How could a character with no name be so deep and complex? The novella ‘Of mMice and mMen’ uses symbolism and hidden meanings to add depth to the characters, Curley’s wife being a prime example. The novella offers contradicting descriptions and presentations of Curley’s wife making us hate and disapprove of her while the next moment we feel guilty and mourn her. Steinbeck creates contrasting images of Curley’s wife by using literary techniques such as pathetic fallacy, juxtaposition and irony.
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.
Whenever she can’t be found, questions arise about what she is up to. In events such as these Curley doesn’t even trust his own wife. ‘“Thinks Slim’s with his wife don’t he?”’ (54). Curley’s wife’s actions play a role in the reputation of the ranch hands and in the relationship with her husband. How can they be expected to live a long, happy life together if she is out playing around with other men? Can the ranch hands be expected to work efficiently if she is always acting suspicious around with them? Should her wrong actions be excused on account of loneliness? Curley’s wife’s behavior demands explanation and the source of which could be the emptiness she feels
John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice and Men, takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930’s, in the Salinas Valley, California. It establishes the prospect of the American Dream, discrimination,loneliness, and disenfranchisement through its characters. George and Lennie provided the value of the American Dream, to which the leading female role, Curley’s wife, represents how women are exempt from the American Dream, and appeared as less than equal to men. She developed a form of loneliness throughout the course of the novel. The novella seeks to demonstrate the way of which life was like for the characters of all different statuses and backgrounds. Through Curley’s wife’s character, we are able to see how life was like for a women during
Throughout literature, women who are characterized as shameless temptresses are often the way they are because of a desperation to break away from society’s oppression of low-class, uneducated females. This is never more true than for Curley’s wife in the fictional novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Through considerate yet concise descriptions of her fantasy of Hollywood stardom, putting down of others, and attention-seeking ways, Curley’s wife is revealed to be a downtrodden female who suffers from her own internal, emotional conflict.
How does the fact that Curley’s wife stays unnamed throughout the story add to the theme of marginalisation.
“‘Well, I ain 't suppose to talk to you or nothing. I get lonely’”(Steinbeck 86-87). that’s all that has to be said to describe why Curley’s wife acts the way she does, and how her life is lived. Also it shows what people say to Curley’s wife when she tries to talk to them, because none of them want trouble with Curley. In Of Mice and Men Curley’s wife is a married woman, who is not loved by her husband, and is really treated like an object on the farm rather than a human being. Curley 's wife is a victim, isn’t talked to by anybody, is in a loveless marriage, and lives a lonely life on the farm.
Of Mice and Men is a novel which tells the story of two friends traveling together and working on a ranch in Depression-era California. This story is filled with memorable characters, one of which being Curley’s wife. Curley is the ranch owner’s son. He and his wife got married at a young age, but her original plan was not to marry Curley. In this novel, she is illustrated as a ‘tart’. A result of her flirtatiousness is that her husband becomes very jealous of the other men on the ranch. These insecurities then cause Curley’s wife to become even more estranged from her husband. When Curley’s wife gets too comfortable with one of the workers, Lennie, she is accidently killed. In this novel, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Curley’s wife is portrayed as a troublemaking, licentious, and desolate character.
Is being a woman something someone should be blamed for? Growing up as a woman in the 1900s was very unfair for all females. They had less rights and were treated as if they were prized possessions. A book that provides insight into this topic is Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. In the book, the only female character is married to the boss’ son, Curly. Curly and his wife 's relationship has no true love involved and according to Curley 's wife, the marriage is very forceful. In fact, we do not even know the name of Curley 's wife! In Of Mice and Men, it is illusive that Curley 's wife is treated poorly and has an unfair life. All Curley 's wife wanted to do was talk with the other ranchers instead she is considered a tart for talking to other
“And then she was still, for Lennie had broken her neck” (Steinbeck 91). The novella Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck takes place in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. During this time period, many men would travel looking for work and would end up working for a rich ranch owner. Most of this novella takes place at a ranch owned by a wealthy man in Soledad, California. At this ranch, Curley’s wife is a very present and ornate character; however, she is not at all respected. Two weeks prior to George and Lennie’s arrival at the farm, Curley’s wife married Curley to escape her family and gain wealth after meeting him at the Riverside Dance Palace. Due to all the hardships she endures at the ranch, Curley’s wife is the loneliest and most alienated character in the novella.
“…some horses snorted and stomped their feet.” Steinbeck shows a certain level of power asserted by Curley’s Wife that even animals are wary of her presence. Steinbeck also shows a nasty side to Curley’s Wife because she is being ignore by the men she felt vulnerable and lonely. “Listen nigger she said. You know what I can do to you if you open your trap.” She picks one him because of his status in the hierarchy the only thing worse than being a woman in that was being black. Crook’s is the only she can pick on instead of seduce. However Curley’s Wife and Crooks could be seen at the same level in the hierarchy both of them have no names whereas she is just referred to as Curley’s Wife, Crooks had been given a name because of his crooked back. They are also vulnerable due to the men and
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men takes place during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. Taking place in Northern California, and in this time period, gives the reader a different perspective and a hint of what life is like back then, and the misery’s and hardships of what people went through. Many themes are expressed in the book, the main one loneliness, which is Steinbeck’s focus. Most people desire contact with others to give life meaning. This is seen when Lennie goes into Crook's room to find someone to talk with, and later Curley's wife comes for the same reason. John Steinbeck’s presents Curley’s wife in a way that comes off as she is being abused. In Of Men and Mice Steinbeck clearly portrays Curley’s wife as a victim and not a villain, as others would see her. She is abused by Curley, mistreated by the other men on the ranch, and she is treated like she does not exist with no respect or value.
John Steinbeck’s life influenced the context in his novel Of Mice and Men. In fact, he was knowledgeable towards the issues of women’s rights and mental disabilities, and even worked on a ranch as a migrant worker himself. Likewise, these same ideas and actions took place during the Great Depression and are vividly displayed within the characters and the plot of Steinbeck’s book. Women’s rights, mental disabilities, as well as ranch work during this time period are depicted through Curley’s wife, Lennie, and the setting of the ranch.
“I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room”(Steinbeck 68). The stable buck, Crooks, says this in Steinbeck’s famous classic Of Mice and Men. Everyone feels a sense of loneliness at some point, and in this novella, Steinbeck displays the loneliness prevalent in the 1930’s. The stock market crash not only crashed the economy, but it also divided the country. Thus, people are very strongly judged by the color of their skin and women are often viewed as property despite having equal rights under the law. At the same time, the elderly are forced to take menial jobs and are not getting the care they need. Noticeably then, the theme of loneliness is revealed in Steinbeck’s novella through the isolation and
Humans are connected with one another through simple gravity-like forces that are ubiquitous and powerful, but in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the characters isolate themselves. While the english poet John Donne once said that “No man is an island”, his contemporary John Milton believed that “Solitude sometimes is best society”. So, which is true? In both books the characters act as if they are“islands”, but this does not create the “best society”.The characters’ detached isolation toward one another causes them to end up feeling empty and disconnected. In both Of Mice and Men and The Outsiders characters build mental barriers to protect themselves