John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men": Character Analysis of Curley's Wife
Initially the character of Curley’s Wife is described to the readers by the men on the ranch that George and Lennie last work on, in their conversations with each other, before Curley’s Wife’s character is fully introduced with speech and description of physical appearance. Expressions, such as the idiom “she got the eye”, are used to describe her, implying that she is promiscuous and flirtatious, something that is later emphasised by her being referred to by the derogatory term of “tart£, implying that she is suggestive and perhaps even similar to a prostitute in terms of the way she portrays herself. The word “tart” could also suggest that she presents herself flamboyantly in front of the men at the ranch, illustrating her desperation for attention. The fact that she is married and is still promiscuous and portrays herself flamboyantly in front of other men could suggest that she is unfaithful and immoral, or alternatively that her sexual needs are not fulfilled by her husband, providing a reasonable explanation to why Curley wears a glove “fulla vasaline”, something that is seen as “dirty” by George. She is described to be “heavily made up” which could add to her being unfaithful and untrue as she almost is disguised and covered up by cosmetics, covering her real natural appearance. Steinbeck purposefully conveys Curley’s Wife negatively through the ranch men in order to create an initial pessimistic and hateful approach toward her character by the readers.
The lack of power and authority that revolves around Curley’s Wife is personified through her being referred to as either merely someone’s wife, or, through derogatory terms such as “tart” and “jailbait”, by the men at the ranch. Her lack of identity could be a symbol purposefully created by the author to inform the readers about the insignificance of a woman’s role in society during the Great Depression, and how men were far more dominant in relationships, leading to women having unequal, if any, power.
The lack of power and authority that revolves around Curley’s Wife is personified through her being referred to as either merely someone’s wife, or, through derogatory terms such as “tart” and “jailbait”, by the men at the ranch. Her lack of identity could be a symbol purposefully created by the author to inform the readers about the insignificance of a woman’s role in society during the Great Depression, and how men were far more dominant in relationships, leading to women having unequal, if any, power.