Curley’s Wife

Question 1

What’s Steinbeck’s initial portrayal of Curley’s Wife?

Answer 1

Mean and seductive temptress

Question 2

What is she connected to?

Answer 2

The Garden of Eve

Question 3

How does she bring evil into men’s lives?

Answer 3

By tempting them in a way they cannot resist.

Question 4

What quote of light imagery is used to first describe Curley’s Wife?

Answer 4

“The rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off”

Question 5

What does the light imagery symbolise?

Answer 5

It foreshadows her death and implies that she will be responsible for the destruction of all dreams.

Question 6

What is the connection between Curley’s Wife and the girl in Weed?

Answer 6

They are both liars and manipulators of men

Question 7

What does the negative portrayal of Curley’s Wife reveal about the society?

Answer 7

Women were neither respected nor appreciated, and they’re ere only used for what they could offer men.

Question 8

Why does Curley’s Wife suffer from loneliness?

Answer 8

Because she’s the only woman on the ranch.

Question 9

What does the fact that she’s defined by her role as being Curley’s ‘wife’ or ‘possession’ reflect on attitudes towards women?

Answer 9

They were expected to obey their husbands and they had no identity of their own.

Question 10

What quote proves she’s nothing but a sexual conquests to Curley?

Answer 10

“Glove fulla Vaseline”

Question 11

What quotes is she often referred as?

Answer 11

“tart”. “jail-bait”. “rat trap”.

Question 12

Why does the ranch workers treat her unkindly?

Answer 12

Because of their fear of loosing their jobs, and that meaningful relationships with women are out of reach for them.

Question 13

What quotes prove she is dressed inappropriately for the ranch?

Answer 13

‘rouged lips’. ‘eyes heavily made up’. ‘red mules’. ‘red ostrich feathers’.

Question 14

What does the colour ‘red’ associate her with?

Answer 14

Danger and sex

Question 15

What’s Curley’s Wife’s power?

Answer 15

Her beauty

Question 16

What does she use her power of beauty for?

Answer 16

To flirt with the other men to gain attention and to become less lonely.

Question 17

What quotes are used to show she flirts with the other workers?

Answer 17

‘Her body was thrown forward’ and ‘her lips parted’

Question 18

What are the two reasons why she’s lonely?

Answer 18

She’s the only woman on the ranch and she’s married to a man she doesn’t like

Question 19

What quote demonstrates Curley’s Wife’s negative view of Curley?

Answer 19

“I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.”

Question 20

Why is she always roaming on the ranch?

Answer 20

Because she’s looking for company

Question 21

What does her marriage to Curley highlight at the time?

Answer 21

How few opportunities there were for women

Question 22

Why did many women choose marriage?

Answer 22

To ensure financial stability

Question 23

Why is she trapped in her marriage?

Answer 23

Because divorce wasn’t a realistic option

Question 24

What quote is used when she announced her isolation to the men?

Answer 24

“Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think i like to stick in that house alla time?”

Question 25

What role were women expected to conform to?

Answer 25

A housewife

Question 26

What quote shows she’s perhaps more friendless than anyone els?

Answer 26

“I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”

Question 27

What was a personal reason for her to marry Curley?

Answer 27

To get away from home

Question 28

What does her dream do to her?

Answer 28

Isolates her further from reality

Question 29

What does her dream do to her?

Answer 29

Isolates her further from reality

Question 30

What does Curley’s Wife’s dream share in common with the rest of the dreams?

Answer 30

It seems from her discontent with her circumstances

Question 31

What is her dream?

Answer 31

To become a Hollywood actress, and to be a star and be ‘discovered’

Question 32

What made Curley’s Wife want to be part of the film industry?

Answer 32

Because films in the 1930s were all about escape from reality and the glamour of another world, and based on fantasies

Question 33

What are some examples of the type of films so wished of being part of?

Answer 33

King Kong, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind

Question 34

What quotes are used when she talks to Lennie about her dream?

Answer 34

“I tell ya i could of went with shows”. “I coulda made somethin’ of myself”. “I wasn’t gonna stay no place where i couldn’t get nowhere”.

Question 35

What does the fact she isn’t named show about her?

Answer 35

She is very low in status, she has no role, she has no place on a farm, and no value.

Question 36

What do feminists argue that the role of Curley’s Wife is?

Answer 36

A passive victim, a threat to men, and someone described in terms of her sexuality.

Question 37

What shows that Steinbeck has sympathy for her character?

Answer 37

Because she’s portrayed as a pathetic figure, with her own unrealisable dream, married to a man she hates, and with nothing to distract her from her unhappy marriage.