Curley's Wife Character Analysis Essay

“In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.” - John Steinbeck. Curley throughout the story, whenever he came in, there was always a negative vibe going on. Events he’s in, usually goes downhill for him or some other major character, he’s always bringing out bad events in the story, from when he wants to kill people, from when he wants to hurt people, Curley is someone who brings bad events to him, and the characters around him. Curley’s actions throughout the story has proved him to be a belligerent, unemotional, and cocky character.

Curley’s belligerence is a character trait that is the reason he does many of the things he does throughout the book. He picked a fight with someone he knows is weak.

Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat. Curley was balanced and poised. He slashed at

Lennie with his left, and then smashed down his nose with a right. Lennie gave a cry of terror. Blood welled from his nose. “George,” he cried. “Make ‘um let me alone, George.” He backed until he was against the wall, and Curley followed, slugging him in the face. Lennie’s hands remained at his sides; he was too frightened to defend himself (31 online)

Lennie, a gentle giant basically crying for Curley to stop, or for someone to stop Curley, but Curley continues to punch him in stomach and beat him up belligerently. Curley also seeks out others’ suffering, here’s an example from the book that showed this, Curley after he sees that his wife is dead, instantly blames Lennie for her death, says he’s going to shoot him in the guts then gets everyone riled up. (47 online) as you can see from the text, Curley instantly blames Lennie for his wife’s death just so Curley could find a reason to shoot Lennie and he instantly springs to life wanting everyone to join in with killing Lennie like a war call. The actions that Curley did throughout the book causes him to be a belligerent character in the story.

Curley also showed to also be an unemotional character from, Of Mice and Men.
Curley showed absolutely no emotion when his own wife died.

“Curley came suddenly to life. “I know who done it,” he cried. “That big son of-a-bitch done it. I know he done it…… “I’m gonna shoot the guts outa that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand. I’m gonna get ‘im.” (47-48 online) As you can see even though his wife died, and he should care about the loss of his loved one, he just wants to shoot Lennie indicating he may have never loved his wife making him emotionless. He also wanted to watch a helpless man suffer. Curley after he sees that his wife is dead, instantly blames Lennie for her death, says he’s going to shoot him in the guts then gets everyone riled up. (47 online) Well, to start off, shooting someone in the guts would cause a slow and painful death that anyone would suffer to, and someone with emotions would be uneasy with shooting someone and watching them suffer, except Curley, he is emotionless/unemotional. From the way Curley “cared” about his wife’s death, to the the way he wanted to kill Lennie, Curley is an unemotional character in the

story.

Curley’s cockiness induced him to do some of the things he did in the story. He wants to beats up someone who is bigger than him so he can prove a point. “Then Curley’s rage exploded. “Come on, ya big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show ya who’s yella.” (47 online) Before the fight, everyone was verbally gaining up on Curley so Curley had to prove a point to all those men that he’s tough, so he tried to beat up Lennie, which in the end failed, but still he tried to beat up Lennie just to prove a point. Curley shows off the facts that he’s the ranch owner’s son so he can get whoever he wants lynched. Candy is talking about everyone on the ranch then when he gets to Curley, he says that he’s the ranch owners son and says that he can convince the ranch owner to lynch anyone. (14 online) Curley knows his dad will always believe him so he can rat on anyone and get them fired just because Curley wanted them fired. From the way Curley lives, from the way Curley tries =[to prove points, he is undoubtable a cocky character in the story.

Curley is a character from, Of Mice and Men written by John Steinbeck, who is belligerent, unemotional, and cocky. Curley shows himself to be belligerent when he picked a fight with Lennie, knowing he was weak, also seeks out others’ suffering. Curley also shows himself to be unemotional throughout the story when he showed no emotion when his own wife died, and also when he wanted to watch a helpless man suffer in pain. Curley, as well showed himself to be cocky in the story from when he wanted to beat up someone bigger than him to prove a point, and when he shows off the fact that he’s the ranch owner’s son, and kind of threatens people with it. John Steinbeck included Curley into the story so he could help us, the readers understand the theme that the strong humans will always last longer than those not strong enough.