Gender Discrimination In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

In Of Mice and Men, Steinbeck suggests that although many people rely upon dreams to help them overcome hardship, ultimately, the American Dream is impossible for most, and despite their desperate pursuit of these goals, individuals find their friendships and dreams shattered. One of the individuals who show they want a dream, which is later unfulfilled is Curley’s wife.

Gender discrimination is a major factor which leads to Curley’s wife’s dreams becoming broken, as men are seen as the more ‘superior gender’. Curley’s wife symbolises the way women were treated as objects back in the 1930’s and the way in which women lived in such a sexist society. Her name wasn’t mentioned at all, as the men living on the ranch just referred to her as ‘tart’ and a ‘whore’. This is only because the men think she wants to be unfaithful to Curley, but all she wants to find is someone to talk to, to rid her feeling of isolation and loneliness. Curley’s wife was not spoken of by name which shows her insignificance and how women were objectified and treated as a man’s object.

So she stayed in town and Married Curly to get away from her mum and how she took the spotlight from her. Curley thinks she spends her time making him jealous by attracting the attention of anyone who would take notice of her, but what he doesn’t realise is maybe all she wants is someone to talk to. She tried her ‘charms’ on a few of the ranch men, and Candy said ”you ain’t wanted here. We told you you ain’t.”(89) Curley’s ranch men are only mean toward her because they are scared of Curley and what he’ll do if he sees them with