Of Mice and Men-Curleys Wife

How does Steinbeck use language and structure to portray curleys wife?

Firstly, her first description is in chapter two just after George and lennie have arrived on the ranch. When we first read her description we realise she is all dressed in red, she wore “red mules”, “red ostrich feathers” and her “finger nails were red”. The author uses this symbolic language technique to help us understand that red is associated with danger in the book. This suggests that she is someone to be avoided. The text also states she is “heavily made up”, this suggests that she is trying to get attention off over men on the ranch.
Secondly, after Curley’s wife leaves, she is called many mean things by some of the ranch workers like “bitch”, “poison”, “tramp” and “jail bait”. This makes us feel prejudice against Curley’s wife. She is shown as a microcosm of how woman were treat in the 1930’s.
Thirdly, George tells slim about what Lennie did in weed and how he grabbed the girls “red dress”. This relates the girl in weed to Curley’s wife as she is also dressed in red. This makes us prepared for something similar to happen. Steinbeck used this foreshadowing structure to create suspense and to add tension to the story and to show Curley’s wife as someone to be avoided.
Fourthly, Steinbeck states again that Curley’s wife is “heavily made up”. Steinbeck uses this language device (repetition) to confirm the fact that Curley’s wife always wants attention off the boys on the ranch. As we have already met pugnacious Curley, there is now another possible reason she is putting lots of make up on. It could be that she wants attention, but also that she is trying to hide bruises that she could have got of Curley.
Fifthly, throughout the novella, Curley and his wife are looking for each other, but for the wrong reasons. Curley’s looking for his wife to make sure she’s not with other men and she is looking for him so that she can avoid him as in chapter 2 after slim says I “seen him goin’ in your house” she was “suddenly apprehensive”.
Sixthly, Curley’s wife says “I’d like to bust him myself” about Curley, stating that she is in a loveless marriage and that she resents his pugnacious behaviour.
Seventhly, Curley’s wife uses what little power she has to threaten Curley by saying “you know what I can do if you open you trap”, showing she is sick of being at the bottom of the hierarchy leading her to verbally attack the only person she can-crooks.
Eighthly, when Curley’s wife leaves through the barn the “halter chains rattled” and “horses snorted and stamped their feet”. This states even nature gets nervous and restless around her confirming the fact that she is someone to be avoided.
Finally, when lennie kills Curley’s the “ache for attention were all gone from her face”. Steinbeck uses this to show that Curley’s wife is free from her loveless marriage and sexism.