The Influences of Curley's Wife on the Development of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men

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Recommended: Women's Roles in the 1930s

Curley's wife is an essential character for the development of John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men, even though mysterious and nameless, she portrays the women of the 1930s, as well as emphasises their objectification and undermining. Curley's wife is also of great importance for developing the themes of dreaming as well as their downfall, the desire to be free and independent or essentially the American Dream. Finally, she also develops the theme of loneliness in the novel, as well as the theme of bitterness; her conversations with other characters in the novel greatly show this aspect of her and contribute to the novel in many ways, making Curley's wife one of the most influential and symbolic characters in Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck introduces Curley's wife to the reader before the reader even meets her at the end of Chapter 2; when George and Lennie first meet Candy in the ranch, he mentions that "Curley has married… a tart," this shows how Curley's wife, even before being presented in the book, is spoken about in a very derogatory and gossipy manner. Steinbeck wishes to prepare the reader to meet Curley's wife by giving the reader a biased and influenced look about the way she acts; this early impression of Curley's wife entices the reader to have a negative look on Curley's wife by mentioning her as a "tart," which exemplifies comments that are repeated multiple times when speaking about her. That comment makes the reader believe she will be flirty and promiscuous, as well as prepares the reader to the problems that Curley's wife will bring to the novel. When Curley's wife is presented, Steinbeck describes her as flirtatious. At the end of Chapter 2, the reader meets a woman who appears with "full, rouged lips and wide... ... middle of paper ... ...arts to shout; she was then "still… as Lennie had broken her neck." Lennie runs away and George has to shoot Lennie as he cannot run from his problems anymore, Curley's wife being the reason of the collapse of their dream of owning a farm together and being independent. Candy and Crooks, who united with George and Lennie because of their dream, are now worthless for the plan. Curley's wife's death was ultimately the reason of the downfall of the dreams present in the novel Of Mice and Men. In conclusion, Curley's wife's significance is of utter importance to the novel, she resembles the courage and life of the women in the 1930s, as well as their negative connotations and exemplifies the misogyny present in a ranchers world. The themes of loneliness, dreaming and also their downfall is essential to the character of Curley's wife in Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men.

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