Can someone please mark this GCSE piece (OF MICE AND MEN)
How does Steinbeck present attitudes towards women in the society in which the novel was set?
In “OF MICE AND MEN” John Steinbeck explores loneliness and self-importance in characters of women. It is full of sexism and unfair treatment towards them. In the novel we are only introduced with “Curley’s Wife” and the rest of the characters are men who you would expect to surround her but don’t even come close to her. She wants attention from other men but fails each time as men think differently of her.
Curley’s wife is first introduced in the novel wearing “cotton house dress and red mules” with “red ostrich feathers”. The word “red” signifies death or blood so the repetition of this word has helped Steinbeck convey the message of an evil lady. This could be the thinking of the society that they may find different ways of showing a lady is not friendly but wicked.
Curley’s wife is not even worthy of a name would shock the audience. She is the only one in the novel to not have a name but instead she is known with her husband’s name “Curley”. One can here say Women in the 1930’s were not given any importance from others around; this could also mean she did not even exist for some people as her name would have never been heard; so she is dead for everyone. Furthermore, when George shouts ”Listen to me, you crazy bastard” implies how serious this matter of staying away is and how she could be a “trap” them. Steinbeck connotes the belief men had for women in that time. One would not expect to hear “Crazy bastard” from two close like friends, these two strong, sharp words could suggest the amount of negativity men had for women.
At the end of the novel we are left with a sign of humour when Curley’s Wife confesses “He says he was gonna put me in the movies”, at this point us audience know the man was only interested in one think. The fact that she has repeated this twice in the novel suggests woman were selfish at that time and could easily be fooled/controlled by men. Just like George and Lennie, Curley’s wife also has ambitions and dreams that we know will never come true “Could be in the movies and had nice clothes”.
Every time Curley’s wife appears we normally hear “we don’t want no trouble here” or “I aint gonna talk to you or nothing” suggests no one wants her and everyone wants to stay away from her. This could again imply women in the society were known to bring trouble whereas them they just wanted to kill time. Curley and his wife always “pick” on each other so, in the society it meant only husband and wife were allowed to spend all the time they have together. Curley’s “glove full of Vaseline” for his wife suggests he is addicted to her and cannot keep her out of his sight for even a second. He is in a way using her for seduction and is physically attracted to her not emotionally.
After considering all the detriments of Curley’s wife, it is clear she is unwanted in the society as she brings trouble and attraction with her. She is no less than a prostitute in a way as she goes around seducing men on the ranch, and moving “closer” to them even though they are not interested. She is not even respected by the society, which is why she does not even deserve her own name, but instead uses her husbands.
In “OF MICE AND MEN” John Steinbeck explores loneliness and self-importance in characters of women. It is full of sexism and unfair treatment towards them. In the novel we are only introduced with “Curley’s Wife” and the rest of the characters are men who you would expect to surround her but don’t even come close to her. She wants attention from other men but fails each time as men think differently of her.
Curley’s wife is first introduced in the novel wearing “cotton house dress and red mules” with “red ostrich feathers”. The word “red” signifies death or blood so the repetition of this word has helped Steinbeck convey the message of an evil lady. This could be the thinking of the society that they may find different ways of showing a lady is not friendly but wicked.
Curley’s wife is not even worthy of a name would shock the audience. She is the only one in the novel to not have a name but instead she is known with her husband’s name “Curley”. One can here say Women in the 1930’s were not given any importance from others around; this could also mean she did not even exist for some people as her name would have never been heard; so she is dead for everyone. Furthermore, when George shouts ”Listen to me, you crazy bastard” implies how serious this matter of staying away is and how she could be a “trap” them. Steinbeck connotes the belief men had for women in that time. One would not expect to hear “Crazy bastard” from two close like friends, these two strong, sharp words could suggest the amount of negativity men had for women.
At the end of the novel we are left with a sign of humour when Curley’s Wife confesses “He says he was gonna put me in the movies”, at this point us audience know the man was only interested in one think. The fact that she has repeated this twice in the novel suggests woman were selfish at that time and could easily be fooled/controlled by men. Just like George and Lennie, Curley’s wife also has ambitions and dreams that we know will never come true “Could be in the movies and had nice clothes”.
Every time Curley’s wife appears we normally hear “we don’t want no trouble here” or “I aint gonna talk to you or nothing” suggests no one wants her and everyone wants to stay away from her. This could again imply women in the society were known to bring trouble whereas them they just wanted to kill time. Curley and his wife always “pick” on each other so, in the society it meant only husband and wife were allowed to spend all the time they have together. Curley’s “glove full of Vaseline” for his wife suggests he is addicted to her and cannot keep her out of his sight for even a second. He is in a way using her for seduction and is physically attracted to her not emotionally.
After considering all the detriments of Curley’s wife, it is clear she is unwanted in the society as she brings trouble and attraction with her. She is no less than a prostitute in a way as she goes around seducing men on the ranch, and moving “closer” to them even though they are not interested. She is not even respected by the society, which is why she does not even deserve her own name, but instead uses her husbands.
Id give it a B, some very good points but stick to the Point Evidence Explain. Try and make some points that no one else will make. Make some more links to how women were perceived at the time. Fully expand on all of your comments. Remember that Curley's wife is simply property and nothing more.
Curley’s wife is not even worthy of a name would shock the audience-that would be normal at that time, so it would not.
I would also give it a B, its good but you need to use some structure, like TEA or PEE. Use more embedded quotes and you need insightful comments, you also need to talk about language a lot more.
I would also give it a B, its good but you need to use some structure, like TEA or PEE. Use more embedded quotes and you need insightful comments, you also need to talk about language a lot more.
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