Thi is not an accident, but a very symbolic gesture on the part of Steinbeck. She is not a woman, she is her husband's property. Our first meeting of Curley's Wife is ominous; George instantly views her as a sign of trouble. In chapter 2, shortly after checkin in with the boss, George and Lennie stumble upon the young woman, dressed in red, made up and wearing mules with red feathers. the color of her attire and the style of her hair and makeup suggest some sexuality, as well as a youthful desire to be found attractive.
The character, Curley's wife, of the novel "of mice and men" is an example how the readers perception of a character changed without the character actually changing. This is demonstrated by the way that George and Lennie are warned about Curley's wife and how she is portrayed as a seductive, troublemaker. As the story continues, stienbeck slowly reveals her secrets, the real Curley's Wife is found. Stienbeck influences our opinion of curleys through other characters opions. She is first mentioned in the narrative when Candy describes her togeorge.
Psychologist Irene Levine, author of "Best Friends Forever," explains that women naturally compare themselves to their friends. Jealousy and competition are natural reactions to a friend having more, whether it's possessions, achievements or looks. It is important to be aware of those competitive feelings and learn how to cope with them. Jealousy can lead to anger, causing you to avoid your friend or show aggressive behavior toward her. For a example when your friend become successful at work or buys a new car and also when your friend gets high good grade
emphasisinig her sexual presence as the colour red, which is expressed repeatedly when Curley's wife's clothes are described, is often reffered to as the colour of love and passion. Additionally, the bouquets of ostrich feathers, also described as red, on the insteps of her shoes would have been extremely expensive in the times Of Mice and Men was set; and that Curley's wife not only wears them on her feet but in
The term ‘tart’ has connotations of someone who is unfaithful, and this would cause the reader to distrust Curley’s wife as a character. Steinbeck gives the reader the impression that she is portrayed as a villain as the workers did not have nice things to say about her. We are encouraged to dislike her without actually her being present or doing anything in the story. Steinbeck also uses light and darkness to portray attitudes towards Curley’s wife. An example of this is when Curley’s wife first appears in the bunkhouse; both Lennie and George notice that the rectangle of sunshine is cut off.
The quote where Lady Anne states “If ever he have wife, let her be made. More miserable by the life of him. Than I am made by my young lord and thee!” is rather ironic because in the end it is she who becomes Richard’s wife. Richard then enters, or rather bursts into this scene with a verbal onslaught and starts his intention on seducing Lady Anne. In the BBC version of this scene, the priests surrounding Lady Anne cowers at the presence of Richard.
My impression from reading ‘Of Mice and Men’, I feel that Steinbeck’s idea that Curley’s wife is a ‘nice, kind girl and not a floozy’ presented to us is only accurate to a certain extent. I feel that the theme in the book of dreams and the view on women is a way that help back his point at portraying her as ‘nice’, however the consequences to her actions lead to create a negative image of her. Steinbeck uses techniques such as symbolism and dialogue (gossip) to present the character of Curley’s wife. A way that Steinbeck contradicts his statement is by introducing Curley’s wife through the gossip of the men on the ranch, before actual contact with her, creating a prejudiced opinion. The shared opinion by the men on the ranch is that they think ‘Curley’s married… a tart’ and that she is ‘giving men the eye’.
He behaves threateningly to Lennie because "he hates big guys. Kind of like he's mad at em' because he ain't a big guy."(29). Shortly after Lennie and George encounter Curley's wife and Lennie can't help but gawk at her; "she's purty. "(35).George sternly tells Lennie "you keep away from herm 'cause she's a rat-trap.."(36). Lennie in his instinctive animalistic way burst out "I don't like the place, George.
Curley’s Wife Curley’s wife is an interesting character in Of Mice and Men. Near the start of the story, she has a fairly minor role in the story, but Steinbeck slowly increases her importance till she is the cause of Lennie’s death. The reader is manipulated to like, and dislike her at the same time. We are made to dislike Curley’s wife at first, because she’s married to Curley, and the subtext is implying that there’s a small relation with her, and a “tart”, as Candy said in chapter 2; “I think Curley’s married… a tart.” There are links between Curley’s wife and prostitution, for example; “She wore a cotton house dress and red mules” linking the red mules with things such as the red-light district. Another link is how she was “heavily made up”, and she had “full, rouged lips”.
A feminist point of view would be that the men are excluding her from having a social life. An audience composed of feminist readers, would evoke a sympathetic response when analysing the character of Curley’s Wife. She is said to wear the colour red; red is a primary colour which attracts young children because it’s bright and has an element of happiness in it. This description indicates the fact that she is an oppressed wife, forced to wear the clothes she is expected to wear but also holds onto a dream of the movies by wearing ‘ostrich’ feathers. Steinbeck communicates through this that she still desperately wants to achieve her goal but cannot due to Curley procrastinating her goal.