Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Essay

Words: 587
Pages: 3

Imagine being a woman in the 1930s, not romantically active, and in an uninteresting relationship. Throughout the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, women are portrayed as inanimate objects . Men at the ranch are not exposed to females. Therefore they perceive women as bitches and whores. But not all ladies behave in this manner, such as Curley’s wife who has power over other men. She is intellectual and wants something from her life.
Curley’s wife has control over Crooks the stable buck and flirts openly with all of the ranch hands. She interacts with others, which is partly due to loneliness but she can do so with no consequences. Being the wife of the son of a boss, Curley’s wife feels free to do whatever she pleases. This is obvious
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Steinbeck does this to make the reader feel sympathy towards Curley's wife and women of the 1930s.
Curley’s wife aspires to be an actress . ¨Coulda been in the movies, an´had nice clothesall them nice clothes they wear.¨ (p.86) As a result of her mother rejecting an offer, a nice life is not possible anymore. Instead, she ends up at a ranch married with Curley, struggling for survival.Without him she is powerless and ends up nowhere in society. Due to Curley’s wife vulnerability she gets harassed by the other men due to her appearance. Sexism is a relevant theme in Of Mice and Men as Curley's Wife faces it throughout the novel. “ Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl,specially like her.” (p.78). Sexism is important in
Steinbeck's novel, shows an insight on how women were treated in the 1930s. Sexist remarks highlight loneliness in Curley’s wife and the struggle for a companion.
Life for females in the 30s was harsh as they were considered second class citizens. The Great
Depression destroyed dreams but ultimately shaped the treatment of present day women. There are plenty of female leaders who fight for women’s rights like Curley’s wife and want a better