Steinbeck depicts Curleys wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life. She's the only female character in the novel, and she's never given a name and is only referred to in reference to her husband. The men on the farm refer to her as a tramp, a tart, and a looloo. Dressed in fancy, feathered red shoes, she represents the temptation of female sexuality in a male-dominated world.
Steinbeck represents Curleys wife as a lonely woman who is unappreciated by her husband, so, conclusively, she will flirt with any man who comes to the ranch. She is not particularly a whore, she is desperate for love and to be noticed. Her dreams of being a movie star again represent her need to be acknowledged and loved. She is sexually driven; sexual behaviour and flirting is the only way she feels she can communicate with men. Notice that, in the barn with Lenny she seems more comfortable because she doesnt expect Lennie to sexually want her.Steinbeck uses many different techniques to present Curleys wife such as colour imagery, appearance, metaphors and similes in the early stages of the novel. The effect of these techniques is that the reader creates a mental image of Curleys wife even before she even enters the novel.
Steinbeck initially presents Curleys wife in a negative manner. The reader is first introduced to Curleys wife by the words of Candy: well- she got the eye which has several connotations such as how she wants the sexual attention of other men. This makes the reader immediately judge Curleys wife and stereotype her as a lonely women wanting sexual attraction. Steinbeck presents her in this manner as a sign of potential foreshadowing as the reader knows Lennie has had previous trouble with girls so he wants to show how Lennie is exposed to possible danger. Also, quite interestingly
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