Curley’s wife Flashcards
Q: How is Curley’s Wife initially presented in Of Mice and Men?
A: As promiscuous, fitting the “femme fatale” stock character. George calls her “purty” and warns Lennie, “I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her” (Chapter 2). Her “rouged lips” support Candy’s description of her as a “tart.”
Q: What does her heavily made-up face symbolize?
A: An attempt to imitate Hollywood glamour, reflecting women’s aspirations during the 1930s.
Q: What does George’s reaction to Curley’s Wife reveal?
A: His contempt for women—he instantly dislikes her based on Candy’s prejudice. Although he tries to protect Lennie (because of the Weed incident), it highlights the ingrained misogyny.
Q: What did Steinbeck say about Curley’s Wife in a 1938 letter?
A: She is “not a floozy,” suggesting her portrayal highlights the impossible expectations for women: to be pure and domesticated yet serve men’s desires.
Q: What does the term “jail bait” reveal about gender inequality?
A: It excuses men’s behavior by assuming they can’t control their sexual desires, reinforcing the double standards of 1930s society.
Q: What does Carlson say about Curley’s Wife in Chapter 3?
A: “Why’n’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?”—demonstrating the belief that women should remain in the domestic sphere, excluded from the “world of men.”
Q: How does Curley’s Wife embody the oppression of women on the ranch?
A: She has no place in the men’s world and is confined to her marriage. Her wandering around is blamed on her rather than Curley’s neglect.
Q: How is casual sexism depicted in the novella? (include context)
A: Women had little chance of independence. Even in the 1950s, gender roles were enforced through media like the “Good Wife’s Guide,” which advised women to “touch up their makeup” before their husbands got home.
Q: How does Curley try to control his wife?
A: He asserts dominance by boasting about his “glove fulla Vaseline,” implying control and possession rather than affection.
Q: What is revealed by Curley’s reaction to his wife’s death?
A: He “came suddenly to life,” showing excitement rather than grief. His focus is on revenge and reasserting authority, not mourning her.
Q: How does Curley’s lack of sorrow highlight Steinbeck’s message?
A: It underscores the objectification of women and the absence of love in their relationships, reducing women to property or status symbols.
Q: How does the Great Depression influence the portrayal of marriage?
A: Family values eroded as itinerant workers left families behind. The return of “Whore House culture” reflected the growing mistrust and lack of genuine connections.
Q: What does Curley’s Wife’s dream represent?
A: She wanted to be a movie star: “I coulda made somethin’ of myself” (Chapter 5). Her dream represents hope and a mental escape from her limited reality.
Q: How does Curley’s Wife’s dependence on men limit her dreams?
A: She relied on men who likely lied to her, showing how powerless women were over their futures and how the weak were exploited. As a reader we imply her false hope of escape through acting may have been simply a ploy to sleep with her.
Q: What happens to her appearance in death?
A: The “discontent” leaves her face, symbolizing that death is her only true escape from her oppressive life.
Q: How does her dream parallel George and Lennie’s dream?
A: Both are futile escapes from the harshness of their lives, ultimately ending in disappointment and tragedy. However whereas George and Lennies dream to ‘live off of the fatta the land’ is somewhat attainable, as a reader we are able to imply that her dream was completely impssible, furhter emphasising women’s inability to rise up in society.
Q: How does Steinbeck structure her death in Chapter
A: It underscores the tragedy of unattainable dreams and reflects the influence of ‘social Darwinism,’ suggesting survival of the fittest left no room for women’s aspirations.
Q: How does Candy react to Curley’s Wife’s death?
A: He calls her a “lousy tart,” showing the cyclicality of her being blamed, even in death. Despite her moments of cruelty (like to Crooks), she is largely shaped by the men’s treatment.
Q: How does Steinbeck present Curley’s Wife as a product of her environment?
A: Her hostility and aggression stem from isolation and ostracism due to her gender, reflecting the broader misogyny of 1930s society.
How is Curley’s Wife isolated on the ranch?
She is the only woman, unnamed, and rejected by the men. Even Crooks, Lennie, and Candy avoid her at times. Her attempts at connection are seen as dangerous or inappropriate.
What does her lack of a name symbolize?
It dehumanizes her and emphasizes how she’s defined only by her relationship to a man. She is an object, not an individual.
What happens during her conversation with Crooks, Candy, and Lennie?
She becomes aggressive to maintain some sense of power: “I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” This reflects the intersection of gender and race hierarchies - upholds system which puts her down.
What’s the significance of her threatening Crooks?
Though oppressed herself, she uses racial violence to feel powerful—highlighting how power structures force the marginalized to turn on each other.
How is her loneliness different from the men’s?
The men have shared dreams or friendships (e.g., George and Lennie), but she has no companionship—her isolation is both emotional and physical.- can’t work, not accepted in male spaces, no meaningful connections.
