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Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Character Analysis

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Author John Steinbeck creates some of the most realistic characters in literature in his novelette Of Mice and Men. George, Lennie, and Curley’s wife are examples of both strength and weakness. In the end, each of them are pushed beyond the limits of what a normal human being should endure. Curley’s wife is a victim in her own life. Her dreams of becoming an actress are crushed, she is lonely, and she is murdered by Lennie. Curley’s wife dreams of rising into fame becoming a Hollywood star are ruined. A man mentioned to Curley’s wife that he could get her on a show, but her mother said no because she was too young. Then another time, she met another man, he was from Hollywood and could get her into pictures and movies. That man said he will …show more content…

Since then, she never heard from that man, Curley’s wife thought her mother stole the letter. She fought with her mother, who denied stealing the letter from her. “I tell you I ain't used to livin' like this. I coulda made somethin' of myself." She said darkly, ‘Maybe I will yet.’ And then her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away. ‘I lived right in Salinas,’ she said. ‘Come there when I was a kid. Well, a show come through, an' I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol' lady wouldn' let me. She says because I was on'y fifteen. But the guy says I coulda. If I'd went, I wouldn't be livin' like this, you bet.’" (Steinbeck 88) That same night Curley’s wife met Curley and married him to get away from her mother whom she thinks has ruined her chance of becoming a famous Hollywood …show more content…

She has no one to talk to because her husband can’t even spend time with her. Curley’s wife is the only woman on the ranch. She is bored and lonely, but her trails to interact with the ranch men only serve to push them further away from her. In one of the scenes, she appears at the doorway, asking where is her husband and complains she is lonely. Candy tells her to go and spend time with her husband and she can’t be fooling with other men on the ranch. Curley’s wife protested that she can’t find nobody to talk to and hates staying in the house “Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in awhile? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?” (Steinbeck 78), and she also mentions in another scene when she talks about her husband staying at home, he does not talk to her, he just talks about the next person he’ll beat or punch. “The girl flared up. ‘Sure I gotta husband’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy she don’t like, and he don’t like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twice, and then bring in the ol’ right cross? ‘One-two,’ he says. ‘Jus’ the ol’ one-two an’ he’ll go down.’” (Steinbeck 78). Her life is one of loneliness and she has nothing to be happy to. By getting to marry Curley, she gave up on her dreams of being a Hollywood star. Now she has no friendships and no

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