Curley's wife

Question 1

Trapped
How does Steinbeck highlight that Curley's wife has no outside identity?
- One quote
- What does this suggest about her?
How does this link to context?

Answer 1

She is always refered to as “Curley’s wife”
Curley’s wife does not have a name which suggests she does have inherent value and is not an individual entity. Instead she is addressed as her husband’s wife throughout the entire novel, suggesting she is his possession and her connection to a man is the only thing worth noting about her. It also suggests she has no way out as she is dependent on him.

This link to housewives in the 1930’s. Only 11% of married women worked.