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How does steinbeck presents and develop the character of Curley's wife?

Please can you help me with this question im preparing for my essay. Also please give me tips for the essay i'm doing on curley's wife. :smile:

Thanks

Reply 1

User936777

Thanks any more replies

Reply 2

JoeDT94

One thing it's good to elaborate on is how she's never given her own sense of identity in the form of a name- she is just the woman Curley is married to. This shows the kind of sexism shown at the time as well as the general lack of respect for her shown by the men working on the ranch.

If you agree, explain how while she flirts with all of the men all she really wants (*opinion here*) is to be noticed and accepted, albeit going about it the wrong way.
Or something like that, I haven't done Lit in 2 years, my memory of Curley's wife as an essay topic is hazy.

That should get your brain ticking, you'll come up with stuff as you go.

Reply 3

x_Natalie_x

Ok, it's been a while since I read this book but I suppose you could say that:

- Initially, Steinbeck presents Curley's wife (CW) as promiscuous, and a potential troublemaker; George warns Lennie to stay away from her, and she is presented as wearing red, implying both danger and the potential she might be is somewhat of a 'scarlet woman' and is out to trap men.
-Later on, Steinbeck develops her character past this initial impression; towards the end of chapter 4 CW meets with Lennie, Crooks and Candy and the impression given is that she is lonely and is deeply unhappy with her life with Curley, and has no one to really talk to. When she talks to Lennie in Chapter 5 (?) and reveals her failed dreams of becoming an actress she is given more humanity and sympathy than ever before, but she dies soon after.

You should note how outwardly CW might seem cruel and smug but deep down, as revealed in ch. 4 and ch. 5, she is lonely and deeply unhappy. She reinforces the key themes of failed dreams and loneliness.

Reply 4

User936777

Original post by JoeDT94

Thanks if you got any more info please write it to me I want to get a high level

Reply 5

User936777

Original post by x_Natalie_x

Thanks alot can any one please give me some points that I can organise in my essay (First time to do an English GCSE essay)

More replies please

She is portrayed as a deceitful and malicious woman who thrives off the lustful attention from each male who works on the ranch. Her flirtatious, but somewhat fruitful body language masks her delicacy and porcelain mirrored life in which the agony is being prolonged to an extent. Despite the fact this novel flows with the idea of sympathy for each character, Curley's Wife is the only character Steinbeck uses to his advantage to reflect on both prejudice and sexist behaviour. The once cruel and heartless woman who only managed to capture the heart of Lennie with her extreme forced beauty, is only towards the end expressed as a lonely soul roaming the ranch for just an ounce of fame and love, something weakened by both the crushing of her dreams, and lack of affection shown by her disloyal husband.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 8

Changing Skies

Original post by omarzizo

More replies please

Done

Only a bit more though haha :wink:

Reply 9

IgorYakov

Original post by omarzizo

Please can you help me with this question im preparing for my essay. Also please give me tips for the essay i'm doing on curley's wife. :smile:

Thanks

Talk about:

-How she's not given a name

-The fact that no one actually respects her EXCEPT for Slim. Slim gives her the attention she craves by saying 'Hey beautiful'

-How she acts lustful

-Her dream and what she wanted to be, (Its in the chapter where CW and Lennie talk in the barn)

-How she has more power and status than Candy and Crooks because she is married and white, this is shown in the chapter where Lennie goes into crook's room, i think 3, she calls him a bindle stiff or something and says she can get Crooks hanged from a tree.

-When she dies all the bad things she's done from her goes off and her face looks innocent (cant remember the exact words but you will get to notice it)

Sorry that's all I got, its from the top of my head and had my exam this year :P the question was on Curleys wife luckily, as its the easiest, I think :P

If i come up with any more ill edit and add on here.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 10

User936777

thanks alot i don't mind if people want to help

Reply 11

User936777

Thanks every one I got a grade C (band 3) can any one tell me is that good and what is the percentage of this exam of my coursework, also bare in mind that i'm in year 9

Reply 12

Chlomc

Original post by omarzizo

Thanks every one I got a grade C (band 3) can any one tell me is that good and what is the percentage of this exam of my coursework, also bare in mind that i'm in year 9

A Band 3 is equivalent to a B grade as far as i'm aware (That's what my teacher told me anyway)
Band 1 = A*
Band 2 = A
Band 3 = B

That is a very good grade, it's what i got for my controlled assessment on that book. Bearing in mind practically everyone in my class did very badly with this book for the CA and the exam (Getting D's when they're targeted A's and A*'s) You should be very proud of yourself!

As to what percentage - what exam board are you on?

Reply 13

username915420

Curley’s wife – Curley’s wife is described to be a pretty girl with a heavily made up face, however when she dies she is described as the complete opposite “the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young. Now her rouged cheeks and reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly”.
The beginning of the quote describes how she was throughout the novel. The ranch workers were attracted to her and she played on that, however she was married to Curley. Throughout the novella her name was not given this shows how women weren’t significant in the era that the novella was set.

Reply 14

User936777

Original post by Chlomc

Thanks but the essay on curley's wife, Plus my exam boared is AQA, so is Band 3 good for my stage? also Band 1 in my school is a G not an A*, but still a C is good or what?