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a) In this passage, what methods does Steinbeck use to present Curely’s wife and the attitudes
of others to her? Refer closely to the passage in your answer
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” Even before she enters the room, she “cut off” the sunshine in the doorway;
this little detail suggests she brings darkness with her, particularly as the word “cut” is a negative
verb
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Furthermore, Steinbeck metaphorically uses the noun ‘sunshine’ to portray Curley’s wife as a menace,
because it metaphors hopes and dreams
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All of these
appearances cause the reader to dislike Curley’s wife as the audience see her as the downfall of the
men in the story
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Her
hair rung in little rolled clusters, like sausages… red mules on… and little bouquets of red ostrich
feathers
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Constantly, Steinbeck utilises colour imagery to
portray and foreshadow the dangerous nature of Curley's wife he describes her 'fingernails', 'mules'
and the 'ostrich' feathers on the shoes as 'red', classically symbolising danger and warning
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Alternatively, Curley's wife could be wearing this ‘red’ to her attempt to emulate those
film stars she aspires to become; as actresses usually wore ‘red ostrich feathers’
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Nevertheless, Steinbeck's intention of using the colour 'red' is probably because Curley's
wife is dependent upon the consuming and objectifying gaze of the male characters though most
ranchers admit she is ‘purty’ they still think she is a ‘tramp’ similar to the prostitutes at the alehouse
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Evidently, Curley’s wife is using suggestive body language by
thrusting her breasts forward for the men to see to make her more sexually attractive, especially as
the word ‘thrown’ is a forceful word which means flung; relating to sexual actions
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Within the passage, Curley’s wife is presented as a dangerous and much provocative character, this is
apparent through Steinbeck’s portrayal of Curley's wife and her actions when she is first introduced
in the novella, as she enters the bunk-house; “Both men glanced up, for the rectangle sunshine in the
doorway was cut off
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Portrayed as a seductive temptress and troublemaker, Steinbeck uses the symbolism of
darkness to present her as Eve, the temptress, leading men into darkness and sin by tempting them in
a way they cannot resist foreshadowing her manipulating Lennie shown further by his fascination, he
‘watched fascinated’, which led to the end of George and Lennie's companionship and their dream
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The reader may imply that the ‘sunshine in the doorway is
cut off’ because Curley's wife is the darkness that erases George and Lennie’s version of the
'American dream' they dream of living "off the fatta the lan" and having a better life
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Whilst describing Curely’s wife in this passage, Steinbeck uses language techniques such as colour
imagery, foreshadowing and symbolism to cast her as flirtatious and threatening, this is shown
through the description of Curley’s wife: “She had full, rouged lips…Her fingernails were red
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” In this part of the novella Curley’s wife is introduced for the first time her hair ‘in little
rolled clusters, like sausages’ though she is trying to style herself like the movie icons she idolises,
the uses of the simile “like sausages” could perhaps be stating the men only see her as being a piece;
this is how woman were portrayed in the 1930s
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Furthermore, it also denotes sex and passion which implies she is wearing the outfit for attention
though it catches the eye of the ranchers most men besides Slim try to ignore her because of the
consequences
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Ostriches are
famous for being birds that are unable to fly so the reader may also argue that this infers Curely’s
wife cannot fly; she will remain on the ranch unable to achieve her dreams of becoming a famous
actress which evokes the reader to feel sympathy for Curely’s wife relating back to the theme of
dreams
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Further emphasising Curely’s wife as being a flirt, Steinbeck represents her as a promiscuous woman,
throughout the passage appearance is used to show her in this way, however Steinbeck also uses her
physical movements as she was “heavily made up…and leaned against the door from the door frame, so
that her body was thrown forward”
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George cautions
Lennie of her and dislikes Curely’s wife along with Candy who refers to her as a ‘bitch’ and ‘whore’,
because she is portrayed as a troublemaker who brings ruin on men and drives them mad; Curley is
aware of her flirty character which worsens his mood because his own wife and the men on the ranch

dislike him
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On the
other hand, the adverb ‘heavily’ could possibly mean, she is covering up to conceal bruises, this can be
suggested because she has a husband who quite aggressive and abusive
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There is ambiguity in this surely though it is more probable
that Steinbeck described Curley’s make up in this way so she is portrayed as a ‘tart’ to draw men to
her because in the novella there are no cases of domestic violence in the relationship between Curley
and his wife
...
Ostriches are famous for being
birds that are unable to fly so the reader may also argue that this infers Curely’s wife cannot fly; she
will remain on the ranch unable to achieve her dreams of becoming a famous actress which evokes the
reader to feel sympathy for Curely’s wife relating back to the theme of dreams
...

Further emphasising Curely’s wife as being a flirt, Steinbeck represents her as a promiscuous woman,
throughout the passage appearance is used to show her in this way, however Steinbeck also uses her
physical movements as she was “heavily made up…and leaned against the door from the door frame, so
that her body was thrown forward”
...
George cautions
Lennie of her and dislikes Curely’s wife along with Candy who refers to her as a ‘bitch’ and ‘whore’,
because she is portrayed as a troublemaker who brings ruin on men and drives them mad; Curley is
aware of her flirty character which worsens his mood because his own wife and the men on the ranch
dislike him
...
On the
other hand, the adverb ‘heavily’ could possibly mean, she is covering up to conceal bruises, this can be
suggested because she has a husband who quite aggressive and abusive
...
There is ambiguity in this surely though it is more probable
that Steinbeck described Curley’s make up in this way so she is portrayed as a ‘tart’ to draw men to
her because in the novella there are no cases of domestic violence in the relationship between Curley
and his wife
...

This is perhaps to reflect the fact that women in 1930s America often weren’t afforded the thought
and importance their equal numbers with men deserved
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The third includes “Susy”; the owner of a brothel, “crackin’
jokes all the time”
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Upon her

introduction, Steinbeck is immediately dismissive of Curley’s wife, choosing to describe her as a “girl”
rather than a ‘woman’, then describing only her appearance as “heavily made up”, and wearing a
“cotton house dress”, as if these were the only important features about her
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Indeed, she relies on her husband for
any place among them, perhaps a sad reflection that a woman’s social standing was often only as high
as who her husband was
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Just as it is George and
Lennie’s dream to own their own farm and “live off the fatta’ the lan’”, it was her dream to “be in the
movies”
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are the loneliest guys in the world
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Curley’s wife, however, suffers
from an equivalent crippling loneliness; Curley’s failure to provide adequate company for her, treating
her instead as a sexual object, causes her to desperate seek attention from the other ranch hands
(“Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla
time?”)
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In attaching many of the
same themes to Curley’s wife, he points out that women are exactly the same as men, with the same
emotions and passions, and should be treated as such, and so is criticising 1930s American attitudes
towards women

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