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Steinbeck’s characterization of her through her appearance, words, and what is said of her show how following one’s dreams is an essential part of life. Steinbeck’s description of Curley’s wife’s appearance makes her seem very enticing and sexual. However, she isn’t as promiscuous as her “full, rouged lips” would imply (16). She yearns for the life she missed out on,
John Steinbeck’s presents Curley’s wife in a way that comes off as she is being abused. In Of Men and Mice Steinbeck clearly portrays Curley’s wife as a victim and not a villain, as others would see her. She is abused by Curley, mistreated by the other men on the ranch, and she is treated like she does not exist with no respect or value. Curley’s wife is a victim because Curley her husband, abuses and mistreats her.
Curley’s wife responds with, “Aw, nuts! What kinda harm am I doin’ to you? Seems like they ain’t none of them cares how I gotta live… I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella… Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes…”
Someone once said, “A villain is just a victim whose story hasn’t been told.” The character known as Curley’s Wife in Of Mice and Men is portrayed in John Steinbeck’s writing as an antagonist. Multiple time throughout the book she is insulted by the men, who call her things such as a tramp, or a tart. As the story continues, there are many hidden indications that she could be seen as a much simpler, innocent presence, rather than an evil. When looked at more in depth, Curley’s Wife can be seen as a victimized character.
In the book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is portrayed many different ways throughout the story. Women were often understated around guys, and given less power. When Curley’s wife is first introduced, she doesn’t come off to the readers as very nice. When she was introduced she was mean, flirtatious, and it was let known that she was beautiful. She was flirting with the other men on the ranch,you feel more bad for her when the men are saying mean things about her, and near the end of the book the reader becomes sympathetic for her.
Curley’s wife is one of the most alienated characters in the novel Of Mice and Men, if not the most alienated and isolated character as it is displayed through her being nameless, being very flirtatious, and the perception of her by the men on the ranch. Indeed, the author constantly is showing that how regardless if you are amongst people or have company, but however there is no sensation of love what so ever, it is just as equal to living a life through despair and desolation. Whenever Curley’s wife appears in the book she is either looking for her husband or other company to converse with, however it has a reverse notation and it pours out of her in resentment and disillusion as she states, “Why can’t I talk to you?I never get to talk to
Curley’s wife is a complex character that is portrayed as a flirtatious, lost, and naïve woman in the novel, ‘Of Mice and Men’. Throughout the novella, Curley’s wife is engrossed in her own beauty, eventually leading to the inevitable death by letting Lennie touch her hair. Steinbeck doesn’t give Curley’s wife a name in the novel showing that she’s insignificant yet she holds the important role of being a danger to Lennie. She does have a particular role in the novella and is presented as the trophy wife of Curley.
In John Steinbeck’s phenomenal novel Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife causes problems all over the ranch by interrupting situations everywhere because she resides in a loveless relationship. Curley’s wife produced the Curley-Slim conflict by always dodging him and never being around to see him which lead Curley to quick accusations. Then she goes snooping in the barn to find poor Lennie after he just killed his pup which leads to her death and downfall of some rancher’s American Dream ranch. Curley’s wife also finds herself in Crook’s room just looking to stir trouble when she starts tossing out insults embarrassing them and hurting their spirits. No matter what situation is transponding she always finds a way to create problems for everyone
Steinbeck describes Curley’s wife as followed: “...wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up... she wore a cotton dress and red mules... She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the doorframe so that her body was thrown forward... Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little” (31). Curley’s wife knows that her power, her only power, lies in her beauty and her position of actually being Curley’s wife.
He also sees his wife as his own personal item as he often accuses the workers at the ranch of being with his wife. Curley’s wife was a woman full of dreams and wanted to get more out of life. However as the man who promised her of an acting career and fame left her, making her accuse her mom and therefore married Curley to get revenge on her mom the same night she saw him. Just after few weeks of their marriage she released that it was a horrible marriage and a mistake which she couldn’t get out of. Therefore she uses her little power to show off to the other workers.
There’s a young man laying in bed, who tries to fall asleep however is unable to; knowing that when he finally falls asleep — the soon subcumming nightmares will once again haunt his somber slumber. Tonight, no different than any other, the restless mind of the teenager is unable to bring calmness to his mind, he sits up from his bed. Friskly walking down the stairs, he slips on a white t-shirt, and plugs his iPod headphones in his ears. Iron Maiden’s flash of the blade, starts to play as he walks out the front door and starts to wander down the street, through the small neighborhood. He realizes he has no sense of destination or direction; he just aimlessly traverses the sidewalk is not paying attention to where he’s going, escaping
In the time period that this story takes place women were believed to be lower than men. Hence why her name is just Curleys wife she is his property at that time there for she doesnot need a name. ( Steinbeck 23) This shows that she is not valued as a human being among the others and its not just because Curley doesnt want her flirting with the other guys she is an outcast. Another example of discrimination based on the time period this takes place is Crooks for his
The Change in Sexism As Letty Cottin Pogrebin once said, “ When men are oppressed it’s a tragedy. When women are oppressed it’s simply tradition.” Many women have to deal with sexism in everyday basis; sexism is the prejudice or discrimination based on the sex of a person. Trough
Curley’s wife, the only main female presented in the novella, is depicted as a harlot. The only other time females are mentioned is when they are mentioned as being ladies in whore houses. This depiction sets the tone for all females presented in the novella. Instead of being seen as a worker, women were mainly seen as man’s companion, and as a symbol for love, lust, and desire. In the novella Curley’s wife’s appearance is described as, “Her face heavily made up.
In John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck portrayed a political statement by looking at mental and physical disabilities through different characters such as Curley's Wife, Crooks, and Lennie. Curley's wife is used to represent how women were treated during the 1930’s and almost treated with a disability. Women were portrayed as the help and they were supposed to stay home and work while the strong brave men went out and got money to support the family. By Steinbeck not giving Curley's wife a name he is showing how she is connected to Curly with an Invisible rope.
