Gender Stereotypes In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

The Negativity That Plagues OMAM

Women and men have been degraded and had false assumptions of their own gender and stereotyped. This is not a modern thing but has been happening for thousands of years. But more often than not is directed towards women. In Of Mice and Men, gender stereotyping is often seen in such a book with all of its crude language and themes. There’s no surprise to it when you read all of its degrading terms from back then. Gender stereotypes in OMAM are negative and degrades both genders, more so women,

Something that people do is make assumptions. Men often make derogatory assumptions at women, who they may have never met or tried to learn about. When George and Lennie arrive at the ranch for their new jobs, they

Curley’s wife also degrades all men by saying all they do is drink, can’t save money, and go to cat houses. Lennie, Crooks, and Candy are all in Crooks’ shack. They’re all talking to each other about the ranch they dream of owning, when Curley’s wife appears. Curley’s wife yells at the trio in the shack,”Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all went.” (77). Curley’s wife is well aware that her husband is at a cat house with all the other workers. This is only the first month into their marriage and he’s not with her, but drinking and probably with other women. Candy and Lennie spill the secret of the ranch they wanted to own in the future. They tell her that they don’t have to stay working here and listen to her talk. She tells the trio what she thinks of their dream. “I’ve seen too many of you guys. If you had two bits in the worl’ why you’d be in getting two shots of corn with it and sucking the bottom of the glass. I know you guys.” (79). She claims that she knows that all men act the same. Drinking, wasting money, women, is all men do. She’s met many of these men before so her stereotype of men does come from some truth, so you can see how she believes this. Women are also stereotyping men and degrading them. She says she knows how they all act and it’s all the

Back to the first meeting with Curley’s wife, George keeps up with the degrading stereotypes and assumptions. AFter meeting her for only less than a couple minutes, he’s already making assumptions by saying,” Yeah, and she’s sure hidin’ it. Curley's got his work ahead of him. Bet she’d clear out for twenty bucks.” (32). Without knowing how she acts with her husband, he makes the assumption she would leave him for money. Whether or not she would leave him or not, the fact he made such a comment after less than a couple minutes of meeting her is rude and degrading. Lennie steps in the conversation and calls Curley’s wife pretty. George is immediately angry and yells at him. When Lennie tries to defend her, George steps in and and tells Lennie, “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch. I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seem ‘em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jailbait worse than her. You leave her be.” (32). George first calls her a bitch and to stay away from her, thinking she’s going to cause problems with Lennie. After a first impression with no real conversation, the derogatory remarks come rolling out of George’s