Roles Of Women In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Kalie Olivo

Ms. Cordil

English 12R- G period

16 November 2017 The Role of Women in Of Mice and Men

Of Mice and Men is a novel by John Steinbeck that tells the story of two men, George and Lennie. Lennie Small is a large, mentally- handicapped man who is George’s loyal follower and friend. George Milton is a small, serious man who travels with Lennie. The story takes place during the Great Depression. In the novel, both men find work at a bunkhouse where they encounter the only woman mentioned in the whole novel. She is the wife of the boss’s son, Curley. Steinbeck uses Curley’s wife to describe the role of women during that time period. The role of women in Of Mice and Men is to show the inferiority of women to men during

She is a very beautiful woman who dreams of going to Hollywood. She usually wear something red, whether it be the color of her nail polish or the color of her lipstick. The color red is what draws attention to her and why she can considered the temptation of the barn. When she goes to Lennie, she is described wearing a “...bright cotton dress and the mules with red ostrich feathers. Her face was made up and the little sausage curls were all in place” (Steinbeck 82). She tells Lennie about her dream of being in Hollywood and how she encountered a man who told her she was a natural. She goes on and on about how she could have had nice clothes, had her pictures taken, and it would have not cost her a cent. As a result of her not being able to fulfill her dream, it contributes to her loneliness. “Curley’s wife constantly seeks the attention of anyone and everyone on the ranch s a way of solace for her shattered dream to be a movie star…” (“Critical Companion to John Steinbeck”). Curley’s wife dreams of being a movie star however when she knows that it cannot happen she begins to seek attention. By seeking attention from anyone at the bunkhouse, she can imitate the feeling of being a famous movie star. In the novel, the only woman has no name. She is just known as Curley’s wife, which shows how she is inferior. Every single male character has a name but the only female character does

The way George views himself explains his character. George is a very serious man, he does what he has to do and that is it. When all the men go out to get women, George disapproves of their behavior. He especially does not approve Curley’s wife because he knows she is trouble. “Not only does Georger harshly disapprove of both Curley and his wife, he also is not charmed by the woman as are the other men of the bunkhouse” (Bloom 28). At one point of the novel, George begins to suspect that there is something going on between Slim and Curley’s wife. He then send Lennie go find out, knowing that he will tell him if he sees something. George is relieved to hear that nothing was happening between them. Then, he proceeds by telling the other workers that men’s behavior could get them into trouble and why they should control themselves. At first, George views the cathouse as wrong but he changes his mind. “ He now extols their virtue as a mechanism to keep men in control, to promote a place where “a guy can go in an’ get drunk and get ever’thing outta his system all at came…”(Bloom 37). In Essence, George is able to make himself superior to women and the other male