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Privilege In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

627 Words3 Pages

In Of Mice and Men the characters demonstrates that those who obtain more privilege, possess more power than those who do not fit within the ideal standards of the American society. Firstly, those who are born into a life with privilege are those who dominate with power and control. Those who lack privilege due to the standards of society can not be powerful without fear of consequence. The workers on the ranch do not show power as they are afraid of what might happen if they do speak up. “Don't tell Curley I said none of this. He’d slough me. He just don’t give a damn. Won't ever get canned’ cause his old man’s the boss” (Steinbeck 27). Curley holds much more power on the ranch than any of the other men except for one person, his father. …show more content…

Curley is fortunate because he was born into a life where he had many privileges. Not only because he is white, straight, and wealthy but because he has the ability to exude authority, which ultimately intimidates the workers. This intimidation restricts the workers from ever wrongdoing Curley as they are unsure if he will use such power against them. This fear that Curley strikes within the workers is his power, as he truly lacks much power without all of his privileges. Secondly, people may obtain power in some aspects of their lives, yet lack any power or control when looked upon in a certain light by society. Curley’s wife is powerful because of her race and uses this to her advantage to put those who question her power in their place “Well you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny” (Steinbeck 81). It's easy to see that Curley’s wife is quite promiscuous, she walks around the ranch talking to the men all day, however this power she seems to obtain is not authentic. She uses her body to help fill the void of the power she lacks due to being a woman in 1930’s America. Curley’s wife may be powerful because she is white, straight and, wealthy but her gender takes away

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