Curley's Wife - Character Revision

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  • Curley's Wife
    • She's a sexual predator.
      • She's described like a scarlet woman.
        • scarlet woman = prostitute (in the 1900s)
        • "her fingernails were red"
        • "she had full rouged lips"
        • "she wore red mules ... and little bouquets of red ostrich feathers."
        • The red descriptions can represent other things.
          • Love
          • Danger
          • Blood
      • She is appealing to the eye.
        • Lennie likes her.
          • "She's purty!"
    • Other men on the ranch don't like her.
      • She is a problem.
        • "The rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off."
          • She brings darkness and gloom to all situations.
      • Candy doesn't like her at all.
        • "I think Curley married ... a tart."
        • "You God damn tramp."
      • It's because she is a woman.
        • "Go back to ya house where you belong." - Carlson
      • "She's ********."
        • George warns Lennie that she is attractive to get you into trouble.
      • All of the men are wary because if they flirt with her, Curley could get them the can.
        • He is the boss' son remember.
    • Dreams of becoming a movie star.
      • Before she dies, we learn how Curley's wife had the normal dream and ambition to become a movie star.
      • She met a guy who claimed her dream could come true.
        • "He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural."
        • Blames mother for not letting the dream come true.
          • "I think she stol' the letter."
          • "But my ol' lady wouldn't let me. She says because I was fifteen."
            • She was too young.
      • Wants nice clothes.
        • "Coulda been in the movie and had nice clothes."
          • Maybe dresses the way she does to mimic 1930s actresses.
      • She lost her potential.
    • Sad lonely character, despite being married.
      • Steinbeck teaches us not to judge a book by its cover.
      • Men avoid her to not be under threat of Curley.
      • Her insecurity is shown by the way she is made up.
        • "The meanness and the plannings of the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face."
        • "She was very pretty and simple."
      • Doesn't really like Curley.
        • Married him in spite of her mother.
          • "I ast her if she stole it but she say no. So I married Curley."
        • "He ain't a nice fella."
        • "I don't like Curley."
      • "Why can't I talk to you. I never get to talk to nobody."
    • Curley's possession.
      • Given no identity.
        • "Curley's wife"
      • More of an object than a human being.
      • Only woman on the ranch.
        • "Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain't no place for a girl."
    • Picks on the weaker.
      • Curley's wife expresses her anger on being the only woman on the ranch by picking on the weaker.
      • In Crooks' room, she offends Crooks, Candy and Lennie.
        • "A ****** an' a dum dum and a lousy old sheep."
      • She picks on Crooks because he is black and threatens to get him killed.
        • "Keep your place then ******, I could get you strung up on a tree so fast it ain't even funny."
      • When Candy defends Crooks, Curley's wife reminds them of her power.
        • "Nobody'll listen to you."
    • Craves attention Curley doesn't give her.
      • Hence why she flirts with Slim.
      • Likes to be sexually attractive to get their attention.
        • "put her hands behind her back ... so her body was thrown forward."
      • Curley still goes to the cathouse, although he is married.
      • Inappropriate dress for a ranch so people notice her.
      • She consoled him. "Don't you worry none."
        • She does care and gives positive interaction when she receives it back.

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