Initially, the men on the ranch George and Lennie last worked on describe Curley’s Wife to the readers. They discuss her among themselves before her character is fully introduced through dialogue and a description of her physical appearance. They use expressions like “she got the eye” to imply that she is promiscuous and flirtatious. This notion is further highlighted when she is referred to as a derogatory term, “tart,” suggesting that she presents herself suggestively, possibly resembling a prostitute.
The woman at the ranch, referred to as a “tart,” may be seen as desperate for attention based on her flamboyant behavior around men. Her promiscuity and flamboyance while being married could be interpreted as her being unfaithful and morally questionable. Alternatively, it could be a consequence of her husband’s failure to fulfill her sexual needs. This could be a possible explanation for why Curley wears a glove with vaseline, which George views as inappropriate or “dirty.”
Curley’s Wife is characterized as being heavily made up, suggesting that she may be unfaithful and untrue, as her true appearance is concealed by cosmetics. Steinbeck intentionally portrays Curley’s Wife negatively through the ranch men, aiming to generate an initial negative and hateful perception of her character among readers. The men at the ranch diminish her power and authority by primarily referring to her as someone’s wife, or using derogatory terms like “tart” and “jailbait”.
The author may have intentionally used the protagonist’s lack of identity as a symbol to convey the social insignificance of women during the Great Depression. This portrayal highlights the dominant role of men in relationships and emphasizes the unequal distribution of power. For instance, instead of being referred to by her own name, Curley’s wife is only identified as someone’s wife. This depiction suggests that she is viewed more as a possession rather than an individual.
Furthermore, her lack of identity immediately diminishes her status at the ranch, making her appear unimportant and similar to other powerless and low-status individuals such as Candy and Crooks. In section four, there is irony when Curley’s Wife refers to Crooks, Candy, and Lennie as the “weak ones” on the ranch, considering they have been abandoned by other workers who have gone out. However, she fails to acknowledge that she herself is not even called by her name and is treated more like a possession and object belonging to Curley rather than being seen as a person.
As the novel unfolds, Curley’s Wife undergoes a transformation. Initially, she is a little-known and disregarded figure. However, as she is introduced more fully, she emerges as a bold and menacing character. This development results in others fearing her, evident from how everyone avoids her, ultimately bestowing her with a sense of power. Interestingly, it even appears that her own husband, Curley, attempts to distance himself from her, as she is constantly on the lookout for him. The ranch workers contribute to her ostracization by considering her to be underage and a source of trouble.
The words “bait” and “trap” are interconnected, as they both have connotations related to allure and temptation, suggesting her provocative nature. On the other hand, “trap” is associated with fear, suffering, and her dangerous attributes, highlighting her power. Her lips are colored red, referred to as “rouged lips,” while her fingernails are red as well, described as “her fingernails were red.” Additionally, she wears red mules as her shoes. The color red signifies elements such as fire, fury, anguish, and pain, further enhancing the notion of her being a dangerous presence.
Alternatively, the color red also carries associations such as romance, allurement, seduction, and lust, highlighting the idea that she is provocative and enticing, leading others into danger. Additionally, the choice of red as her prominent color in her appearance further reinforces the notion that she is provocative. This can be seen in how George and Curley’s Wife both refer to Lennie as a “bull,” akin to bullfighting where a red cloth is used to agitate and attract the bull.
Steinbeck might have used this technique to hint to readers the impending fate of Curley’s Wife, George, and Lennie, and how she is destined to bring them harm. Additionally, Steinbeck employs the use of light as a symbolic representation of Curley’s Wife’s ability to be intimidating and authoritative. When she enters the barn house, the light is extinguished, as stated, “The rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off.” This act of removing light creates a sense of darkness, which serves as a symbol for malevolence and evil. Thus, it underscores her dangerous nature and emphasizes her power.
Steinbeck employs various techniques, including the depiction of Curley’s Wife’s physical appearance, to deepen our initial negative impressions of her. However, our negative perception of Curley’s Wife begins to shift when she enters Crooks’ room while he is conversing with Lennie and Candy. Curley’s Wife enters with the same pretext, claiming she is searching for Curley. As the entire ranch men harbor a deep fear of her, Candy and Crooks avert their gaze “away from her eyes,” highlighting the extent of her control over them, which is so overwhelming that they cannot even bring themselves to look at her.
Throughout the text, Curley’s Wife is portrayed as a figure that evokes both hate and sympathy from the other characters. She exacerbates the discomfort and pessimism of the men, exploiting their fears to threaten Crooks. This threat leaves him frightened and pressed against the wall. Her attention-seeking behavior and threatening nature, however, stem from her loneliness and desire to live a life outside the confines of her home. She longs for human interaction and resents being trapped in domesticity. Steinbeck uses rhetorical questions to prompt readers to consider the challenges she faces and elicit sympathy and compassion. These questions also serve to highlight to the men the glaring reality of her miserable existence, further engaging readers’ empathy.
It is possible that Steinbeck used rhetorical questions in order to bring attention to and remind readers of the unimportance of women’s roles in society during that time period. Additionally, he depicts Curley’s Wife using sarcasm when talking about her husband to the men, emphasizing her dislike and resentment towards him. Furthermore, these rhetorical devices may serve to highlight the mundane and unfulfilling life of a traditional domestic wife who is limited to being solely at home without any form of entertainment.
The readers begin to empathize more with her, understanding that she is a young woman who made a regrettable choice that has led to a life with someone she doesn’t even like, let alone love. Our sympathy deepens when she expresses how she finds joy in conversing with people who are far from her ideal companionship, simply because there is no one else to connect with. “an’ likin’ because they ain’t nobody else”.
The text highlights her dislike for him by praising Lennie for injuring her husband, justifying his deserving it, and expressing her own desire to harm him: “He got it comin’ to him. Sometimes I’d like to bus him myself.” However, in the final scene, Steinbeck alters our initial negative perceptions of Curley’s Wife as she opens up about her life with Lennie. We immediately see her longing for a normal conversation with someone, as she can only communicate with the mentally disabled person whom she considers as “a dum-dum.” Despite this, she still chooses to engage with him.
Steinbeck discusses Curley’s Wife’s various tactics for engaging with others, such as silently entering a conversation and diverting the subject, in order to establish a connection or extend a discussion. These methods highlight her need for different approaches in order to establish any sort of bond with another person, even if it is just a brief conversation. As a result, the audience feels sympathy and pity for her struggles. This desperation is further highlighted when Steinbeck describes how Curley’s Wife rushes to finish speaking before her listener can be taken away.
The act of talking to Lennie about his puppy’s death changes our perception of her in a positive way. It shows that she wasn’t using her attractiveness to cause trouble for others, but rather to have a normal conversation. It also contradicts the notion that she enjoys tormenting powerless individuals, like Crooks. By showing her understanding side to Lennie instead of intimidating him and informing George, this action erases that belief about her as well.
She discusses choosing to endure a monotonous and unhappy existence alongside someone she has no affection for or pursuing the captivating and lavish life of a Hollywood actor. Additionally, she laments her mother’s betrayal, which led her to end up with Curley. Steinbeck successfully evokes empathy from readers as they witness the bleakness of her current circumstances juxtaposed with the potential for a more fulfilling existence.
The text highlights a scenario where the speaker resides in a modest dwelling and expresses disdain for her husband’s storytelling, contrasting it with the possibility of being photographed in luxurious hotels. This negative mindset towards important people in her life, like her husband and mother, indicates her lack of trustworthy and supportive individuals. Steinbeck illustrates her desperate need for attention by showing how she disregards the consequences of Lennie’s actions, despite being informed about his past episodes, resulting in her untimely demise.
Despite our initial perceptions of her as powerful, bold, and dangerous, our view of Curley’s Wife completely changes when she dies. Steinbeck’s simile comparing her body to a fish flopping emphasizes her helplessness and struggle. This simile evokes the image of a fish moving rapidly and vigorously when out of water. Additionally, Steinbeck’s portrayal of her as a small, harmless animal erases any previous notions of her power and endears her to us even more. Despite her transformation, Curley’s Wife remains consistent throughout the text.
However, our opinions of her change. Initially, we perceive her as a tart and a flirt who rejects being by her husband’s side. Yet, as we listen to more of her own words, our sympathy for her grows. She remains nameless to us. In the eyes of men, she is always Curley’s possession, and thus, should not deviate from him. Marriage shattered her dreams and her yearning for human connection tragically shortened her relatively young life. Steinbeck has skillfully crafted a character whom we can empathize with.
