Of Mice and Men - Curley's Wife Flashcards
What are 4 points for Curley’s wife in OMAM?
Racist/Abuses power
Dreams of a better life
Controlled/Lonely
Disrespected, viewed as an object
What is a topic sentence for Curley’s wife’s abuse of power/racism?
Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as abusing her power on the ranch, and being racist towards Crooks’…
What are two quotes and a context for Curley’s wife’s abuse of power/ racism?
“I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” - To Crooks
“Listen, N**r” - Abuse of power, discrimination, undeserved power
Racism (and the Jim Crow laws)
What is a topic sentence for Curley’s wife’s dream of a better life?
Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife’s dream to be a movie star, which was dashed despite her believing she could do it…
What are two quotes and a context for Curley’s wife’s dream for a better life?
“An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers”, but she had a “nasal, brittle” voice (Unlikely she would be a movie star) - Curley’s Wife
“Says I was a natural” - Belief she could have achieved her dream, but rues missed opportunity.
American Dream/ Hollywood cinema in 1930s America
What is a topic sentence for how Curley’s wife is controlled and lonely?
Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as lonely because Curley prevents her from having anything to do on the ranch…
What are two quotes and a context for how Curley’s wife is controlled and lonely?
“I can’t talk to anybody but Curley. Else he gets mad.” Shows the sexism at the time. Curley has control over her and she is lonely.
“I get awful lonely.” She says this to Lennie about how she has nothing to do because no one gives her any job or pastime.
Lack of opportunities for women.
What is a topic sentence for how Curley’s wife is disrespected and viewed as an object?
Steinbeck shows how Curley’s wife is viewed as an object by the ranch workers…
What are two quotes and a context for how Curley’s wife is viewed as an object?
“Gosh, she was purty.” - Disrespectful language, views her as an object
Throughout the whole novel, she is only ever referred to as “Curley’s wife”, never given a name. This shows how she is a possession of Curley, and not viewed as a person
Sexism in America in the 1930s
