Essay about Curley’s wife -- English Literature

Essay about Curley’s wife Curley’s wife is the only female character in the novel Of Mice of Men; Curley’s wife is never given a name and is only referred to in reference to her husband. Like the other people on the ranch, she is very lonely and has dreams of a better life which never come true. The author John Steinbeck introduces Curley’s wife in a symbolic ness way, this is shown when George is talking to Lennie about the dream and when Curley’s wife first meets both the men. â€Å"Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in.† The symbolic ness of the word sunshine is hope, freedom, happiness and dreams. This foreshadows that she may cause trouble or come in the way and could ruin it all for Lennie and George. Steinbeck also describes her as a ‘girl’, which tells us that she is very playful, childish and vulnerable. Curley’s wife is trying to make her self attractive by applying make up and dressing up as if she was going to a party. This is clear shown as Steinbeck describes her â€Å"She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes† This suggests she is trying to be provocative and incongruous. Curley’s wife also wears red, red gives the symbolic ness of danger and seductiveness. Curley’s wife is described â€Å"Heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers.† Again the red on her fingernails and the red mules are symbolic to danger. Steinbeck is again suggesting that women are trouble makers who ruin everything for the men. Curley’s wife is in a ranch and she dresses up as if... ...alk.† Steinbeck is clearly suggesting that not a single person would trust each other on the ranch. The presentation of Curley’s wife’s death was astonishing due to the way Steinbeck described her after the death. Steinbeck is suggesting that she was under pressure, trying to gain attention and she was mean. Steinbeck described her as she was â€Å"the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young† This suggest that she was under pressure all the time but when she died everything was just normal. It also suggests that the entire ache for attention was just gone and a simple beautiful woman was lying dead. Overall Steinbeck is suggesting that all the characters are cruel because they’re powerless and they all want to exercise their power.