Women In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

A Misunderstanding Without History We all have that one character we extremely hate, whether it's in a book or show, you just want them to die. However, not all characters should be hated to the core, many have their own reasons. In the novel “Of Mice and Men,” by John Steinbeck, the author illustrates that women in the 1930’s were misunderstood despite living up to the expectations of a man through the need of companionship of Curley’s wife, wishing to reach to her dreams and the desire to have freedom.
To begin with women in the 1930’s desired to seek a friend, one that can understand their struggles. In the novel all the male characters have no sympathy for Curley’s wife, and have misinterpret her
as a person, ‘“I seen her give Slim the eye. Curley never seen it. A’ I seen her give Carlson the eye”’ (28) This is one example illustrates of how women were misunderstood the 1930’s. The men all think she wants to have an affair with them, not really realizing her true intentions. One can misinterpret this quote, because not many are aware of the poor treatment that women received in the 1930’s, and judge her characteristics, without really thinking out of the box. To add on, Curley’s wife just wants to talk to someone, because she gets lonely and doesn’t want to be limited to talking to just one person, “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley” (87) Curley’s wife is expected to be isolated and treated as property by Curley, and since he is a man all the other men agree with him. Additionally, because there is only one female character in the novel, readers may overlook at the fact that Curley’s wife may have another reason of talking to the men on the ranch, rather than listening to what the men have to say about her.
Following this, women in the 1930’s wished to become something great and have as much power as a man, but were criticized for it. Most of the people that criticized their work were mainly men, who feared that they wouldn’t become the ultimate breadwinner of the house and force themselves to look up to women for financial support. From the Gilder Lehrman Institute Of American History, an article written by Susan Ware, states “Women who sought relief or paid employment risked public scorn or worse for supposedly taking jobs and money away from more deserving men.” How could a woman be able to financially make a living for herself when she was humiliated and denigrated for her work? Women were trying to live up to the expectation of a man, but only to be considered as a disgrace, and to be still left in the lower social class than them. In the novel, Curley’s wife explains her problems to Lennie of how she struggled to make a living for herself and was scared of being alone, “Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself… so I married Curley” (88). Curley’s wife wasn’t able to think clearly due to the pressure and constant worrisome of making it out alive in the real world. In the 1930’s women couldn’t financially support themselves, unless they married a man which is one of the reason Curley’s wife married him. Curley’s wife was not desperate to have an affair, she was scared of not being able to financially support herself out there. To add on, even if some men hired women to work, they were mainly married women. Furthermore, men were expected to have the rights to be free while women were merely expected to be kept on a leash and not leave the house.
In the novel one of the men, Carlson is annoyed by Curley’s outburst of trying to look for his wife and complains, “Whyn’t you tell her to stay the hell home where she belongs?” (62). Men didn’t like the idea that women could have the same rights as them and go around to places instead of staying at home. They believe that since women are meant to be housewives, they should stay in the house. From this quote, the reader perhaps, mistakenly agrees with Carlson, thinking that Curley’s wife is just a rebellious women who isn’t there for her husband. This distinguish of how the readers can misunderstand Curley’s wife characterization by reason of the lack of historical context. Adding on, the historical content elucidate about the real struggle women had to endure, by having to do so many chores in the house without ever receiving a break. From the “Women in the New Deal Era”(PDF) the author states, “Women not only had to worry about supporting their families by providing food, shelter, and clothing, but they also were depended on to deliver emotional support to their loved ones in those trying times, in any way they possibly could.” Not only were women supposed to physically take care of the family they had to mentally take care of them too. A women shouldn’t be bound to chains were she is forced to work till she dies. During those times women weren’t allowed to have the freedom to do something besides just working, but that doesn’t mean they never yearned the desire for freedom. This quote addresses the necessity of freedom that women had
wanted. Through the need of companionship of Curley’s wife, her wanting to achieve her dreams and did not want to be bound by the chains of gender roles, all these characterizations portrays one of Steinbeck’s messages of how women were misunderstood in the 1930’s. We live in a society that is rapidly improving day by day, women’s voices are heard, and they have more rights than in the 1930’s. Thus displays the lack of historical context and judging a character too quickly. Without understanding the historical context, people misunderstand and make rash judgements.