Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Analysis

In section four Lennie, Crooks, Candy, and Curley’s wife are left on the farm because they are considered lesser. Lennie isn’t brought along with them because he has a mental disability and George does not want to take care of him while he is trying to have a good time. In some situations -for example doing farm work- Lennie can be helpful, but in this situation, he is a burden. Crooks is left behind because he is African American. Is this time period African Americans did not have equal rights, and although most of the men on the farm respected him as a worker, they would not consider him a friend or an equal. Candy is left behind because he is older. They cannot relate to him the same way they can with each other and it would be a nuisance for them to have to drag an old man to a brothel. Finally Curley’s wife is left behind because she is a woman. She will never be “one of the guys” and will certainly not be brought to a brothel. In fact, Curley did not even want his wife to know he was at a brothel. Curley’s wife describes the situation the best, “‘They left all the weak ones here,’ she said finally.”(p.77) All the ones left behind are the ones who aren’t viewed by everyone else as equal or normal.

The predatory nature of the ranch is present, even among the weaker characters, because even though they are all considerably weak, a strongest can still be established.

When Curley’s wife enters the room, she starts to flirt with them and then asks them about how Curley hurt his hand. The men think they have the upperhand (because they are four men to one small woman) and they tell her to leave. Although Curley’s wife quickly establishes her dominance by threatening Crooks, “She closed in on him. ‘You know what I could do?’”(p.80). She makes it known that if she wanted to hurt them or fire them she could and no one would do anything about it. Even though Curley’s wife is the weakest strength-wise, she has the most power because she is married to the boss’

son.
In the scene Crooks is the most vulnerable. This is established from the start of the section when the reader is told he has medicine bottles in his trunk and that he is a cripple. He also is unable to keep people out of his room, but wouldn’t even if he could because he is so lonely. This shows that he is not only vulnerable in the sense that he does not have control over the situation, but that he is emotionally vulnerable. He is also the most vulnerable because he has the least political standing and even a woman has power over him in his own room, “Crooks reduced himself to nothing. There was no personality, no ego-nothing to arouse either like or dislike. He said, ‘Yes ma’am,’ and his voice was toneless.”(p.81) Crooks arguably has the least amount of power in the room and it is shown through the way he treats others and is treated by others.