In Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife is shown as a very unpleasant character. For example, while Lennie, Candy and Crookes were in Crooks’ room discussing their ranch, she walks in and says “Listen, Nigger...” “...You keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” (Pg 88 and 89). This shows she is taking advantage of the fact she’s the boss’s son’s wife, and uses her position of power against Crooks, when all he ever did is ask for some privacy. She went off on a racist tangent when Crooks asked for privacy from his room because he wants no trouble with Curley. Another example of her unpleasantness is not about what she does, but what she unintentionally does, Curley is often upset with someone else on the range because he thinks they were being “friendly” with his wife, one example of this is when George, Candy, and Lennie are thinking of their house they want to one day own, Curley and Slim walk through the door “Curley said ‘Well I didn’t mean nothing, Slim. I just ast you.’ Slim said “Well you been askin’ me too often. after your own God damn wife, what you expect me to do about it? You lay offa me.” (pg 68) It shows Curley’s wife causes unpleasantness even when she doesn’t mean to. It also shows that even she isn’t directly involved she can cause unpleasantness in others through Curley, whether it’s intentional or not the foulness still takes place. Curley’s wife starts out the book on the wrong foot, but she turns up a new leaf in later chapters, by explaining her true self and life story.
Curley’s wife is truly an admirable character. One example is when she and Lennie were talking in the barn, Curley’s