How Is Curley's Wife Marginalized In Of Mice And Men
The Marginalized: Curley's Wife
Have you ever felt the extreme sexist challenges of being a woman? The irrational fear of differing from your peers and being judged on the basis of what sex you were born as, as "the bard of femininity," is on your shoulders, you are being objectified solely for the fact that you are female.
In John Steinbeck’s 1937 novella Of Mice and Men, the author uses the themes of loneliness, isolation, and sexism to explore the theme of the marginalization of women in this time and how it leads to extreme dissociation, self-harm, and pain.
Steinbeck's character Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men exclusively represent women's marginalization because she is depicted as a tramp, and most people back then wouldn't
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We can see direct objectification of Curley's wife in Chapter 2 when Curley talks about her in a manner that is grotesque and filthy. He is foreshadowing that he is going to do dirty things to her since he sees her just as his pleasure toy and an object. “Well, that glove’s fulla Vaseline.” “Vaseline? What the hell for?” “Well, I will tell ya what – Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife.” (Steinbeck, …show more content…
She is seen as nothing more than an object that can be screwed around with, and that's why Curley insisted on killing Lennie once he accidentally killed her: Lennie, without harmful intention, took away his naive pleasure toy which gave him a confidence boost and a sense of masculinity. He believed he was the top dog because he was insensitive to women and was a typical member of the male species during this time by taking advantage of a woman. Curley truly saw no harmful intent in what he was doing and didn't care enough to see one.
All in all, Curley was a horrid soul who cared about nothing but himself. He was a vain, conceited man who thought his male identity made him an alpha whose ground had to be worshiped. Curley's wife is similar to Candy, another character who suffered from isolation and loneliness. They were both at the bottom of their social hierarchy and worried about being marginalized. One falls under the category of ageism, and one falls under sexism. They were both affected by this rough time and were startlingly
How Does Curley's Wife Change In Of Mice And Men
608 Words | 3 PagesLennie and Curley's wife are having a conversation in the barn, after Lennie accidentally just killed a puppy and covered it in hay. All of sudden Lennie got scared and the same thing happened to Curley’s wife after she let Lennie touch her soft hair. John Steinbeck uses imagery and characterization to show how Curley’s wife changed after she was killed.
How Does Steinbeck Present Curley's Wife
661 Words | 3 Pages"The meanness...and the ache for attention were [gone] from her face" (82). Furthermore, Curley's wife looks as though she were innocent. Steinbeck depicts her in this way because he wants sympathy to be felt toward her.
Similarities Between Of Mice And Men And Curley's Wife
953 Words | 4 PagesIt is seen various times throughout the book how differently the rest of the characters act towards Curley’s wife. In the book the character is portrayed as an insignificant side character who is always trying to seek the attention of the rest. However, it can be said Curley’s wife is simply misunderstood. The character has a non caring husband who doesn’t seem to be interested in her whereabouts nor her wellbeing. In the book it is often seen that Curley’s wife is always looking for her husband, Curley.
Examples Of Sympathetic Characters In Of Mice And Men
905 Words | 4 PagesFirst thing’s first, not once throughout the entire book does anyone refer to Curley’s wife by her name, and it’s unclear if they even know it in the first place. She’s unsatisfied with her marriage and gets lonely, so she gets flirty with the other guys, however, as a result, they tend to avoid her because they suspect she’s gonna try to start trouble, which in turn, feeds into the cycle of loneliness. Whenever other characters talk about her, it’s usually in demeaning terms and insults, since she had unfairly accumulated a rock-bottom reputation. During a very vulnerable period, she strikes up a conversation with Lennie and starts venting about where she could’ve been, "I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself."
How Is Curley's Wife Different From Of Mice And Men
1347 Words | 6 PagesCurley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch and the men do not like that. Throughout the novel she is always seen wandering around the ranch or looking for Curley, her husband. When she is not doing one of those things, she is usually waiting for Curley while doing chores around the house. She gets very lonely because she usually has no one to talk to, even when Curley gets home. This is because Curley mostly talks and tells stories, but never listens to her stories or things she has to say.
How Does Steinbeck Present The Abuse Of Power In Of Mice Of Men
680 Words | 3 PagesCurley's position of power over all of the other characters gives him a sense of control/entitlement, which he abuses throughout the novel. The way Curley treats his wife, who is never named throughout the story and is only ever called “Curley's wife,” is a clear example of his abuse of power: he is possessive and jealous of her, and he uses his power of authority to separate her from all of the other characters during the story. This lack of communication with the other characters and her husband's authority, leads her to her death. The fact that she is never given a name during this whole story just adds on to help highlight the sexist attitudes during the time period of the Great
How Is Curley's Wife Presented In Of Mice And Men
1183 Words | 5 PagesThrough Curley’s desire to kill Lennie, the reader is given a clear indication of his unpleasant and ruthless character, through his cruel nature and his lack of empathy for Lennie. Despite Curley primarily being portrayed as an unpleasant character, however there is short-lasting moments in which the reader can be made feel pity for Curley. We can see this after the fight scene when Steinbeck uses animal imagery to describe Curley as ‘flopping like a fish on a line’. This simile suggests Curley’s weakness in the moment.
Outcasts In Of Mice And Men
1206 Words | 5 PagesCurley's wife can be seen as an outcast because Curley’s wife is the only female living on the ranch. Women were also looked at as property during this time period, and for this reason, her name was never mentioned throughout the novel. She also tends to seek attention from men other than her husband. The book states “‘If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk.
How Does Steinbeck Present Curley's Wife
755 Words | 4 PagesIn the novella “Of Mice and Men” one of Steinbeck’s central character is Curley’s Wife. Steinbeck presents her as a dangerous and powerful due to his language techniques like metaphor, simile and structure. However in a misogynistic society she can also be seen as a lonely and vulnerable character. Steinbeck’s use of symbolism especially towards Curley’s wife creates a dangerous and powerful persona.
Gender In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
607 Words | 3 PagesCurley’s wife, the only main female presented in the novella, is depicted as a harlot. The only other time females are mentioned is when they are mentioned as being ladies in whore houses. This depiction sets the tone for all females presented in the novella. Instead of being seen as a worker, women were mainly seen as man’s companion, and as a symbol for love, lust, and desire. In the novella Curley’s wife’s appearance is described as, “Her face heavily made up.
The Oppression Of Women In Of Mice And Men, By John Steinbeck
703 Words | 3 PagesBy calling Curley’s wife this, Candy is reducing Curley’s wife to a sexual object and is dehumanizing her. She is no longer a woman but instead a promiscuous woman who is attempting to get with other men even when she has a husband. The dehumanization of Curley’s wife can be further supported by how she is never referred to by name and is instead known by her relationship to her husband, demonstrating how the men believe she is merely an extension of Curley. In the 1930s, women were treated worse than men, merely because of their gender and Steinbeck means to emphasize this in his novella. He never gives Curley’s wife a name in order to show how she isn’t seen
How Does Steinbeck Use The Power Lens In Of Mice And Men
780 Words | 4 PagesSteinbeck describes Curley’s wife as followed: “...wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up... she wore a cotton dress and red mules... She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the doorframe so that her body was thrown forward... Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little” (31). Curley’s wife knows that her power, her only power, lies in her beauty and her position of actually being Curley’s wife.
Curley's Wife Loneliness Quotes
621 Words | 3 Pages(87) More specifically, the other men on the ranch refuse to talk to her because Curley’s position of power on the ranch portrays him as having the ability to have any man on the ranch lose their job. Furthermore, when Curley’s wife was conversing with Lennie in the barn and confided in him, she said: “Well, I ain’t
How Does Steinbeck Present Curley's Wife A Victim
735 Words | 3 PagesJohn 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. Curley’s wife is a victim because Curley her husband, abuses and mistreats her.
Sexism In Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
973 Words | 4 PagesWorld of Sexism Due to the Great Depression, women’s rights took a back seat to employment and poverty. It was believed that women shouldn’t work but stay at home, clean, cook, and raise their children. The prejudice against women in the society was great back in the 1930s for they were degraded and underestimated. All the rights they had gained in the 1920s were neglected and the women were once again maltreated. In Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, the victim of sexism is Curley’s wife who is so insignifact that even a name was not provided for her.
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