This perception is further emphasized by Curley’s Wife’s first appearance in the novel. Steinbeck shows that she can be trouble and perhaps danger when the “rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off”. Showing that something dark has entered the room. Her physical appearance of “full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made-up” as well as painted fingernails and elaborate hair, further builds up on our first thoughts of her. She also acts flirtatiously in front of the other ranch workers.
Already, the reader is introduced to the idea that Curley's wife is an immoral "tart" which is strengthened upon her first appearance, which follows shortly after. She is first seen in the doorway of the bunkhouse , asking about the location of her husband, which is soon revealed as being a weak excuse to interact with the ranchers. She is wearing a "red cotton house dress" and a pair of mules decorated with "bouquets of red ostrich feathers." 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 middle of the 'Dust Bowl' expresses her desperate need for attention as she is willing to possibly ruin her best shoes in order to entice the ranchers, despite the fact that she has a husband.
Curley’s wife is portrayed as being a whore – but this is only due to the way she dresses, her provocative ways and the way she acts around men, as if she is aware of her femininity. This could suggest that she is only like this because she is bored, like it is something to do – something interesting for a change. She is constantly trying to get people to notice her. But, because of Lennie’s purity and innocence, he doesn’t see her in the way other men do – a sexual object. When Steinbeck quotes “And because she had confided in him, she moved closer to Lennie and sat beside him”, it is clear to the audience that Curley’s Wife is using her sexuality as an object to create some sort of excitement for herself.
Explore the Significance of Curley's Wife in 'Of Mice and Men' How is Curley's Wife presented in 'Of Mice and Men'? In this essay I will be discussing the significance of Curley's wife and outlining the main issues during the time era used in Steinbeck's novel. I will also be giving a brief look into the emotional turmoil of Curley's wife and why she was forced to mingle with others in hope of maybe achieving her version of the 'American dream' which ultimately is proven as useless since it leads to nothing but the demise of one of the main characters Lenny in a devastating turn of events. In some way one ciuld call this novel, very pessimistic or cynical, The novel reflects society's prejudice. People of color had no rights in America; they were considered sometimes 'unfit' for the world.
The author uses different adjectives to describe to the reader the appearance and personality of Curley’s wife. The fact that Steinbeck refers to her as “A girl” may show her immature desire for attention, and the fact that she wore mainly red symbolizes blood and danger which also hints to the reader that she is a mesmerizing but dangerous woman. Curley’s wife was “heavily made up” which suited the description that Candy gave to George – a tart. However, this may symbolize that she is wearing a mask and is not showing her true persona, and we find that later on in the novel she truly reveals herself to Lennie. This enforces the idea that unlike Lennie, she is a complex character in the novel.
One archetype of personification used is Martyn’s encounter with his Aunty Jean after his dad’s bereavement. Brooks uses the quote; “I could tell it was Aunty Jean by the tone of the bell. It sounded terrified.” The personification used suggests to the reader that even inanimate objects are discouraged by her, or fearful of her, by the use of the word ‘terrified’, this also reflects the similar emotions and physical feelings between Martyn and his aunt, which we can tell by the way Brooks creates this concept of Martyn resenting being part of the Pig family in earlier stages of the novel, are not of a good disposition. Another example of imagery in the novel is the metaphor used on page 50, upon which Martyn thinks back to a quote he remembers from the late Albert Einstein, which conjures up this idea of ‘the invisible piper’ and how we cannot control the unravelling of a chain of events. Martyn then goes on to say; “The invisible piper on this occasion was the postman.” I think in this case, we see a hint of Martyn’s relationship with himself, as regularly through the novel, he tends to
How does Steinbeck present Curley’s Wife in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’? Steinbeck presents Curley’s Wife in the novel Of Mice and Men by pointing her out in a negative way; this is how most men would see women in the 1930s. She is judged on her appearance and the way she presents herself to other characters on the ranch. Curley’s Wife is described on how she looks; she is described as wearing red, which shows a symbol of danger. By wearing the red throughout this relates to how she always dreamed of being in the movies and fulfilling her dreams.
The word “tart” which shows the impression and effect Curley’s wife has on other workers on the ranch. The word “tart” is very blunt and straight forward which is the effect Steinbeck wanted to use because he wants to show the reader the immediate impression workers have about Curley’s wife. This further supports my point that Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife in a negative manner. The effect of this is that the reader has made an unfair judgement about Curley’s wife without her even speaking. This means that the reader sees her as a danger to Lennie but also makes the reader think that she is unfaithful and has married Curley for the wrong reasons such as money and power which is what all ambitious women
This further suggests her need to overcompensate in her image as an attempt to impress the ranch workers and her husband. The reader may infer that Curley’s wife succeeds in her attempt for their attention when slim addresses her as “good-lookin” in a friendly manner, however we notice George stays constantly wary of her and treats her with a similarly brusque air “well he aint now.” Steinbeck uses this short and abrupt sentence to perhaps highlight George’s intolerance of her, and her dangerously flirty personality. Steinbeck prefigures the death of Curley’s wife, later in the novel, also through his physical description of her. This is shown through use of the colour red in her; “rouged lips”; “little bouquets of red ostrich feathers” and “red mules” perhaps meaning her association with the colour red holds connotations of danger and death. Her death is also prefigured in the very first introduction of her entering the bunkhouse “the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off” Steinbeck presents the sunshine as being part of Curley’s wife’s’ ‘dream’ and perhaps being used as a metaphor for the freedom and happiness she longs for, however when the light is “cut
Curley’s wife essay Curley’s wife is a character of wide complex and diversity. Her role slowly unwinds and develops throughout the course of the novel, constantly changing the reader’s opinion of her due to her ambiguous characteristics. We see through the novel that in 1930’s America women were generally treated with contempt through the course of the novel and as a general theme. Steinbeck depicts females as ‘trouble makers’ who bring ruin on men; Curley’s wife who walks the ranch as a temptress, seems to be a prime example of this destructive tendency. Women were looked upon as inferior; and incapable of the skills men were, so a woman’s role was mainly housework and nothing with manual requirement.