Of MIce and Men: Curley’s Wife Essay

Names have been an important facet of society for as long as Homo sapiens have existed. A name is defined as a word or symbol used in logic to designate an entity. In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck teaches a lesson about the nature of human existence and shows how grim and isolated people become without hope. Steinbeck neglects to address Curleys married womans cause by name in order to emphasize her position as a literary element and provide description on society in the time period during which he lived. Curleys wife is never named because Steinbeck wished to emphasize the ubiquitous dislike of her throughout the farm.Whilst reading the novella, it is implied that no one on the farm likes Curleys wife. However, there isnt necessarily a flaw in her personality from which this aversion to her stems. The characters avoid interaction with her because they devotion retribution from her possessive, short-tempered husband. The men on the farm begin to foster hatred toward her because her constant need for attention puts their livelihoods in danger. The men cant ever get too familiar with her because they are distanced by the fact that she is Curleys wife.Steinbeck constantly reminds the readers and the characters in the book of this fact by denying her a suit fitted name. Second in the litany of reasons why Curleys wife remains unnamed throughout the entire novella is that Steinbeck wishes to superimpose over the entire business relationship the bringing close together that she was a possession of Curleys and not an independent entity. During the course of the novella, we run across multiple instances in which Curley is angered by even the idea of his wife consorting with early(a) men, even in a platonic manner.As previously stated, Curley would even resort to firing men if he was unpleased with the way the interacted with his wife. The reader is able to draw a parallel between the way Curley treats and acts toward his wife and the way someone would act whe n dealing with an object of theirs. It is very clear that she is expected (by Curley and the other men, save Lennie) to obey Curley at all times. At the period in time in which the novella is set, women are expected to submit to their husband wordlessly and this is thoroughly explored in Of Mice and Men through Curley and his wifes relationship.The zeitgeist of 1937(the year in which the book was published) and its subsequent influence on literature written somewhat that time period is another reason Curleys wife remains nameless. In that time, women were considered inferior to men and werent nearly as important in the public eye. One must remember when reading Of Mice and Men that the 19th amendment which gave women the right to vote only became an addendum in 1920. The novella was set during The heavy(p) Depression a time during which women did not have the amount of authority in society as they do today.Curleys wife was used to string women as troublemakers that disrupt the f low of life for men. Steinbeck failed to assign Curleys wife a name because it was acceptable at the time for women to be undermined and overlooked. By constantly referring to her as Curleys wife Steinbeck undermines her character as an independent person because she is forced to always be associated to Curley. With this minor oversight Steinbeck was able to use her character in idiomatic ways to enhance his writing.As indicated previously, Steinbeck writes Curleys wife as a literary element to enhance the story as strange to a character in the story. Almost humorously, one of the outcomes of refusing her a proper name (which I suspect was intentional) is that it caused the reader to direct more attention to her than anyone else in the story. Steinbeck is commonly known as an author who utilizes descriptions as a way to portray his characters. Curley is often mentioned as the bosss son. Slim is introduced as the jerkline skinner. Crooks is only referred to as the stable buck or s imply nigger until chapter 4. Despite the fact that all these characters have names, they are relatively miniscule parts of the story when push comes to shove, the nameless wife is the one who causes things to happen and mandates attention from every angle, be it real or fictitious (by which I mean from both readers and characters indoors the story). The most convincing reason yet as to why Curleys wife remains unnamed lays in something Steinbeck once said in an interview. Steinbeck draw her character as a symbol.He was recorded to have said She has no function, except to be a foil and a danger to Lennie. She was the thwarter who provided the main characters something to be anxious about she was the force that put up massive hurdles for the protagonists to overcome. A villain is defined as The person or thing responsible for specified trouble, harm, or damage. Inadvertently, such was the purpose of Curleys wife. It wasnt her plan to end Lennies life. She simply pursued what sh e felt she be male attention. Her need to fill this desire for attention became so intense that it ultimately caused tragedy.In conclusion, Curleys wife not being assigned a name was not just a mere oversight at the hands of John Steinbeck. She was an instrument used to undermine the position of women in society. Steinbeck purposefully left out her name in order to enhance his writing, and address issues during the time period in which he lived. Curleys wife was used to establish women as the ones who threatened the happiness and well-being of men. Denying Curleys wife a name was an integral part in the writing of Of Mice and Men. (c) Raquel Bracey, December 2012