Why is Curley’s Wife Lonely in ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck”

Introduction

“Nobody gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. It’s just in their head” (74). In the book, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, Lennie, and George, two displaced migrant ranch workers, move from place to place trying to seek the American dream and end up finding a new town where they experience hardship but also friendliness.

Curley’s Wife Loneliness

One of the people they meet along their journey is Curley’s Wife, a lonely, attention-seeking, and regretful woman who displays an unmet desire for companionship, which tends to cause people to lose hope in “The American Dream.

” Curley’s wife feels isolated, and through her actions, she tries to gain companionship. First, Curley’s wife gets very lonely because none of the other men will talk to her, and the only man that pays any attention to her is her husband, whom she does not love. As she attempts to talk to Lennie, she says: “‘Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.’….’ How’d you like not to talk to anybody?'” (86-87). Curley’s wife feels as though she is alone and shunned from the rest of the ranch. Steinbeck gives Curley’s wife a whiny tone when she describes her feelings of isolation to Lennie. The other men ignore her and view her as a burden or annoyance, and that puts a toll on her emotionally. Second, Since Curley’s wife is ignored by everyone, she attempts to flirt with the other men on the ranch. She uses her body and face to gain attention from single men at the ranch.

While standing there, Curley’s wife is described as: “She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up….She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the doorway so that her body was thrown forward….’ I saw ’em poison before, but I never seen any piece of jail bait worse than her'” (31-32). Curley’s wife is showing herself off to the other men to gain their attention. Steinbeck uses imagery to show the effort she puts into her appearance to attract other men. These characteristics depict how she uses the way she looks to make the men at the ranch pay attention to her. Curley’s wife is lonely, and she’s looking for another opportunity to save her from the life she’s chosen with Curley. Third, Curley’s wife is unhappy with her current life and has “The American Dream” of becoming an actress. She regrets not becoming an actress because then she ended up marrying a man she does not love and never accomplishing her dream.

While complaining to Lennie about her past, she says: “‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.’….’ Coulda has been in movies, and had nice clothes – all them nice clothes as they wear’….’ I was a natural” (89). Curley’s wife regrets not accomplishing her goals, and now she feels lonely and upset with herself. She desperately wanted a life in show business, but that did not happen; therefore, she is dissatisfied with her life. She ended up marrying Curley, a man she doesn’t love, just so she could live a better lifestyle instead. Characterization is used when describing her emotions and how she has a feeling of repentance. A sad tone is also set when she talks about her past. These stylistic devices help the reader see she is unhappy with how her life turned out.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Curley’s wife is isolated, has a need for recognition, and is unhappy with her past decisions, which shows that human connections are a key factor in achieving “The American Dream.” As a whole, Curley’s wife uses loneliness and her dissatisfaction with her life as a reason to flirt with other men. She needs love and companionship to live a happy life and to let go of her past and the idea of “The American Dream.”

References

1. Steinbeck, J. (1937). Of Mice and Men. Penguin Books.

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