Curley's Wife Abuse Quotes. He tries to make her stop screaming and kills her by accident. Candy Candy comes into the barn to talk to Lennie and finds Curley's wife. Now George has no dream, and he will end up working like the other ranch hands and spending his money in a poolroom or "some lousy cat house.". When George claims that they might find Lennie first and bring him in and lock him up, Slim explains that Curley will want to kill him, and even if he doesn't, how would Lennie like being locked up and strapped down like an animal in a cage? She doesn't have a good relationship with her husband. She insists that she could have been an actress. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Curley's wife is depicted as a manipulator and a temptress throughout Of Mice and Men. What happened after Lennie kills Curley's wife? Lennie, however, is still trying to figure out how to get rid of the dead pup so that George won't know. Lennie is fascinated by her and cannot take his eyes off her. When Lennie explains that he likes to pet soft things, Curley's wife reveals that she too likes to feel silk and velvet, and she invites him to feel her hair, which is very soft. The four people responsible for Lennies death are George, Curleys wife, Lennie, and Curley. "tend them rabits" if he talks to her. Curley's wife tells Lennie of her life and her missed opportunity to travel with the show that came through her hometown. https://velvetblory.co.uk/post/11076202092/steinbecks-letter. This is largely due to his intellectual disability, which makes it difficult for him to understand other people or anticipate the consequences of his actions. Why do George and candy give up on their dream Why cant they accomplish it without Lennie? Curley's wife is lonely as we know, and we know that she is childish she says "sometimes when I brush my hair I like to stroke it for a little while". But in the movie she was in a very different situation. A stomach wound results in a most painful death. Who is Katy mixon body double eastbound and down season 1 finale? From the beginning of the novella, Steinbeck foreshadows that Lennie will accidentally kill Curleys wife while trying to stroke her hair. What happened to lennies puppy? They treat her wrong because in this novella they only calls her Curleys wife they never called her by her name so no one will ever know what it was. The reactions to her death start a manhunt against Lennie. Shortly after having thrown the puppy, Lennie picks it up again, stroking it and deciding that maybe George won't care. when she did not receive a letter from 'producer of the movies', Curleys wife regrets marrying her husband and strives for attention by flirting with the workers on the ranch. He then disappears from the barn with the dead puppy in hand. In the letter, Steinbeck explains the character from his perspective. Of Mice and Men, written by John Steinbeck, takes place during the time of The Great Depression; an era extremely difficult for women. Steinbeck's initial portrayal of Curley's wife shows her to be a mean and seductive temptress. In Of Mice and Men, innocence is the only quality that can keep a man from becoming old, lonely, and bitter. As the story continues, there are many hidden indications that she could be seen as a much simpler, innocent presence, rather than an evil. She gets angry because she doesn't understand why she cannot talk to anyone besides Curley. Is Lennie guilty of killing Curleys wife? If you're interested in learning more about Curley's wife, I've provided a link to a copy of a letter that Steinbeck wrote to an actress who was playing Curley's wife in a stage adaptation of the story. Lennie was touching Curley's wife's hair when he went too far, and touched her too hard. Steinbeck reiterates this impression by portraying her innocence in death: Curley's wife lay with a half-covering of yellow hay. In Chapter 5, Lennie is sitting alone until Curley's wife enters. When Lennie first sees Curley's Wife, he comments that she is pretty, or "purty." Following his comment, Curley's wife chatters on, explaining more about her lost chance to become an actress and how she met Curley. Curleys wife is introduced just like any other; however, the emphasis on her feminine features are metaphoric to where women stand in society. He accidentally broke her neck while trying to calm her down. He grabs a hold of her hair and muffles her screams. Which Teeth Are Normally Considered Anodontia. Curley immediately blames Lennie, saying he will go for his shotgun and shoot Lennie in the guts. This basically proves and enforces the reality that Lennie influences almost every part of Georges life. What happened between Lennie and Curleys wife in the barn? Not affiliated with Harvard College. We are mapping the world's opinions to help improve civil discourse. Lennie repeats George's instructions that he is not to talk to her. She lets Lennie stroke her hair, but she panics when she feels his strength. Candy says they need to let Lennie get away because Curley will lynch him, but George realizes how hopeless escape would be. She lies dead on the hay. The most ironic thing about this scene is that her death is that it is preceded by a moment of human connection. She brings evil into mens' lives by tempting them in a way they cannot resist. I chose Curley for no empathy because, Curley didnt care about anyone except for his wife, and I think that Curley didnt even care about her wife, it was just lust. She is usually described as Curley's possession and is frequently objectified by the ranch hands. Some people have coarse hair. She said this, not knowing that Lennie likes to pet soft things. Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife by shaking and breaking her neck. < (1 of 2) Next argument > The Argument The death of Curley's wife sets off a chain reaction for the events that close out "Of Mice and Men". TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Lennie is innocent in that hes naive about the ways of the world. He did this . Why does Curley's wife offer to let Lennie pet her hair? Picking up the dead pup, he leaves to go to the hiding place. When George Killed Lennie Is Wrong 758 Words | 4 Pages. Latest answer posted November 30, 2020 at 4:09:18 PM. Curleys wife explains that she hates Curley because he spends all his time sayin what hes gonna do to guys he dont like, and her marital dissatisfaction manifests as flirtatiousness with the other men on the ranch. Therefore, Curley's wife's death is not crucial to the plot. How Did George Kill Lennie's Death In Of Mice And Men. Latest answer posted November 19, 2020 at 6:35:21 PM. She is extremely lonely and views Curley as mean-spirited. Every character takes the opportunity to not be lonely even if they know that they're going to get hurt. Her death also is a reminder of the incredible strength Lennie held and how incapable he was at managing it. She is defined by her role: Curley's wife or possession. She is, after all, the wife of the boss's very jealous son. George has no responsibility to take care of Lennie, yet George is willing to do anything for Lennie. He tells Candy to give him a minute to go to the bunkhouse before telling the other men; then George will come along as though he had not already seen Curley's wife. What does Lennie think of Curley? The text states, "'That big son-of-a-bitch done it. George is supportive of and helpful to Lennie as a friend should. eNotes Editorial, 6 Apr. The curls, tiny little sausages, were spread on the hay behind her head, and her lips were parted. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. See answer (1) Copy. If Lennie hadn't killed Curley's wife, he would have done something else to upset Curley, leading to his eventual death or the permanent loss of his and George's dream. I say this because she is always trying to get people in trouble, shes always causing trouble, and she never once does anything on her own, shes always has to go bother the guys, like Lennie. Without Lennie, George cannot envision himself carrying on, and he realises that the dream was never really possible. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. This represents the hopelessness of men like them. Although Lenny is such a soft gentle man, he often becomes confused and frightened and is unable to control the illness embedded within his mind. She knows she can get Lennie to talk with her while the other men are playing games outside. George shot him in the temple of his head for a quick and painless death. Curley's wife says he can get another one. In the book Curleys Wife is portrayed as a whore and not much else. Curley's wife regrets marrying her husband and strives for attention by flirting with the workers on the ranch. The death of Curley's wife comes as a tragic result of Lennie's ignorance of his strength. Lennie is responsible for killing Curley's wife because he did it. George first shows that hes caring when he and Lennie run away from Weed because Lennie touched a girls dress. George considers what will happen to Lennie: They could lock Lennie up, but he'd starve, and people would be mean to him. CliffsNotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what you're studying, CliffsNotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. Lennie experiences two visions in this last scene. When Lennie realizes that she is dead, he panics and paws the hay to partially cover her. Indeed, the gentle giant's final downfall is caused because of the vain wife. Lennie kills Curley's wife completely by accident. This quote shows that George is killing Lennie for Lennies own good. Removing #book# George says, She yells and we got to hide in an irrigation ditch all day with guys lookin for us, and we gotta sneak out in the dark and get outta the country (13). First, when George was introducing himself and Lennie to their new boss, he said, I never seen one guy take so much trouble for another guy. This shows that George was portraying that he cares about Lennie enough to be picked up on by others. Following his comment, Curley's wife chatters on, explaining more about her lost chance to become an actress and how she met Curley. with Curley. Well, I can go away, said Lennie. Her beauty is such that perhaps that dream might have come true. Accessed 4 Mar. Curley's wife is terribly lonely. Lennie is fascinated by her and cannot take his eyes off her. Carlson and Curley return, and Carlson claims that Lennie has stolen his Luger. Her death at Lennie's hands means the end of George and Lennie's companionship and their dream. As Lenny sits in the barn staring at the dead pup he did not mean to kill, Curleys wife comes in and sympathises with Lenny. In the John Steinbeck novel of Mice and Men, everyone is lonely and will try or do anything to stop being lonely. In chapter five, George suggests to put Lennie in jail, but Slim, a jerkline skinner, quickly shot that down by saying that it would not be right if he was strapped down, and locked up in a cage, (5,9). He attacks Lennie, but Lennie is so strong that he crushes Curley's hand. And Candy is lonely character the reason being that he had a best friend who later dies, Candy is feeling less of use he is willing to do anything to feel useful. Carlson follows Curley out of the barn, going for his Luger. She also states that the reason for her current life is that The reactions to her death start a manhunt against Lennie. Immediately after killing Curley's wife, Lennie travels back to his hidden meeting spot by the river and waits for George while Curley leads a lynch mob after him. In the scene in Crooks' room, she reminds Crooks of his place and threatens to have him lynched if he doesn't show her the proper respect as the wife of the boss' son and a white woman. Summary and Analysis What did Curleys wife tell Lennie? The fact that Lennie anticipates the same pattern this time is indicative of his childlike innocence. She is defined by her role: Curley's wife or possession. Lennie is crying because he has killed his puppy. Their lack of wealth, Lennie's lack of intelligence, and their negative past experiences in Weed all create a barrier that is impossible to breakthrough. Notice that Lennie's face is bloody and bruised up from the fight with Curley. First, Curley's wife insists on talking with Lennie even after he warns her that he "ain't supposed to" because "George's scared [he'll] get in trouble." Then Curley's wife invites Lennie to pet her soft hair, but when he gets too rough, she " jerked her head sideways, and Lennie's fingers closed on her hair and hung on Of mice and men book. http://www.gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men/study-guide/summary-chapter-five. Lennie easily lets down his guard. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. She sees the dead puppy and consoles him, saying that no one will care about the loss of a mere mutt. Georges caring nature makes him a good friend because it shows that he is willing to protect Lennie when hes in trouble. My feelings about her throughout the book did not change, I didnt like her at all from the beginning. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Curlys wife is the loneliest character she is willing to talk to anyone even Lennie. Curley's wife lets him touch her hair because she likes attention, she also likes soft things and she is not afraid of him. In the book Of Mice and Men, the character of Curley's wife best captures the isolation felt by so many characters because she is the only woman on the ranch and her husband has forbidden everyone from talking to her, she really is the loneliest person on the ranch. A struggle ensues Lennie panicking and Curley's wife's eyes "wild with terror" until her body flops "like a fish" and then she is still. Candy asserts that he and George can still have their farm, but George realizes that it will never happen. She wears too much makeup and dresses like a "whore" with red fingernails and red shoes with ostrich feathers. Steinbeck seems to show, through Curley's wife, that even the worst of us have our humanity. Open Document. He is mad at the puppy because it died and he throws the puppy at the wall. Curleys wife states I tell you I aint used to livin like this, I coulda made somethin of myself. (Steinbeck 88). Although Curleys wife is beautiful and young, she is naive and dangerous as George knew from the beginning. Who is Katy mixon body double eastbound and down season 1 finale? 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Essential Quotes by Character: Lennie Small. In Of Mice and Men, George feels anguish after killing Lennie, but he knows that killing Lennie was the most humane thing to do. When Lennie started touching her hair, she got upset and started screaming. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? Lennie is responsible for killing Curleys wife because he did it. This dream comes to a screeching halt when Lennie kills the boss's son's wife. Is it right to blame anyone for their own death on themselves when they were murdered for doing nothing wrong? DEROGATORY depiction of Curley's wife by Curley., Characterisation of Curley's wife is based on her appearance . For example, he also said, I could. When Lennie started touching her hair, she got upset and started screaming. But then he uncovers the pup and strokes it again, realizing that George will know he killed it because George always knows and Lennie won't get to tend the rabbits. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. She lies dead on the hay. And it's her who. Why was the decision Roe v. Wade important for feminists? Also, she just wanted anyone who would talk to her and listen to her. Her "best laid plans" involved a stint in the movies with all the benefits, money, and pleasure that would provide. As Lenny and Curleys wife connect deeply, she lets him touch her soft hair; however, Lennie would not let go. fella". In the article Im not a tart, Meester, the actor who plays Curleys wife on Broadway, has an interesting opinion to this girl without a name. Both of them start to talk, and Curley's wife launches into a discussion of her own failed . This page was last edited on Thursday, 6 Aug 2020 at 21:38 UTC. Thats a thing I want ya to know (Steinbeck 106). Lennie repeats George's instructions that he is not to talk to her. Copyright 2023 IPL.org All rights reserved. He goes out and gets George, who asks him to give him a couple of minutes so the other men don't think he was involved. For example in Chapter 5, when Lennie is in the barn, getting all flustered and frustrated because he had just killed the pup on accident because he was play fighting with him, Curleys Wife came in, and started bothering him. 2 Pages. On page 98 Curley says Hes got Carlsons Luger. Instead of companionship for George, there is a future of loneliness. He then, at her invitation, starts stroking her hair, commenting "that's nice," before he accidentally breaks her neck after she starts screaming when he strokes too hard. She starts to wish that she would have lived somewhere else and became an actress. Curley's wife, like the other players in the drama, is simply a character type and the only woman in the plot. "You are nuts , but you kinda nice Lennie feels guilty about the death of Curleys wife. In Chapter 5, Lennie is sitting alone until Curleys wife enters. Curley's wife says he can get another one. What happened to Lennies puppy? One of the handfuls of characters with impairment in this book is Curley's Wife.