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Curley's Wife in "Of Mice and Men": Isolation

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The interplay of isolation and loneliness, unfulfilled dreams and aspirations, power dynamics and gender inequality.

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Curley analysis

• Created by: Herdman99
• Created on: 11-04-15 15:10
• English Literature
• Of Mice and Men

Report Tue 11th December, 2018 @ 21:05

could you include the themes and importance to the novel.

Report Tue 21st May, 2024 @ 12:13

very helpful however the themes would help a lot thanks 

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Introduction

Strutting around the ranch in his ridiculous “high-heeled boots”, the Curley is an “angry little man” who tries to prove his masculinity and assert his authority with his “handy” boxing skills, but most of the men view him with contempt. The antagonist is in a privileged position because he is the boss’s son while the other ranchers struggle to find their place in the world. He treats his wife like a possession. Instead of grieving for her towards the end of the story, he seeks revenge for the ignominy of being “crushed” by Lennie.

There is no doubt Curley is certainly the villain in Of Mice and Men .

Physical Appearance

The reader is introduced to the “pugnacious” Curley in chapter two:

“a young man came into the bunkhouse; a thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair. He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots.”

The repetition of “young” places an emphasis on Curley’s age, suggesting the character has all the impatience and energy associated with youth. It could also convey his lack of experience and wisdom because this epithet is an obvious contrast to Candy’s archetypal “old man”.

Curley is just as wild and uncontrollable as his “head of tightly curled hair” so that detail is another deliberate piece of characterisation. In terms of nomenclature, Curley is probably his nickname, reinforcing the link between his hair and his unruly personality. This energy is clear in the way he “bounced” and “burst” into the bunkhouse when he was looking for his wife in chapters two and three. These verbs are very active and convey his volatile personality.

Height is an important signifier of status and importance on the ranch so Curley wears “high-heeled boots” to make himself look taller and command more respect from the men. Although he presents himself as confident, he clearly feels self-conscious about his “thin” physique in comparison to the other workers.

This description of Curley’s physical appearance hints at his impetuous nature and eagerness to assert his authority over the ranch workers.

Perhaps the best example of his “pugnacious” body language comes from when Steinbeck describes how “Curley lashed his body around”. The violent verb “lashed” is very aggressive and reinforces the reader’s negative interpretation of the character. It also metaphorically compares Curley to a vicious whip: fast moving and capable of causing tremendous physical pain. In this way, Steinbeck compares Curley to a dangerous weapon.

It should also be noted that a whip would have been used on the ranch to control the animals. For example, we are told about Slim’s skill as the jerkline skinner, whipping a fly of a mule from twenty yards. Therefore, “lashed” also suggests Curley is trying to control the men through force and fear. They are nothing but animals to him and Curley is clearly a character to be feared.

Steinbeck uses combative body language and aggressive movement throughout the novel to define Curley, constantly reminding the reader of the character’s “pugnacious” personality and skill as a “handy” boxer.

When he first enters the bunkhouse and “glanced coldly” at George, his “arms gradually bent at the elbows” and “his hands closed into fists”. He then “stiffened and went into a slight crouch”. This is an expert boxer’s stance. Curley is positioning his body in a defensive “crouch”, making himself less vulnerable to a punch, but his “fists” are ready to strike.

He takes another stance in chapter three when he questions the men in the bunkhouse about Slim’s whereabouts. Curley “dropped and squared” his shoulders into an open, aggressive pose. When he viciously attacks Lennie at the end of chapter three, he “balanced and poised”. Each of these descriptions demonstrate his boxing knowledge and skills.

Curley is an intelligent and capable fighter. Again, when he first looked at George, Steinbeck describes his “glance” as “calculating”. In the third chapter, he “took in his height” and “measured his reach”. Put simply, he is trying to determine how far George could punch and work out the best way to beat the protagonist in a fight.

After being humiliated by Slim and called “yella as a frog belly” by Carlson, Curley tries to regain some of his authority by attacking Lennie. Candy “skeptically” explained Curley’s strategy in the second chapter. If Curley “jumps a big guy an’ licks him”, he asserts his dominance. However, if he loses, then he can claim it was an unfair fight and “ever’body says the big guy oughtta pick somebody his own size”. Either way, the boss’s son can claim a victory.

He “stepped over to Lennie like a terrier”. This simile compares the antagonist to a dog known for its wiry body, boundless energy and fearless personality. They were also bred to hunt and kill rats so they can be quite vicious. Therefore, it is an appropriate comparison for a lightweight who loves to compete in the boxing ring.

The verbs used to describe Curley’s movements in his fight against Lennie are quick and aggressive: “slashed”, “smashed” “slugging” and “swinging”. The ferocious and brutal rhythm of the attack is conveyed through the sibilance that connects the words and the repetition of “slashed”. It is a very a violent and cruel assault that evokes disgust and horror from the reader.

Direct Speech

Steinbeck tries to recreate the character’s authentic voice in the direct speech. This is important aspect of characterisation because it will convey Curley’s aggressive tone. Consider the following extract: “By Christ, he’s gotta talk when he’s spoke to. What the hell are you gettin’ into it for?”

His dialect is reproduced in the elided “gotta” and the way he uses “spoke” rather than the grammatically correct “spoken”. His accent is clear in the consonant dropping of /n/ from the verb “getting”. The use of vernacular, especially the blasphemous “Christ” and “hell”, is another way of making the character sound more convincing.

There are plenty more examples of Curley’s blunt and threatening language throughout the story. Put simply, when the reader hears the violence in his voice, we realise he is the villain of this narrative.

The Angry Little Man

Steinbeck uses the perspectives of other characters to influence our opinion of Curley. For instance, Candy “cautiously” waits until Curley leaves the bunkhouse before he gossips with George because he is afraid of getting “canned” by the boss’s son. This informs the reader that he is someone who abuses his position on the ranch and is to be feared.

Despite his apprehension, Candy still admires Curley for his boxing ability, calling him “pretty handy”. In the third chapter, Whit also describes him as “handy” twice in his conversation with George. In fact, Curley is referred to as “handy” six times in the novel before his own hand is “crushed” and “bust” by Lennie. Whit then mentions how Curley “got in the finals for the Golden Gloves” and kept “newspaper clippings” of the bouts. On a ranch where strength and force are needed to survive, the men are impressed by Curley’s dexterity.

Perhaps, it is George’s reaction to Curley that has the greatest impact on the reader’s understanding of the character. The protagonist tells Candy he “don’t like mean little guys” and calls Curley a few swear words beginning with the letter “b” that would not get past your school’s filters for offensive language. George recognises that Curley is someone who causes trouble and needs to be avoided.

In conclusion, Steinbeck makes it obvious to the reader that Curley is an “angry little man”.

Curley is sensitive about how he is viewed on the ranch and demands the respect of the other workers. He is full of bravado when he lets them know he is wearing a glove full of Vaseline because “he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife”. As George comments, “that’s a dirty thing to tell around”.

Since Steinbeck has already established the character’s insecurity, the reader will not be surprised to learn Curley is jealous of his wife when she talks to the other men, especially Slim. That anxiety can be seen in the third chapter during the confrontation with George when he “demanded angrily” to know her whereabouts. Rather than acting out of love, Curley’s motivation here is to protect his reputation.

When George is worried about getting canned at the end of the third chapter, Slim exploits Curley’s desperate need for respect and threatens to tell everyone that his hand was “crushed” by Lennie. He agrees to the plan because he does not want the other men to “laugh” at him for being beaten by a “dum dum”. It would be humiliating.

Forget respect. Curley deserves nothing more than our scorn. Even his wife says, “I don’t  like  Curley”. The image of him being caught by Lennie and “flopping like a fish on a line” evokes no sympathy from the reader. The simile comparing him to a helpless fish, emphasised by the alliteration of /f/, is particularly effective because it reduces him to an insignificant and mindless animal.

Curley’s Wife

Curley and his wife have been married for two weeks, yet he abandons her on the ranch to spend Saturday evening at Susie’s place looking for a shot of whiskey or a flop. Although there is no real intimacy or love between the two characters, this is still despicable and cruel behaviour.

In chapter four, Curley’s Wife sarcastically calls him a “swell guy” and says to Lennie he “ain’t a nice fella”. Isolated and alone, she craves companionship and his attention, but he is too self-absorbed and always wants to talk about boxing. Sadly, she is just another trophy for him to flaunt.

After her body is discovered in the barn, Curley wants to “shoot” Lennie “in the guts” to inflict as much pain as possible. Instead of seeking justice for the murder of his wife, he is only interested in getting revenge for his “crushed” hand. He is a nasty and thoroughly unlikable character.

Essay Questions

• To what extent do you believe Curley’s ambition to be respected on the ranch makes him the villain of the novel?
• From your reading of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”, explore how the writer presents Curley as an “angry little man” who always causes conflict in the novel.
• With reference to the ways Steinbeck presents Curley, show how far you would agree that he is   a danger to others.
• To what extent do you believe Steinbeck is positioning the reader to dislike to Curley?

Learning Objectives

The essay questions are testing your ability to:

• read and understand the novel;
• critically assess the presentation of the character;
• select and evaluate relevant textual material;
• support your interpretations with evidence from the novel.

“Of Mice and Men” Comprehension Exercises

Steinbeck’s Language and Imagery

Cruelty in “Of Mice and Men”

The Bleak Bunkhouse in Of Mice and Men

The Dangerous Ranch

How Steinbeck “Frames” the Characters

Hands Motif in “Of Mice and Men”

Curly’s Wife

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Essay: Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ – Curley’s wife

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Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in 1930s America during the dust bowl and The Great Depression. In the novel Steinbeck introduces the reader to many different characters. One of the characters we are introduced to is Curley’s wife who is represented as a very lonely and selfish person. Steinbeck also portrays Curley’s wife as a dangerous and cautious person towards others working at the ranch, so a reader throughout the novel would have ideas about her. The novel is a microcosm, reflecting the preconceived society. Black people had no rights in America; they were seen as ‘nobody’s. Women too had very few rights and Curley’s wife represents this. All these people were forced into loneliness and isolation just like she was; they all had a dream, ‘The American Dream’. Curley’s wife is represented as a quite aggressive character in the novel especially towards Crooks. The author uses adjectives such as ‘seductive’, ‘red dress’, ‘red lips’ and also other phrases like ‘red ostrich feather’ or ‘red mules’ ,that tells us that she likes to dresses very attractively, this is unusual for a ranch owners wife. Most of the ranch workers call her a ‘tart’ or ‘jailbait’ due to the way she dresses. The adjectives used make us think of passion or love because of the colour red, which is also a colour that suggests danger and cautions. we understand this as she is a danger to the jobs of the ranch workers because if they talk or interact with her, then they may get sacked by Curley, in addition to this she is very lonely, Curley’s wife is very aggressive when it comes to achieving her needs and desires, because of this she does not belong at the ranch and stands out just like the colour red.The message Steinbeck is trying to get across with this is that life as workers like George and Lennie is very difficult, and maybe, in order to to fulfil your needs, danger and aggression may be an option. For example Curley’s wife, has become very bitter due to her loneliness and unfulfilled dreams. Curley’s Wife and her significance in the novel is how she revolves around the novels main themes and events. Curley’s Wife is left out for being a female, she often searches for companionship with the ranch worker. She is married but she in not happy, we know this as, she states to Lennie “I don’t like Curley he aint a nice fella.” This is why she tries to talk to other men on the ranch however she usually ignored because the workers think that a “ranch aint no place for a girl.” Or as Carlson states “women should be at home where she belongs.” The fact that she is deprived from a place of physical work is objective of how women were portrayed in the 1930’s. They suppose to be at home and raise a family. Curley’ wife feels insecure because of the loneliness she feel. Curley’s wife says “none of them care how I gotta live.” This shows her frustration and realisation of her issues of being a female during 1930s and Steinbeck draws a readers attention to this. Similar to Crooks, Curley’s Wife is not named. This carries on throughout the novel, highlighting her lack of identity on the ranch and how she is viewed as the belonging of her husband, the use of the possessive apostrophe reminds us of this. In addition to her self doubt, she tries to fight her loneliness and isolation by being violent. Her vicious attacks on Crooks to getting him “strung up on a tree” and the attacks on Lennie due to his mental disability, show how loneliness can not only change a person, but destroy them. Despite the representation of threat that she is appointed (an aspect in which we see in the scene that takes place in Crooks’ room), Curley’s wife belongs to the less powerful and deprived group that are in Crooks’ room, such as Candy, Crooks and Lennie, Curley’s wife has very little authority in her world. She is controlled by her more patriarchal husband, feared by the hands of the ranch and isolated as the only woman on the ranch. All of the emotions Curley’s Wife encounters come as a result of the loneliness she feels, and these clearly represent of what a terrifying character she is. Also, through out the novel she still remains ‘Curley’s wife’ This fact helps to provide her character to be seen as an object – George constantly warms Lennie to keep away, she is a person to be feared from a distance. The others, the men, also talk about her in ways that are compatible with the fact that the “tart” presents a danger to the men living on the ranch. Another way in which Steinbeck presents Curley’s Wife is through the use of irony. Curley’s Wife only gets negative attention, but it is the only attention she can get because she can’t get the attention which she desires to get from being in the limelight, this links to her American dream to be a film star. The ranch hands don’t give her this positive attention because they think a “ranch with a bunch of guys on it, ain’t no place for a girl specially like her.” Steinbeck uses this to hint and foreshadow at the unhappy ending of her life. She does not know that she is causing pain and casting shadows, so it is ironic that when she dies the light leaves her, “the sun streaks were high on the wall by now.” This ties in with the American Dream women had during Steinbecks harsh world; to be “in the movies”. Just like many others Curley’s wife wants to in the limelight and theatre even though it is not possible for someone like Curley’s wife who has very little authority. Overall, Steinbeck through out the novel uses Curley’s wife to foreshadow events later in the novel and hint at the key events and themes of the novel. It is made clear she is threat to George and Lennie’s dream, however also a victim of sexism and loneliness. Steinbeck makes it clear that companionship is a vital part of human happiness.

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Of Mice and Men

John steinbeck, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

George Milton and Lennie Small , two itinerant workers from Auburn, California, make their way across the state’s harsh landscape on their way from one ranch job to another. As they close in on a job just outside the town of Soledad, they stop for the night at a pool off the Salinas River to enjoy one last night of freedom. As they prepare dinner and form a plan for their arrival at the ranch, the dynamic between the men becomes clear: George is a sharp, wiry man with dreams of saving enough money to buy land for a farm and become the master of his own destiny. Lennie is a hulking but simple-minded man who has short-term memory problems and a fascination with stroking soft objects. This habit has resulted in both George and Lennie (who have traveled everywhere together since their youth) being chased out of Weed, the town where their last job was, after Lennie grabbed the soft hem of a woman’s skirt in order to feel the fabric. George feels burdened by Lennie, but knows he must keep the man with him if they’re both to survive. He tells Lennie that if Lennie should ever get into any trouble at their new ranch, he should return to this very spot and hide in the brush until George comes for him. They drift off to sleep as George tells Lennie about how their future will be, describing the lush, secluded farm with its vegetable garden, animal pen, and best of all, a hutch full of soft rabbits for Lennie to pet.

The next day, the men arrive at the ranch. Candy , an elderly swamper missing a hand, shows them to the bunk house where they’ll sleep alongside the other laborers. The boss of the ranch comes to greet the men and agrees to allow them to stay on, though he’s disappointed that they’re late for their shift and skeptical of two men who travel together. Candy fills George and Lennie in on the dynamics of the ranch, warning them that the boss often takes his anger out on the black stable hand, Crooks , while the boss’s son Curley , a short and pathetic man, is always desperate for a fight in which he can prove his strength. Candy also mentions that Curley’s new wife has “the eye,” and is constantly hanging around the laborer’s quarters trying to flirt with the ranch hands. Sure enough, when Candy steps out to ready the wash basins and tend to his elderly dog , Curley’s wife pokes her head into the bunk house, gives Lennie and George the once-over, and asks where Curley is. Another laborer named Slim , a mule driver, enters the bunk house and shoos Curley’s wife away. As Slim introduces himself to George and Lennie, he, too, expresses his surprise at two men sticking together as they travel around. As the other ranch hands, Carlson and Whit , come in to wash up, they ask Slim about his dog’s new litter of puppies. Lennie becomes excited, and Slim tells him that he can have one. Curley comes by the bunk house, fuming and in search of his wife. After Curley leaves, George tells Lennie that he’s worried about trouble with Curley.

That evening, after dinner, the men enjoy some leisure time. George and Slim play cards in the bunk house while some of the other laborers play a game of horseshoes outside. Lennie is in the barn, playing with the new puppy Slim has given him. George thanks Slim for his generosity and explains that he has been looking after Lennie ever since Lennie’s Aunt Clara , his former caretaker, passed away. George vents his frustrations about traveling with Lennie and even tells Slim about their troubles in Weed. The horseshoe game ends and the other men come into the bunk house. Candy brings his dog inside, and Carlson comments on the dog’s disgusting odor. He suggests Candy put the dog, who is blind, lame, and mangy, out of its misery. Carlson offers to shoot the dog with his pistol, and Slim promises Candy a new puppy from the litter. After much persuading, Candy reluctantly agrees. Carlson takes the dog outside, and soon the others hear the sound of a gunshot. Crooks enters the bunk house and beckons Slim to the barn to help care for a mule with a bad hoof. After Slim leaves, Whit invites George to come along to a whorehouse the following night. George replies that he’s trying to save his money. Carlson and Lennie return to the bunk and crawl into their beds. Curley comes by looking for his wife—he is suspicious to see everyone in the bunk house except Slim and goes out to look for him. Carlson and Whit follow him, hoping for a fight. Lennie asks George to tell him about their farm, and George gets lost in his own reverie as he talks aloud about their little plot of land. Candy interjects to tell them that he can help make their dream a reality if they’ll let him join them on the farm—he’ll pitch in the money he has saved up from the accident that cost him his hand. The rest of the men return to the bunk house. Slim and Curley are in the midst of an argument when Curley spies Lennie smiling, still lost in daydreams of the farm. Curley begins hitting Lennie, but Lennie refuses to fight back even as Curley bloodies his face. George orders Lennie to stand up for himself, so Lennie seizes one of Curley’s hands and crushes it. Slim urges Curley to tell everyone he’s gotten his hand crushed in a machine, warning him there will be trouble if he tries to get Lennie and George fired. Curley agrees. The other men hurry Curley away to the hospital. George assures Lennie that he's done nothing wrong.

The following night, the men are in town visiting billiards halls and whorehouses. Lennie plays with his puppy in the barn for a while and then pays the stable hand, Crooks, a visit in his room, which is separate from the bunk house and just off the stable. Crooks claims that he doesn’t want Lennie’s company—just as he isn’t allowed to fraternize with the white ranch hands, he doesn’t want any of them coming into his space. But when he sees how innocent and well-meaning Lennie is, he agrees to let the man in. As Crooks tells Lennie about his painful past marked by racism, discrimination, and loneliness, Lennie seems not to understand the gravity of anything Crooks is telling him. Crooks continues talking to Lennie and asking him questions, but when Crooks asks Lennie what he would do if George never came back from town, Lennie becomes confused and angry. Crooks apologizes for scaring Lennie, and insists he was just trying to get Lennie to understand his own loneliness. Lennie tells Crooks about his and George’s plan to buy a farm, and Crooks tells Lennie that while every man who passes through the ranch has dreams of his own land, not one of them ever gets it. Candy comes to the doorway looking for Lennie, and Crooks invites Candy to come in and sit down. Candy and Lennie discuss their plans for a farm, but Crooks predicts their dream will never come to fruition. Curley’s wife comes to the door, claiming to be looking for Curley, though she quickly admits that she knows he’s in town and is simply looking for company. Crooks urges Curley’s wife to leave, claiming she’ll only cause them trouble. Curley’s wife notes Lennie’s bruises and thanks him for beating Curley up. Crooks orders Curley’s wife to leave. She turns on him, threatening to have him lynched if he speaks to her again. She leaves the barn after thanking Lennie again for roughing Curley up. Crooks tells Lennie and Candy to leave, and though Candy tries to comfort the clearly-shaken Crooks, Crooks admits that what Curley’s wife said was true—she could have him murdered at any time. George comes to the doorway—all the men have returned from town. He asks Lennie to come with him back to the bunk house, and they leave together. Candy leaves, too, and Crooks is alone once again.

The next afternoon, Lennie is in the barn alone while the men play horseshoes outside. He holds his puppy in his hands—he has accidentally killed it by hitting for nibbling at his fingers. Lennie is angry at the puppy for dying, and worries that if George learns what has happened, he won’t let Lennie tend rabbits in the future. Curley’s wife comes into the barn and approaches Lennie. When she sees that the puppy is dead, she tries to soothe Lennie by assuring him he’ll be able to get another one. Lennie tells Curley’s wife he isn’t supposed to be talking to her. She laments her unending loneliness, and states that she should have had a different life—she says she should have been a movie star. Lennie doesn’t seem to comprehend anything she’s saying, and instead continues worrying aloud about his rabbits. Curley’s wife asks Lennie why he’s obsessed with rabbits, and he replies that he likes to touch soft things. Curley’s wife says she, too, likes the feeling of soft things, and offers to let Lennie stroke her soft curls. Lennie begins stroking her hair, but when his touch becomes too rough, she screams for him to stop. Frightened, Lennie puts his hands over her nose and mouth. When she continues screaming, he shakes her until her neck snaps. Realizing what he’s done, Lennie pushes some hay over Curley’s wife’s body and runs away for the pond to wait for George. Candy comes into the barn looking for Lennie and discovers Curley’s wife’s body. He fetches George, who looks with horror upon the mess Lennie has left. Realizing their dreams of a farm are shattered and that the other men will kill Lennie when they realize what he’s done, Candy and George quickly devise a plan that will keep George from looking suspicious. George returns to the bunk house, and Candy goes out to tell the other men what he’s discovered. As Candy brings all the men—including Curley—into the barn, Curley orders Carlson to fetch his gun so that they can hunt Lennie down and kill him. Carlson goes to the bunk house, but returns without his gun, claiming Lennie has stolen it. George comes into the barn, pretending to see Curley’s wife’s corpse for the first time. He begs Curley to spare Lennie’s life, but Curley remains determined to murder Lennie.

Lennie sits by the pool off the Salinas, worried about getting in trouble with George and tortured by visions of his Aunt Clara, who turns into a giant rabbit and harasses Lennie for his stupidity and cruelty. George comes crashing through the brush and embraces Lennie. Lennie apologizes for what he’s done, but George insists that it doesn’t matter and says he isn’t mad at Lennie at all. As the sounds of the other men’s voices can be heard approaching, George urges Lennie to look out at the river so that he can picture their future on their farm together. George tells Lennie about the vegetables, animals, and rabbits they’ll tend, and Lennie happily looks forward to living “on the fatta the lan’.” As George hears the men’s footsteps approaching, he pulls Carlson’s pistol from inside his jacket, aims it at the back of Lennie’s head, and fires, killing Lennie instantly. The other men arrive at the pool, and Curley thanks George for dispatching with Lennie. George is visibly shaken. Slim tries to comfort him, insisting that he did what he had to do. As Slim helps a nearly-catatonic George back toward the ranch, Carlson and Curley wonder aloud what could be “eatin’ them two guys.”