Skip to main content

In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, why doesn't Curley's wife like talking to her husband?

Curley and Curley's wife seem to have a dysfunctional relationship. For one thing, they are always looking for each other without success. Twice in Chapter Two, Curley bursts into the bunkhouse looking for her. The second time he has just missed her. Their marriage obviously lacks communication and the only time they are in the same room together is when she is already dead. In Chapters Four and Five, Curley's wife reveals more about her...

Curley and Curley's wife seem to have a dysfunctional relationship. For one thing, they are always looking for each other without success. Twice in Chapter Two, Curley bursts into the bunkhouse looking for her. The second time he has just missed her. Their marriage obviously lacks communication and the only time they are in the same room together is when she is already dead. In Chapters Four and Five, Curley's wife reveals more about her life with Curley, first in Crooks's room and later with Lennie alone in the barn. In Chapter Four, when she enters Crooks's room, she is predictably looking for her husband. It seems to be an excuse to spend time talking to the men. She says she doesn't like talking to Curley because he is forever bragging about fighting and how he's going to beat someone up:






“Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guys he don’t like, and he don’t like nobody. Think I’m gonna stay in that two-by-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twicet, and then bring in the ol’ right cross? ‘One-two,’ he says. ‘Jus’ the ol’ one-two an’ he’ll go down.’”









Later, in Chapter Five, when she is alone with Lennie in the barn, she confesses that she doesn't even like Curley:






“Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before. Maybe I oughten to. I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” 






She only married him in order to defy her mother, who had supposedly stolen a letter about a potential job as an actress. She also expresses her loneliness to Lennie and allows him to stroke her hair, which turns out to be a very bad idea. Her dislike for Curley and her intense loneliness prove to be her eventual undoing. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discuss movements that were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement and list one success for each group.

African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change... African-Americans contributed in a very big way during World War II. These contributions were demonstrated at home and on the battlefield. After the war, African-Americans properly felt it was time for them to achieve equality with white Americans. During the 1950's, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born and it had a number of successes (integration of the military and Brown vs. Board of Education as examples.) This success inspired other activists to demand change for their agendas. Two examples of moveme...
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some tensions between men and women in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has... Julius Caesar is a largely male-driven play. Calpurnia and Portia are the two main female characters, and they are both wives of major characters. Calpurnia is Julius Caesar’s wife. She makes public appearances with him, but there may be some awkwardness between them because of her inability to have children. He publicly tells Antony to touch Calpurnia to cure her of barrenness when he runs the Lupercal, a “holy race” and fertility festival. Calpurnia has nightmares about Caesar’s death. She claims that she is not naturally super...
Post a Comment
Read more