Of Mice And Men - Curley's Wife

565 Words3 Pages
Author John Steinbeck is honored for the deep description in his novels that allow the reader to picture the story in the mind as if they are actually there. This is especially true with his details given about a story’s characters. However, in his novel Of Mice and Men, although he provides substantial detail about her personality and appearance, he leaves Curley’s Wife without of name. In the novel, Curley’s Wife was a possession to her husband, an outcast on the ranch, and a misunderstood victim of her circumstances. In the time era in which Of Mice and Men took place in, woman were considered second class citizens. They had few rights, and in the eyes of many their only purpose was to tend to the home and children. A woman was property to her husband, and it was only exemplified by the fact that a woman had no means of supporting herself – she relied on her husband. It is because of this that Curley’s wife was referred to as such. She was known as nothing more than the property of Curley. Her own husband did not even have enough respect for her to call her anything more than “my wife.” Curley’s wife was an outcast. Not one person on the ranch took the time to learn her actual name. Curley was short-tempered and eager to start a fight. He could easily have anyone who caused trouble with him fired because of his position as the Boss’s son. People were afraid to talk to her because it could cost them their job. Although her intentions were probably not harmful, Curley’s wife came across as somewhat promiscuous. The men on the ranch thought she was trouble because of how she acted. They ignored her when she would come by “looking for Curley,” saying nothing more than that he was not there. In reality, she was not looking for her cruel, unloving husband. She was looking for a friend who would take the time to get to know her more than simply Curley’s wife.
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