Oppression Of Women In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

Despite the perception that women are inferior and incompetent, seldom do women withstand this consistent discrimination upon their sex. Under the jurisdiction of men in their families, women are oftentimes restrained from opportunity and development. Curley, a man with an intimidating complexion, forces many, including his flirtatious wife, to succumb to his power. However, he fails to recognize his wife’s rising empowerment as she manipulates men around him into becoming her pawns. John Steinbeck’s usage of Curley’s wife in the novel Of Mice and Men delineates the desire of women to eliminate the over dominance of men through deceit in exchange for their own power.

Curley’s wife is depicted as a flamboyant woman whose appearance deflects her cunning nature. Following the first time she encountered Lennie and George, the migrant workers during the Great Depression, Lennie quickly admits her

beauty until George declares how he has “never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.” (Steinbeck 32). Curley’s wife is perceived as jail bait because the deceitful decorations that ornate her symbolize her efforts of luring insensible men, such as Lennie, to ______ her insecurity of the feeling of powerlessn Though women who engage in this subtle form of prostitution have incentives such as money and pleasure (Schwartz), Curley’s wife’s intention is to extract the power of men through her beauty, making these men vulnerable to her slyness.
Her voice, depicted as “nasal [and] brittle” (Steinbeck 31),
Her efforts of manipulation are foreshadowed by her “nasal [and] brittle” (Steinbeck 31) voice, for this ironic description of Curley’s wife as nasal and brittle in contrast to her devious character symbolizes how she dupes men with her fake timidity.
Accompanying Curley’s wife’s cunning smile are the red ostrich feathers that she wears when talking to other males.

As Lennie and Curley’s wife converse together, the “red ostrich feathers” (Steinbeck 86) attached to her rapidly grasp Lennie’s attention. The feathers, a symbol of her freedom and dominance over men, are painted red because the intense passion seamlessly incorporated into these ornaments represent Curley’s wife achieving the women empowerment she desires as Lennie continues to gaze at her beauty. Curley’s wife uses Lennie’s gullibility to her advantage for she is aware of Lennie’s attraction to soft materials. She describes her hair as “soft and fine” (Steinbeck 90), compelling Lennie to grope it, when truly, the softness of her hair is just one of the many manipulation tactics used by prostitutes, such as herself, in order to lure men of power or status into their hands (Schwartz). Though her complexion as a decorative woman contrasts her cunningness, she obtains the empowerment she sought for successfully by exploiting Lennie into a powerless

man.
Through deceit and a false appearance, Curley’s wife in the novel Of Mice and Men seeks to empower herself and eliminate the dominance of men. Fulfilling her desire for power after manipulating Lennie witis h her brittle voice, red ostrich feathers, and soft hair, the feeling of accomplishment settles with Curley’s wife until Lennie’s uncontrollable emotions towards soft objects eventually kills her. Though the temporary power resonates with Curley’s wife, the sense of achievement is obtained; this sensation however was unfathomable for many women during the Great Depression, and therefore, women resorted to fields such as prostitution in hope of inhibiting the satisfaction of nothing more than power (Schwartz).