How Does Steinbeck Present Misogyny In Of Mice And Men

Prejudice against women and gender equality are common controversies exhibited through various forms, such as in literature, everyday society, and multimedia, regardless of the time period. In literature, misogyny is often a topic that is discussed or incorporated. In the novella, Of Mice and Men, the author, John Steinbeck, portrays misogyny in the 1930’s through the creation of a character named Curley’s wife. When the male ranch workers converse about Curley’s wife, George warns Lennie, “I don’t care what she says or what she does. I seen ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be.”(32). This conversation took place before George and Lennie even met Curley’s wife, meaning that George’s words

Moreover, with George and the other males spewing insults about Curley’s wife, it highlights the awful disrespect females would receive from people during this time period. Women were often judged for being the gender they were born as and not for the person they are, such as Curley’s wife. Unfortunately, these misconceptions about Curley’s wife leaves her in a vulnerable and unprotected state due to the fact that no one views her positively except herself. The only female character in the novella must defend herself, but outnumbered by a misogynistic population, her chances of conquering and winning are slim. In addition, Steinbeck portrays the horrors and prejudice of women by describing the reaction of Curley when he views his dead wife. He declares, “I’m gonna shoot the guts outta that big bastard myself, even if I only got one

Within the letter, he provides insight on the background of Curley’s wife, describing, “She was told over and over again that she must remain a virgin because that was the only way she could get a husband.” (1). In the society of the 1930’s, Steinbeck desired to depict prejudice against women within his writing and clearly executes his plan by giving Curley’s wife an unfortunate background. The only expectations for women during the time was for them to remain virgin and to be physically attractive. These standards demonstrate the fact that women were only seen as sexual objects, attempting to please men for marriage. Being told to remain virgin has given Curley’s wife the mindset that her virginity is the only reason why men will want to be with her. Unfortunately, by having this mindset women begin to believe that marriage is only for sexual intercourse and not for love. Consequently, losing sight of their own personalities and focusing more on meeting the standards that men desire. Moreover, Steinbeck’s repetition of “over and over again”, highlights how Curley’s wife was never encouraged to achieve her own goals due to the people around her constantly demanding her to find a husband. Under these circumstances, people in the 1930’s had given women the impression that their only purpose in life was