She isn’t cared about at all. In fact, she is avoided at all costs by the men at the ranch. Her own husband does not show much care, since he is more concerned about seeking revenge on Lennie than grieving for his dead wife. Nobody cares enough about her that she needs a specific identity. Calling someone by name creates a more personal experience, whereas referring to her in relation to her husband produces a less respectable outlook on the person.
It is apparent from her name that Curly’s wife is nothing but a possession. Because she is a woman, Curly’s wife isn’t even seen as a person. The other people on the ranch completely avoid her. She “can’t talk to nobody but Curly”(87). Like Crooks, Curly’s wife is slowly losing her mind.
Being the only woman on the ranch married to Curley who was too busy with starting fights with other men on the ranch she was very lonely. She was lacking the real companionship that she wanted, causing her to try to associate with other men on the ranch. Curley’s wife was the only talking female character in “Of Mice and Men”. Women back in the 1940’s were weak in society and being a weak character none of the men most being strong in society on the ranch had real respect for her. Those
Crooks is the stable buck. He is lonely because he is racially discriminated, he has no family, and he is bullied. When Crooks was in his cabin Curley’s Wife came in and said “Well keep your place then, Nigger” (81). She is racially discriminating him by his color and telling him to keep his place. This affects his loneliness because he has no one to stand up for him.
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.
After giving up her dream of being an actress, she settles down with a man she doesn’t even like and begins to wallow in her dissatisfaction with the choices she has made. “’I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself’” (88), she says. Curley’s attitude toward his wife and the other men on the ranch worsens as time goes by, driving the woman away. She wanders from building to building claiming that she’s looking for Curley, when she actually just wants to have a conversation with anyone.
“You seen a girl around here?”(37). Being the only girl on the ranch she gets mistreated by many of the men, including Curley. If she is ever doing anything wrong, Curley gets really mad and yells at her. Curley’s wife is always complaining about how much she does not like him. “Well I ain’t told this to nobody before, maybe I ought to.
Along with that, she’s married to Curley who she never really loved thus making it even lonelier for her. Also, since she’s married she can’t follow her dream of being a movie star which she confesses to George and Lennie. For instance Curley says to her “Why’nt you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?” This shows no one wants Curley’s wife around. Steinbeck even give her a name of her own. That just shows how much he wanted to express her isolation.
He keeps repeating “she’s purty.” George, realizing Lennie’s fascination, warns him to stay away from her. Lennie seems to be the only man who has a liking to Curley’s wife, except from Curley. He does not understand that she is Curleys property, so he does not listen to George and carries on talking to her. In the rest of the book this then leads on to disastrous events. 6.
Second one is when she says “Why cant I talk to you? I never got to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely”(86). And finally, she says “Aint I got a right to talk to nobody? You’re a nice guy.