Of Mice and Men

How far does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife throughout the novella?
Before she’s introduced to the reader: Chapter 2
“Well I think Curley’s married . . . a tart.”
“Well, you look her over, mister. You see if she ain’t a tart.”  derogatory terms

After she’s introduced to the reader: Chapter 2
“A girl was standing there. . .”  immaturity, naïve
“She had full, rouged lips… heavily made up.”
 Pouting, sensual image
A lot of makeup, preposterous, ridiculous in context
Red lips  sexual, flirtatious
“Her finger nails were red.”  repeated red image  provocative
“. . . red mules . . . bouquets of red ostrich feathers . . .”Repeated red image  provocative
Paralinguistic features  unspoken features  emphasises her body  flirtatious
“Leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward”
 Suggestive, provocative “Nobody can’t blame a person for looking.”  ambiguous
“She was suddenly apprehensive.”  on edge, scared at the mention of Curley
“Jesus what a tramp,’ he said. ‘So that’s what Curley picks for a wife.”  tart  derogatory term
“Don’t you even take a look at that bitch … I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.”
Derogatory
Femmefatal

After she’s introduced to the reader: Chapter 4
“Any you boys seen Curley?”  instigator  troublemaker  repetitive
“Her lips were slightly parted.”  paralinguistic features
“They left all the weak ones here.”  vulnerable  contradictory  she’s classed as a weak one
“Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”  empathy or sympathy?  Roles of women in that time  trying to tug on the heart strings?
“Curley’s wife laughed at him.”  she’s bitter?  Bring other people down  discouraging
“O.K., Machine. I’ll talk to you later. I like Machines.”  attempts to flirt?  Flirtatious
“I’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it coming to him. Sometimes I’d like to bust him myself.”