Curley's Wife Essay

Curley’s wife is not completely innocent, but she is not a villain. When she gets opportunity’s to show her true colors she is mean to the men on the ranch, which makes her at the least part villain. When Lennie is with Crooks and Cansy , she speaks to Crooks very rudely and says, “listen Nigger. You know what I can do to you if you open your trap”(Steinbeck 104)? Curley’s wife believes that she can take control and overpower Crooks.

Of Mice and Men is a novel by John Steinbeck, set in northern California during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. In the novel, the two main characters George and Lennie are set apart from the others with their strong bond and willingness to stay together. Due to their connection, others are jealous of them. Sadly, the inevitable occurs, and a life changing decision is made, disconnecting their friendship. Through the characters George and Lennie, readers learn how friendships provide hope through hard times.

Companionship is a necessity for those seeking happiness and peace of mind within their lives. Without any faith in others, people will suffer from loneliness and sorrow. This idea is presented in the novella, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. The text delineates the lives of multiple characters who have experienced pain as a result of their alienation from others. These characters include a back man, named Crook’s, who is separated from society because of his skin color, Curley’s wife who, in the time period, was treated with disrespect because of her gender, and two itinerant farm laborers, George and Lennie, once the best of friends, who have lost each other in a world of fear and misfortune.

Broken Dreams Sexism is shown throughout the book because of the way men talk about Curley’s wife. A fact that is important is that Steinbeck was raised in a society where men were considered more powerful than women, which explains why Steinbeck didn't give a name for Curley's wife. Steinbeck puts her in the book as if saying she’s Curley’s possession in a way. Curley’s wife says it herself that when she finds one of the men alone they treat her good but when the men are all together they gang up against her. Curley’s wife flirtatious actions are caused by her loneliness and not being able to communicate with others.

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.

Of Mice and Men “listen, nigger,” she said. “you know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” (pg.80). This shows how the word “nigger” is used to control a black person. In the book of Mice and Men the word “nigger” is used quite often but towards crooks, since he is the only black person in the book.

Being isolated or not able to have something because of being different is tough. Imagine the people that are different races or they have a disability and they can not the same as others. Segregation lasted up until 1954, blacks in America were oppressed and given less because they did not have same pigment of skin. They were assumed to be less important so they were beat and forced to live in poor conditions. In Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck, many charters are limited to what they can do based of of barriers.

In the novella "Of Mice and Men, 2 migrant workers, George and Lennie are on their way to their new place to work in Salinas Valley. On the way to their work, because Lennie can't remember every moment of his life, he always asks George to tell him again about their future. When they arrive, they met the boss and new friends. Curley, boss’s son doesn't like Lennie at all. They also meet Curley's wife who is a tart.

During the Great Depression, times were very tough in the United States for everyone. In “Of Mice and Men”, John Steinbeck illustrates the struggles of discrimination and the struggle of finding a job, in everyday life during the Great Depression through Lennie, Crooks, and Curley’s wife. In this novel Lennie, a not so bright but hard worker faces the challenges of trying to find a job during the Great Depression along with a mental disability. George says to Lennie at the beginning of the story, “If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job, but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set.”

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is one of the most widely read modern novels in high schools today. John Steinbeck uses dialogue that can be seen in the times of The Great Depression but also does an outstanding job by making it sound familiar and seem more accessible in the eyes of young readers. The book's main focus is ranch travelers struggling to find work in the 1930’s. Steinbeck uses the themes of friendship and loneliness that is vastly seen in the characters of George and Lennie as well as Candy and Curley's wife.