Curley’s Wife represents the loneliness of women during the Great Depression.
In John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” Curley’s wife is presented in varying lights.
Initially characterized as a flirtatious and dangerous woman, she’s seen mainly through the lens of the male characters’ unkind viewpoints.
However, as the story progresses, Steinbeck reveals her as a woman deserving of sympathy.
Curley’s wife’s character depicts societal attitudes toward women during the 1930s and challenges the reader’s preconceptions.
Of Mice and Men Quotes With Page Numbers
Curley’s Wife Character Analysis
Curley’s wife is an enigmatic character in John Steinbeck’s classic novel “Of Mice and Men.” She’s often misjudged and underappreciated despite her complexity.
As the only female character, she represents unfulfilled dreams, loneliness, and the struggles women faced in patriarchal society at the time.
Purposefully unnamed to symbolize her position as an object in society, her character is often referred to as “jail bait” and “rattrap” (Chapter 2, Page 31, Steinbeck), reflecting the male characters’ disdainful and dismissive attitude towards her.
George, fearing her impact on Lennie, warns him to steer clear of her, indicative of the inherent power imbalance between genders.
Curley’s wife grapples with intense loneliness, stating, “I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely” (Chapter 5, Page 87, Steinbeck). These quotes shed light on her desperation for interaction and convey her isolation in a world dominated by men.
Forbidden to speak to anyone but Curley, she symbolizes solitude and the struggle for human connection.
Steinbeck portrays Curley’s wife as a dreamer. She laments, “I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself.” (Chapter 5, Page 87, Steinbeck). This further emphasizes her unfulfilled ambition of a better life, showing that she once hoped to escape her mundane life and achieve something great.
Curley’s wife also uses her beauty to assert her minimal power in a world that considers her an object. As seen when she is shown ‘standin’ in the doorway showin’ her legs’ (Chapter 2, Page 31, Steinbeck), her attractiveness symbolizes power and rebellion in her limited sphere.
Steinbeck further portrays Curley’s wife’s discontent with her husband Curley, where she candidly admits to Lennie, “Sometimes I’d like to bust him myself” (Chapter 4, Pages 81,82, Steinbeck) and “I’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it comin’ to him.” (Chapter, 4, Pages 81, 82, Steinbeck).
These remarks reveal her discontent and frustration with an abusive and neglectful marriage.
In conclusion, Curley’s wife is a multi-faceted character who embodies loneliness, unfulfilled dreams, and the harsh reality for women in a man’s world.
She is a victim of objectification, prejudice, and isolation, demonstrating Steinbeck’s understanding and empathy for marginalized figures in society.
Her untimely death symbolizes the unrealistic hope of a better life and the dire consequences of society’s inability to see beyond her surface facade.
Through Curley’s wife, Steinbeck criticizes the dehumanizing effect of gender inequalities and the destructive consequences of loneliness and unmet aspirations.
Curley’s Wife Of Mice and Men Quotes
“You seen that glove on his left hand?”
“Yeah. I seen it.”
“Well, that glove’s fulla vaseline.”
“Vaseline? What the hell for?”
“Well, I tell ya what – Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 27
“Seems to me like he’s worse lately,” said the swamper. “He got married a couple of weeks ago. Wife lives over in the boss’s house. Seems like CurIey is cockier’n ever since he got married.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 27
“Well – she got the eye.”
“Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that’s why Curley’s pants is full of ants.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 28
“Oh!” She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. “You’re the new fellas that just come, ain’t ya?”
“Yeah.”
Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little. She looked at her fingernails. “Sometimes Curley’s in here,” she explained.
George said brusquely, “Well he ain’t now.”“If he ain’t, I guess I better look some place else,” she said playfully.
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton, Lennie Small, and Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 31
“I don’t care what she says and what she does. I seen ’em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be.”
Lennie tried to disengage his ear.
“I never done nothing, George.”
“No, you never. But when she was standin’ in the doorway showin’ her legs, you wasn’t lookin’ the other way, neither.”
“I never meant no harm, George. Honest I never.”
“Well, you keep away from her, ’cause she’s a rattrap if I ever seen one.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 31
“She’s purty,” said Lennie defensively.
“Yeah, and she’s sure hidin’ it. Curley got his work ahead of him. Bet she’d clear out for twenty bucks.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Lennie about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 32
“She stood still in the doorway, smiling a little at them, rubbing the nails of one hand with the thumb and forefinger of the other. And her eyes traveled from one face to another. “They left all the weak ones here,” she said finally. “Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all went.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“She regarded them amusedly. “Funny thing,” she said. “If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad” She dropped her fingers and put her hands on her hips.
“You’re all scared of each other, that’s what. Ever’ one of you’s scared the rest is goin’ to get something on you.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house afla time?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“Think I’m gonna stay in that twoby-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twict, and then bring in the of right cross? `One-two’ he says. `Jus’ the of one-two an’ he’ll go down.”‘ She paused and her face lost its sullenness and grew interested. “Say-what happened to Curley’s ban’?”
There was an embarrassed silence. Candy stole a look at Lennie. Then he coughed. “Why . . . .
Curley . . . . he got his han’ caught in a machine, ma’am. Butt his ban’.”
She watched for a moment, and then she laughed. “Baloney!
What you think you’re sellin’ me? Curley started som’pin’ he didn’ finish. Caught in a machine -baloney! Why, he ain’t give nobody the good of onetwo since he got his ban’ bust. Who bust him?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Candy, and Lennie about Curley, Chapter 4, Page 78
“Awright,” she said contemptuously. “Awright, cover ‘im up if ya wanta. Whatta I care? You bindle bums think you’re so damn good. Whatta ya think I am, a kid? I tell ya I could of went with shows. Not jus’ one, neither. An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers…” She was breathless with indignation. ” – Sat’iday night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs – a n***** an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep – an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Crooks and Lennie, Chapter 4, Page 78
“Candy’s face had grown redder and redder, but before she was done speaking, he had control of himself. He was the master of the situation. “I might of knew,” he said gently. “Maybe you just better go along an’ roll your hoop. We ain’t got nothing to say to you at all. We know what we got, and we don’t care whether you know it or not.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Candy to Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 79
“She turned on him in scorn. “Listen, N*****,” she said. “You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?”
Crooks stared hopelessly at her, and then he sat down on his bunk and drew into himself. She closed on him. “You know what I could do?”
Crooks seemed to grow smaller, and he pressed himself against the wall. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Well, you keep your place then, N*****. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife and Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 80
“Candy said, “That bitch didn’t ought to of said that to you.”
“It wasn’t nothing,” Crooks said dully. “You guys comin’ in an’ settin’ made me forget. What she says is true.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife and Crooks, Chapter 4, Page 81
“She turned to Lennie. “I’m glad you bust up Curley a little bit. He got it comin’ to him. Sometimes I’d like to bust him myself.” She slipped out the door and disappeared into the dark barn. And while she went through the barn, the halter chains rattled, and some horses snorted and some stamped their feet.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 4, Pages 81, 82
“She knelt in the hay beside him. “Listen,” she said “All the guys got a horseshoe tenement goin’ on. It’ on’y about four o’clock. None of them guys is goin to leave that tenement. Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 87
“I get lonely,” she said. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 87
“I tell you I ain’t used to livin’ like this. I coulda made somethin’ of myself.” She said darkly, “Maybe I will yet.” And then her words tumbled out in a passion of communication, as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away. “I lived right in Salinas,” she said. “Come there when I was a kid. Well, a show come through, an’ I met one of the actors. He says I could go with that show. But my ol’ lady wouldn’ let me. She says because I was on’y fifteen. But the guy says I coulda. If I’d went, I wouldn’t be livin’ like this, you bet.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie, Chapter 5, Page 88
“She went on with her story quickly, before she should be interrupted. “‘Nother time I met a guy, an’ he was in pitchers.Went out to the Riverside Dance Palace with him. He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural. Soon’s he got back to Hollywood he was gonna write to me about it.” She looked closely at Lennie to see whether she was impressing him. “I never got that letter,” she said. “I always thought my of lady stole it. Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself, an’ where they stole your letters. I ast her if she stole it, too, an’ she says no. So I married Curley. Met him out to the Riverside Dance Palace that same night.” She demanded,”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 88
“Well, I ain’t told this to nobody before. Maybe I ought’n to. I don’like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” And because she had confided in him, she moved closer to Lennie and sat beside him.
“Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes-all them nice clothes like they wear. An’ I coulda sat in them big hotels, an’ had pitchers took of me. When they had them previews I coulda went to them, an’ spoke in the radio, an’ it wouldn’ta cost me a cent because I was in the pitcher. An’ all them nice clothes like they wear. Because this guy says I was a natural.” She looked up at Lennie, and she made a small grand gesture with her arm and hand to show that she could act. The fingers trailed after her leading wrist, and her little finger stuck out grandly from the rest.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 89
“Take Curley. His hair is jus’ like wire. But mine is soft and fine.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 90
“Slim stood looking down at Curley’s wife. He said, “Curley-maybe you better stay here with your wife.”
Curley’s face reddened. “I’m goin’,” he said. “I’m gonna shoot the guts outa that big bastard myself, even if I only got one hand. I’m gonna get ‘im.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Slim and Curley, Chapter 5, Page 98
Curley’s Wife Quotes About Loneliness
“Well – she got the eye.”
“Yeah? Married two weeks and got the eye? Maybe that’s why Curley’s pants is full of ants.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, George Milton and Candy about Curley’s Wife, Chapter 2, Page 28
“She stood still in the doorway, smiling a little at them, rubbing the nails of one hand with the thumb and forefinger of the other. And her eyes traveled from one face to another. “They left all the weak ones here,” she said finally. “Think I don’t know where they all went? Even Curley. I know where they all went.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“She regarded them amusedly. “Funny thing,” she said. “If I catch any one man, and he’s alone, I get along fine with him. But just let two of the guys get together an’ you won’t talk. Jus’ nothing but mad” She dropped her fingers and put her hands on her hips.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house afla time?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
“Think I’m gonna stay in that twoby-four house and listen how Curley’s gonna lead with his left twict, and then bring in the of right cross? `One-two’ he says. `Jus’ the of one-two an’ he’ll go down.”‘ She paused and her face lost its sullenness and grew interested. “Say-what happened to Curley’s ban’?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Candy, and Lennie about Curley, Chapter 4, Page 78
“Sat’iday night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs – a n***** an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep – an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Crooks and Lennie, Chapter 4, Page 78
“She knelt in the hay beside him. “Listen,” she said “All the guys got a horseshoe tenement goin’ on. It’ on’y about four o’clock. None of them guys is goin to leave that tenement. Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 87
“I get lonely,” she said. “You can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How’d you like not to talk to anybody?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Lennie about Curley, Chapter 5, Page 87
Why is Curley’s wife so lonely a quote?
“Well, I ain’t giving you no trouble. Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house afla time?”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife, Chapter 4, Page 77
What names does Curley’s wife insult Lennie?
“Sat’iday night. Ever’body out doin’ som’pin’. Ever’body! An’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs – a n***** an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep – an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
~John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men, Curley’s Wife to Crooks and Lennie, Chapter 4, Page 78