'Of Mice and Men' Revision: Curley's wife (student notes)

Curley’s wife:

·        Only woman on ranch- also we never know her name- signifies that women weren’t important in the depression.

·        When we are first told about Curley’s wife, Candy describes her as “having the eye”- this gives us the impression that she isn’t a loving wife.

·        Candy says “Well, I think Curley’s married a tart”- the audience already thinks badly of Curley’s wife before even meeting her.

·        “both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off”- suggests trouble- light gets blocked off- foreshadows her future

·        “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up”- her description doesn’t say anything about her being beautiful- just sounds very heavily made up with makeup.

·        “She wore a cotton house dress and red mules, on the insteps of which were little bouquets of red ostrich feathers”- sounds expensive- tries to make herself look beautiful even though she lives on a ranch.

·        “Oh! She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.”- flirtatious. She likes the attention- doesn’t get enough attention from Curley?

·        After George says that Curley isn’t in the bunkhouse, Curley’s wife says “If he ain’t, I guess I better look some place else”- she says this playfully- which means she likes to play around-since she is bored often

·        Curley’s wife is often described as “got the eye ‘goin’ all the time on everybody”- she flits with everyone- she likes the attention- bored on the ranch

·        Curley’s wife also becomes very curious about Curley’s hand- “Say what happened to Curley’s han’?”- she knows it wasn’t an accident and is curious as to how he got it broken- “Who bust him?”

·        She goes looking for people because she is lonely “Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely”- she’s very manipulative.

·        She also has dreams- “He says he was gonna put me in movies”- believes she will get a job from a stranger- unfulfilled dreams

·        Before her death she seeks attention-“When I’m doin’ my hair sometimes I jus’ set an’ stroke it ‘cause it’s so soft”- she wants to be treated like she is special

·        Lennie has a lack of ability to control himself which is a fatal flaw for Curley’s wife as she doesn’t recognise it- “Here - feel right here”

·        She realises her mistake afterwards as she screams and struggles to let go – “She struggled violently under his hands. Her feet battered on the hay and she writhed to be free; and from under Lennie’s hand came a muffled screaming”

·        She is often referred to as a “girl”- Steinbeck emphasises how young she is and how she has married Curley because he is safe- gets a comfortable home.