How Curley's Wife Is Presented as a Villian

One of the ways Steinbeck shows Curley’s Wife as a villain is by portraying her as a tart. In chapter two, Candy quotes “Well, I think Curley’s married . . . . A tart.” In this chapter she is presented negatively, he uses his context to show she is a trouble maker and an attention seeker. The fact candy has labeled her a tart so soon makes us assume she is the villain in this novel. In the same chapter it is written ‘She had full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung up in little rolled clusters, like sausages. She wore a cotton house dress and red mules. ’ This quote shows she is covered in red – the colour of the devil – therefore she holds the characteristics of a devil too with an evil and manipulating personality. All of these traits are characteristic of clothing and cosmetics that might be worn by a prostitute – someone who often leads men on. The outcome makes the reader believe she is a villain as it has been established from the very start. However, red also represents the colour of love and passion, showing us she is the total opposite of what we assume. She is pre-judged by the other men when they don’t know a thing about her, she might be an innocent and sweet girl but they do not see beyond the outer exterior of her.
When she is first introduced in the book, she is seemed as the one to blame for everything that goes wrong. Chapter two: ‘Both men glanced up, for the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off. A girl was standing there looking in.’ The light – representing hope and reams - is cut off by her shadow, she casts a shadow over their George and Lennie’s dream., This foreshadows the death of their dream and her involvement in this; it is also significant as she appears just after George and Lennie have discussed their plans if they get involved in any trouble. Although, she could be seen as an angel, the light is shining behind her and she is the key to happiness. In this quote the