Women in Of Mice and Men Essay

Of Mice and Men

John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men portrays aspects of life in the 1930's. The majority of women in the 1930's were treated differently from how women are treated today. Today, women go to college and get jobs working side by side with men as there equal. For the most part, characters in the book are men, except for Curley's Wife. In the novel, Curley's Wife's purpose is to display the unimportance of women in the 1930's, their lack of independence, identity and the disrespect they received from society, which leads to her desperately lonely life.

Curley's Wife, a main character in the novel, has a very small role on the ranch which displays her lack of importance and identity. Throughout the novel, John Steinbeck fails to mention Curley's Wife name, and the other characters just use her husband as her representation. This shows that the people on the ranch did not respect her enough to call her by her first name and used her husband as her identity. While talking to George, Slim says, "Dont you even look at that bitch, Curley's wife" (32). This shows that people on the ranch talked poorly about her and still did not have the decency to call her first name Slim told George, "I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her you leave her to be" (32). Furthermore, it shows her lack of identity, and the unimportance of her character. Even Curley calls her wife, and not even by her first name. For example Curley says, Have you guys seen my wife? (53). This embraces the idea that even though Curley is married to her, he still has more power in the marriage and not enough respect to call her by her first name. The men on the farm constantly refer to her as a "tramp" or "tart", which illustrates her lack of identity, and that she is often looked down upon. In result, to people on the ranch looking down upon her and fearful of her husband, nobody becomes her friends which leads to a desperate lonely life.

Curley's Wife's role and purpose in her marriage shows the unimportance of women in the 1930's. Furthermore, the Curley's Wife's very small role in her marriage leads to lack of ability to pursue ambition. In the 1930's an average women was nothing without a husband that they could take care of the household for. That was Curley's Wife's case too. Curley's Wife admitted, I dont like Curley, he aint a nice fella" (89). Curley just needed a husband because when she found out her acting career and becoming famous was a lost cause she needed a support system. Curley's Wife says, " Coulda been in the movies, and had nice clothes all them nice clothes they like to wear." (89) After, her acting career was never achieved she turned out to be like every other women in the 1930's. The purpose of women in the 1930s was to stay home, take care of the household, have children, clean, and cook. Taking care of her husband and becoming almost his servant cost Curley's Wife her ability to pursue ambition and a career in her life. Without a being viewed or valued as important and not having the ability to pursue a career Curley's Wife had a lonely life.

Lastly, as the novel comes to a conclusion, it becomes apparent that when Curley's Wife is mistreated by others on the ranch it leads to lonesomeness. To be satisfied and comforted in life you need someone else to share your feelings or communicate with. In Curley's Wife's case she is mistreated by others on the ranch because they fear Curley. To explain, Curley's Wife is very lonely throughout the novel because she does not know and is not close to any of the other workers on the ranch. Curley's Wife confirms that she is lonely when she says, "'I never talk to nobody, I get awful lonely'"(86). Next, because her husband controls her identity and who talks to her, when she does talk to people her flirtatious personality comes off as being evil. Some times Curleys in hereIf he aint, I guess I better look some place else (31). Curleys Wife says playfully. In conclusion, it was very obvious to the boys in the barn that she just came in to flirt with them. Furthermore, men get defensive because they think of Curley's Wife as Curley's property and get scared of her personality and friendship does not come to mind. One day while looking for Curley, Curley's Wife flirtatiously and playfully asked George, "I'm lookin' for CurleyYou're the new fellas that just come, aint ya?" (31). This alarmed George because he did not want to upset Curley or give them the wrong idea so he ignored Curley's Wife. Lastly, other workers on the ranch mistreat Curley's Wife which leads her being very lonely throughout the novel.

John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men reflects and represents the lifestyle of women in the 1930, like Curleys Wife. Furthermore, it showed how life was like for a lower class citizen. The only female character in the novel, Curley's Wife's, disrespected by her society which leads to her upsets in her life. For example, lack of independence and loneliness. In this case Curley's Wife's society was the ranch, her identity was her husband, and her role in life and in her marriage was not valued.