Steinbeck 77). Curley’s wife expresses her need of speaking to others; she is tired of staying in the house all the time and having no one to talk to but Curley, whom she openly despises The way the men describe her, as a whore, only adds to her loneliness and depression. It brings her to the point in which she angrily cries out at Lennie,

This is especially true for Curley’s wife. Curley’s wife is seen acting out throughout the novel as a way to pull attention to herself. This is done because nobody on the ranch, not even her husband will treat her as an equal. In today’s terms, it is like having a little sibling causing a tantrum so they can sway the attention and favor of their parents towards them. In conclusion, Curley’s wife is not the antagonist, but someone whose dreams have been shattered, and is someone who is trying to regain a spark of happiness in their life