Curley's Wife Stereotypes

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There may not be very many women in this novel, but that does not mean they do not play an important role. The novel takes place around the Great Depression, where women had very little power. Women were expected to stay home to clean, cook, and were treated as “property”. In Of Mice and Men the author, John Steinbeck, reveals that Curley’s wife is not taken seriously through using stereotypes and negative opinions, values and level of power, and roles and isolating behaviors of Curley’s wife.
Steinbeck creates many stereotypes and negative opinions of Curley’s wife during the novel. Towards the beginning of the novel, George deals the cards while Whit says, “She ain’t concealin’ nothing. I never seen nobody like her. She got the eye goin’ …show more content…
In Chapter 4 in the novel, Curley’s wife is talking to the men, and Crooks angrily tells her that he’s going tell Curley she was there, so she responded, “Listen here n--...You know what I can do to you If you open your trap?” (Steinbeck 80). Curley’s wife sees herself as superior to Crooks, the stable buck, and treats him very poorly due to the time period. She also threatens him by saying, “Well, you keep your place then, n--. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny” (Steinbeck 81). Curley’s wife believes she has to put Crooks in his place for talking to her that way, so she uses her power and influence to threaten to get him killed. She also knows that Lennie and Candy won’t talk about it either because no one would believe the old man, the big dumb guy, or the African …show more content…
George and Whit are having a conversation about Curley’s wife, and Steinbeck writes,“She’s gonna make a mess. They’s gonna be a bad mess about her” (Steinbeck 51). George does not trust Curley’s wife from the very beginning of the novel. This section infers that Curley’s wife is going to cause trouble for the two men, Lennie and George, later on in the book. “Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody?” (Steinbeck 87). Curley’s wife often feels lonely, and yearns the company of others, but does not express herself in the right way. Candy explains Curley’s wife to George, and Steinbeck writes, “I seen her give Slim the eye” (Steinbeck 28).
In Of Mice and Men Steinbeck reveals that Curley’s wife is not taken seriously using many values and level of power, stereotypes and negative opinions, and roles and isolating behaviors of Curley’s wife. The men are very quick to judge Curley’s wife and automatically label her negatively. Curley’s wife is also very lonely, which pushes her to go talk to all of the other men including Crooks, who she feels superior to. Women play a very important role in this story, but maybe not a very positive
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