How does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife to be a corrupting yet innocent influence?
How does Steinbeck present Curley’s wife to be a corrupting yet innocent influence?
Later in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ we are introduced to Curley’s wife. A young, beautiful woman with limited freedom. Quite a lot of events take place in her life showing both sides. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as a corrupting character as well as an innocent influence.
Firstly, Curley’s wife purposely tries to avoid Curley so she can have conversations with other men. It is clear that many readers see Curley to be overly possessive over his wife; hence she doesn’t have a name – always referred to being his wife. Curley’s wife is described as wearing a “cotton house dress and red mules” which puts a very corrupting image in men’s head. The colour red is often implied with danger, love and passion. Steinbeck displays these signs frequently, “ red ostrich feathers… red fingernails… rouged lips”. Steinbeck is successful in creating Curley’s wife as promiscuous by describing her appearance and preparing us for what awaits.
Secondly, further evidence of Curley’s wife being a corrupted influence is when she is always in places she shouldn’t be. For example, she was in the barn house with Lennie, which unfortunately lead to her death. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as a damsel in distress, “She cried angrily” the past participle verb “cried” indicates a sign of weakness and hopelessness. The adverb “angrily” displays her struggle of getting out of Lennie’s grasp. Steinbeck implies that Curley’s wife is a damsel in distress. He successfully does this by using adverbs and past participles.
However, Curley’s wife is often isolated and closeted. The reasons are that her husband has forbidden her with any contact with men. This has resulted her in being lonely and having no sense of companionship. We know this because she informs us that she gets “awful lonely”, the adverb ‘awful’ suggests that her life on the ranch is horrible. Curley’s wife is often over looked by the ranch
Later in the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ we are introduced to Curley’s wife. A young, beautiful woman with limited freedom. Quite a lot of events take place in her life showing both sides. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as a corrupting character as well as an innocent influence.
Firstly, Curley’s wife purposely tries to avoid Curley so she can have conversations with other men. It is clear that many readers see Curley to be overly possessive over his wife; hence she doesn’t have a name – always referred to being his wife. Curley’s wife is described as wearing a “cotton house dress and red mules” which puts a very corrupting image in men’s head. The colour red is often implied with danger, love and passion. Steinbeck displays these signs frequently, “ red ostrich feathers… red fingernails… rouged lips”. Steinbeck is successful in creating Curley’s wife as promiscuous by describing her appearance and preparing us for what awaits.
Secondly, further evidence of Curley’s wife being a corrupted influence is when she is always in places she shouldn’t be. For example, she was in the barn house with Lennie, which unfortunately lead to her death. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as a damsel in distress, “She cried angrily” the past participle verb “cried” indicates a sign of weakness and hopelessness. The adverb “angrily” displays her struggle of getting out of Lennie’s grasp. Steinbeck implies that Curley’s wife is a damsel in distress. He successfully does this by using adverbs and past participles.
However, Curley’s wife is often isolated and closeted. The reasons are that her husband has forbidden her with any contact with men. This has resulted her in being lonely and having no sense of companionship. We know this because she informs us that she gets “awful lonely”, the adverb ‘awful’ suggests that her life on the ranch is horrible. Curley’s wife is often over looked by the ranch