Curleys Wife Flashcards
“she was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young”
Curleys wife finds peace from her suffering in death
“Ever’body knowed you’d mess things up. You wasn’t no good. You ain’t no good now, you lousy tart”
candy blames her for the death of the American dream and even though she is dead she is still blamed
“I’m goin’,” he said. “I’m gonna shoot the guts outs that big bastard myself…”
Curley seeks revenge against Lennie rather than mourning his wife’s death posing the question “did curley even love his wife?”
“i’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it comin’ to him.”
there is no love in Curley and his Wife’s relationship - she seems to enjoy her husbands suffering
““I coulda made somethin’ of myself” she said darkly, “maybe i will yet””
she remains optimistic about the possibility of her dream coming true. the adverb “darkly” gives the impression that she may have plans to escape the ranch and live out her own American dream
“”coulda been in the movies… I coulda sat in them big hotels””
curleys wife is a victim to a failed dream and is left to imagine what her life could have been like
“jesus what a tramp.”
“… I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her.”
“”bet she’d clear out for twenty bucks””
curleys wife is a victim of discrimination as nearly everyone on the ranch discrimnates against her.
“”i get lonely” she said”
she tries to encourage empathy on the part of lennie and persuade him to speak with her
“…her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away”
she is desperate for conversation and tries to capitalise on lennies engagement
“well you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny”
she abuses the little power she has on people who have less power than her to let out some of her anger
