Curley Flashcards
Q: How is Curley initially presented in Of Mice and Men?
A: As very insecure. Candy tells George about Curley’s “glove fulla Vaseline” because “He’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife” (Chapter 2).
Q: What does Curley’s “glove fulla Vaseline” symbolize?
A: Bravado and dominance over the other ranch workers, taunting those who lack wives due to their itinerant lifestyle and poverty during the Great Depression.
Q: How does Curley’s insecurity relate to his marriage?
A: He doesn’t fear his wife’s infidelity because of emotional pain but because it would make him appear weak and unable to control her—the ‘fairer sex.’
Q: How does Steinbeck critique Curley’s treatment of his wife?
A: By structurally placing Candy’s lack of respect for Curley near this scene, suggesting men who objectify women lose respect and authority.
Q: What broader social issue does Curley’s insecurity highlight?
A: Many men were forced into itinerant work during the Depression, leaving behind families and struggling with fragile masculinity and insecurity.
Q: How is Curley’s authority described by Candy?
A: Candy explains Curley “won’t ever get canned” (Chapter 2) because he’s the Boss’s son, making the other workers fearful of him.
Q: How does Curley exploit his position on the ranch?
A: His status as the Boss’s son makes him untouchable, allowing him to threaten and bully others without fear of consequences.
Q: How does Steinbeck criticize the power imbalance Curley represents?
A: Steinbeck saw 1930s landowners as exploitative. Curley, like them, abuses power, creating fear and anxiety due to high unemployment and economic desperation.
Q: How does Slim contrast with Curley in terms of authority?
A: Slim earns natural respect and authority (“Slim don’t need to wear no high-heeled boots”), unlike Curley, who relies on status and intimidation.
Q: How is Curley’s violence described in Chapter 3?
A: He steps towards Lennie “like a terrier” when he believes Lennie is laughing at him, symbolizing aggression and insecurity.
Q: What does the simile “like a terrier” suggest about Curley?
A: It emphasizes his small stature and relentless aggression, similar to Lennie’s uncontrollable behavior—highlighting how insecurity can lead to destruction. (also animalistic nature)
Q: How does Curley’s aggression parallel social issues of the time?
A: During the Depression, fragile masculinity made men desperate to assert dominance. Curley’s aggression is a symptom of this societal pressure.
Q: What societal pressures does Steinbeck link to Curley’s need for dominance?
A: The Depression forced men into roles that damaged their sense of masculinity. Steinbeck critiques how cultural definitions of gender roles harmed men’s identities.
Q: How does Curley react to his wife’s death in Chapter 5?
A: He “came suddenly to life” not out of grief, but excitement to hunt Lennie down—motivated by revenge and a need to reassert dominance.
Q: What does Curley’s reaction to his wife’s death reveal about their relationship?
A: It highlights a loveless marriage based on control and superficial attraction, where her death is treated as an attack on his property.
Q: How does Steinbeck use Curley to critique patriarchal values?
A: By showing Curley’s objectification of his wife, Steinbeck exposes how women were reduced to male property, resulting in loveless relationships and distrust.
Q: How does Steinbeck suggest marriage offers no protection for women?
A: Even marriage doesn’t spare Curley’s Wife from neglect or objectification—Steinbeck shows women remained vulnerable and distrusted in patriarchal society.
Q: How is Curley portrayed at the end of the novella?
A: As incapable of empathy. After Lennie’s death, he and Carlson can’t understand George’s grief: “Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?” (End of Chapter 6).
Q: What does Curley’s lack of empathy at the end signify?
A: He represents the stereotype of a man ruled by violence and dominance, unable to connect emotionally or understand compassion.
Q: How does George contrast with Curley in terms of masculinity?
A: George shows restraint and empathy, turning to violence only as a last resort, while Curley is consumed by a need for dominance.
Q: What message does Steinbeck deliver through Curley’s character?
A: That insecure men driven by a desire for dominance perpetuate cruelty and exploitation. Yet, through George, Steinbeck shows men can reject this path.
Q: How does Curley reflect the corrupt social hierarchy of the time?
A: As the Boss’s son, he abuses his power without consequence—symbolizing the wider corruption and injustice within 1930s capitalist society.
