Curley’s Wifes’ Desires of Mice and Men

Curleys wife How does Steinbeck present Curleys wifes desires in the book Of Mice and Men? John Steinbecks novella, Of Mice and Men depicts the struggle of both wayward men during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Although a variety of geniuss in the story are presented as the out casts of union, Curleys wife is perhaps the character in which readers feel most sympathetic towards. Essentially, Curleys wife represents the image of all women in the society in which Steinbeck lived.Society in the 1930s discriminated heavily against women they were essentially objects, whose sole purpose in life was to serve their husbands, objects that were to be simply seen, and not heard. Steinbeck presents the female genders lack of identity and individuality in 1930s society by deliberately not naming Curleys wife. Her missing a name emphasizes her second-class citizenship. The womanhood has no name because she is just an object, the property of individual else.Curleys wife is deemed unimport ant, victimized as a direct result of her gender, the majority of male characters in the novel have names, even Crooks the stable buck, who because of his play is probably viewed as cosmos beneath Curleys wife in terms of societys classification. Curleys wife can only be seen in reference to her husband, who (supposedly) owns and controls her body, and by extension, her. Curleys wife desires attention above all opposite dreams. As the only female on the ranch, she has no one she could bear on to and is presented by Steinbeck to be incredibly isolated and shrouded in feelings of loneliness.She appears to present a facade on the ranch, burying her isolation with boldness and femininity She had full, rouged lips and all-embracing spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She continuously uses the excuse of looking for Curley as a means of extracting about sort of communication with others on the ranch Im looki ng for Curley. He was in here a minute ago, but he went. Oh . She stupefy her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.Steinbeck presents Curleys wife in a flirtatious vogue in order to highlight her loneliness and isolation on the ranch. She often feels depressed and doesnt understand why the ranch work aters are afraid to publish with her Whats the matter with me? Aint I got a right to sing to nobody? . As a result of her loneliness, she often uses her body and circumstance as the only woman on an all male ranch to extract conversation from individuals. Steinbeck presents her flirtatiousness by displaying Curleys wifes liking of the colour red red as a colour connotates emotions of passion, desire and love.Curleys wife is a temptress who leads men into trouble. She represents sexuality and danger. This has led to some commentators who see Of Mice and Men as being a biblical allegory to describe Curleys wife as an Eve figure. Curleys wifes isolation also leads her to desire power. Her present in society as a woman virtually denies her of any power, however she chooses to use her position as the wife of the boss son to apply what little authority she can muster onto individuals who she believes are beneath her in societys classifications.Curleys wife uses her miniscule quantity of authority to misuse and manipulate those beneath her I could get you strung up in a tree so easy it aint even funny. Wants freedom, is suffocated pathetic fallacy, when she dies, weather is toothsome and stifling because that is how she feels on the ranch.. suffocated Alongside Curleys wifes desire for attention, I believe she also seeks freedom. As the only female living on the ranch, she has no one she can talk or relate to, she is Curleys wife but feels that she cannot relate to him.Curleys wife admits herself that she has no one to talk to, it appears to the reader that Curley himself observes his wife as more an obje ct to flaunt, rather than a partner who he supposedly loves. She may potentially be jealous of the women that work in the cathouses as they seem to gain more attention I believe she feels, as Curley s wife, she is obligated to present a show to the other men living on the ranch, as she is Curleys prized possession, and he seems to want to flaunt her Well, I tell ya what Curley says hes keepin that hand soft for his wife.