In the 1930s in America, Of Mice and Men depicts the visible challenges caused by the Great Depression. The Wall Street crash of 1929 turned the American dream into a nightmare, and extensive farming had devastated the countryside, leading workers to move across the American Midwest for jobs. Moreover, John Steinbeck incorporated his own personal experiences working on a ranch as a young man into the story.
As a result of the historically high unemployment rate and limited financial resources, unemployed individuals were compelled to travel extended distances in pursuit of employment opportunities to support themselves and uphold the American dream. A significant number of people relocated from their Midwest farmlands to California. Consequently, this situation of working thousands of miles away from home brought about deep feelings of isolation and yearning for home among the workers, as they had to leave their families and loved ones behind.
In the novel, all of the characters have similarities as they work and reside on a ranch while nurturing aspirations for a brighter tomorrow. While they value their occupations, feelings of solitude persist, particularly for Lennie and George who are distant from their residences. Curley’s wife also endures isolation due to societal constraints in 1930s America, being confined to domesticity and treated as her husband’s property. Her deep-seated loneliness stems from an unsatisfying marriage and her spouse’s disregard.
This paragraph focuses on Curley’s wife and discusses how her loneliness is portrayed. Initially, Candy’s description presents Curley’s wife as someone who seeks the attention of multiple men, which leads the reader to have a negative impression of her. By labeling her as a “tart,” she is effectively excluded and seen as trouble by the men. Throughout history, women have often been depicted as sources of temptation and evil. St. Jerome, a 4th-century Latin father of the Christian church, famously stated that women are the gateway to the devil and a dangerous object.
During the 1930s, increased church attendance resulted in an earnest consideration of Christian teachings regarding the negativity associated with women. This surge in religious participation and general propagandizing led to a shift in the overall mindset of the nation towards faith. As a result, the free-spirited and liberal atmosphere of the roaring 20’s was replaced by the more conservative and devout climate of the 1930s. (Kiri Palm, 2005/2006)
The men on the ranch are also afraid of Curley because he is the boss’ son and enjoys asserting his dominance by picking fights with larger men. However, it is important to note that Curley’s wife is controlled by her husband and is not allowed to engage in conversation with any of the men on the ranch. This ultimately causes her to feel isolated. Despite frequently being mentioned, we are never informed of her name, suggesting that she is merely a subordinate to her more influential husband. This exemplifies the lack of empathy among individuals, which results in feelings of solitude.
Curley had recently gotten married, but his wife’s behavior in the story implies that she is already seeking attention from other men and possibly considering being unfaithful due to her loneliness. Lennie quickly becomes attracted to her, commenting that she is pretty.
George harshly responds to Lennie’s flattering comments with, “Listen to me, you insane fool. Don’t even glance at that woman. I don’t care about her words or actions. I have witnessed them manipulate others before, but I have never encountered such a dangerous and underage seductress like her. Stay away from her” (Page 33).
The text exemplifies how John Steinbeck portrays his characters’ dialogue using American slang exactly as they would say it, without correcting their grammar. This allows readers to truly understand the characters’ backgrounds and the settings of their stories. The language used is very straightforward and casual, which makes almost every sentence significant in some way. Additionally, it emphasizes that the characters lack formal education.
In a male-dominated environment, Curley’s wife recognizes that she must rely on her femininity to attract attention, even if it means being viewed negatively by the workers. She believes that dressing provocatively is essential for others to notice her and give her the desired attention. However, considering their farm setting where such attire is unconventional, her choice of clothing appears unnecessary. It becomes clear that her excessive grooming reflects deep-rooted insecurity and dissatisfaction with herself. As stated in the novel, “She had fully rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were painted red.” (page 32)
There is an inherent contradiction in the story of Of Mice and Men as men seek companionship in a brothel, while Curley’s wife is condemned to loneliness due to her marriage. Throughout the narrative, Curley’s wife uses her husband as an excuse to engage with the men, emphasizing her profound sense of isolation. Her unhappy marital union further underscores her longing for other forms of companionship: “Well, I haven’t told this to anyone before. Maybe I shouldn’t. I don’t like Curley. He isn’t a pleasant person” (page 87).
Her marriage is portrayed as volatile due to her poor choice of husband – Curley, a former lightweight boxer who always seems to be searching for a fight and eager to resolve any issues through physical violence. There is also a crude aspect to his personality, as demonstrated in the book when he brags about wearing a glove filled with Vaseline to maintain soft hands for enhanced sexual prowess with his wife (as described by Candy on page 29). His treatment of his wife reflects the notion that she is merely a plaything or object, rather than an individual.
The impact of loneliness on the personality of Curley’s wife is evident when she interrupts a conversation between Candy, Crooks, George, and Lennie regarding their aspirations of a better life and owning their own farm. In a mocking manner, she dismisses Candy’s ideas and dreams by laughing at them, stating “Baloney.” She goes on to express her cynicism, saying “I seen too many you guys…I know you guys,” implying that they would squander any opportunities that came their way. (page 78)
Despite outwardly displaying jealousy towards the workers on the farm, Curley’s Wife is actually afraid of being alone with Curley and resorts to manipulating people psychologically in order to keep them close. The foreshadowing of Curley’s Wife’s death is rooted in Lennie’s reputation as a troublemaker, evidenced by the line, “You do bad things and I got to get you out.” Likewise, foreshadowing of Lennie’s own demise stems from the relationships between the characters and the deliberate use of contrast. Finally, the manner in which Lennie is killed parallels the death of Candy’s dog.
Later in the story, Lennie unintentionally kills his puppy by petting it too roughly while they are in the barn. At that moment, Curley’s wife enters the scene, donning a vibrant cotton dress adorned with ostrich feathers. Her face is fully made up and her hair is styled in tight curls. Despite Lennie’s reluctance, she insists on sitting next to him. Lennie resists, saying “George says I’m not supposed to have any interaction with you – talk to you or anything” (page 85). However, she persists and questions, “Is George giving you orders about everything?” (page 85).
Noticing that Lennie is hiding something, she discovers it’s his motionless puppy hidden under the hay. This leads her to sympathize with Lennie and share her own feelings of loneliness and unfulfilled dreams. One dream involves joining a traveling show to pursue acting, while another revolves around a man who offered her a movie role but failed to deliver. She suspects her mother of stealing the letter that could have altered her life, causing her to marry Curley as a means of revenge and escape simultaneously.
The honesty exhibited by Curley’s wife reveals her enduring desire to break free from her current circumstances and the loneliness that has plagued her. Even in her final scene in the book, she remains in the barn with Lennie, as flirtatious as ever. She manages to persuade Lennie to touch her hair, which he finds enjoyable due to his own feelings of isolation. Lennie exclaims, “Oh! that’s nice!” (page 89).
Regrettably, Curley’s wife’s quest for attention takes a tragic turn when Lennie accidentally kills her. Interestingly, it is Candy who stumbles upon the lifeless body. According to the text, “And the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent were all gone from her face. She was pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young..” (Page 91)
Despite her lifelong struggle for peace and happiness, Curley’s wife ultimately finds them in death. However, her husband insists on pursuing Lennie’s capture and execution, leaving his wife isolated once more. In both life and death, Curley’s wife endures a sense of loneliness. The theme of isolation is effectively depicted by John Steinbeck in “The depression of the 1930’s,” a time when individuals frequently had to travel great distances for work, making it an exceptionally difficult era to exist in.
Despite the surge of support for women’s rights in the 1920s, the Depression of the 1930s led to a resurgence of the conventional belief that women should remain at home. Moran (1989) explains that during this challenging economic period marked by high unemployment rates, the government focused on bringing American men back into employment. Working women were viewed by society as unpatriotic individuals who were taking away jobs from men responsible for supporting their families. Given this backdrop, Curley’s wife emerges as perhaps the most isolated character despite being married.
She is portrayed throughout the story as nameless and objectified, constantly seeking attention from the workers due to lack of support from her husband. Loneliness has drastically changed Curley’s wife’s behavior, making her excessively flirtatious and insecure. Loneliness has transformed her into a completely different individual. The ranch men avoid her to avoid getting into trouble because of her flirtatious nature. Nobody comprehends the impact of loneliness on her. Her insecurity is visible in her choice of clothing and use of cosmetics.
Curley’s wife’s loneliness resulted in her becoming a sexually suggestive individual in search of companionship. Ultimately, this led to her own downfall but ironically brought her the happiness she yearned for.
Reference
- 1930s, America – Feminist Void? The status of the Equal Rights Movement during the Great Depression Mickey Moran http://www. loyno. edu/~history/journal/1988-9/moran. htm
- The Beauty and Tragedy of the 1930s Kiri Palm 2005-2006 http://my. ilstu. edu/~lmerri/uhigh/The%20Beauty%20and%20Tragedy%20of%20the%201930%27s/religion. html
