Of Mice And Men Analysis: Feminist Theory
Example 1: One example that shows how women are portrayed and viewed in the environment of
, "Of Mice And Men" is how Curley takes the murder of his wife. Most men would be angry of course but mostly due to the fact that they just lost the love of their life; Curley on the other hand became angry about his wife's death, not because he lost the love of life but because he saw her death as a stolen property from him in a sense. Curley feels as if Lennie had no right to kill her and that him killing her is Lennie's stealing/destroying his property. This is exemplified on page 96..."Curley came suddenly to life. "I know who done it," he cried. "That big son-of-a-bitch done it. I know he done it. Why ever'body else was out there playin' horseshoes." He worked himself into a fury. "I'm gonna get him. I'm going for my shotgun. I'll kill the big son-of-a-bitch myself. I'll shoot 'im in the guts. Come on, you guys." He ran furiously out of the barn." (Steinbeck, 96) This quote shows that Curley isn't mad about his Wife's death. Not once does he express any morose for the loss of his "loved one" rather pure angry towards Lennie. He sees her death as property damage rather than a murder of a human.
Example 2: Another example of how women are portrayed in Of Mice And Men is during chapter 2. When Curley's wife is first introduced. The author gives her qualities that express a somewhat promiscuous attitude. Even though Curley's wife is really just lonely, the reader may not see that. Furthermore, George then says to Lennie on Page 32, "Don't you even take a look at that bitch. I don't care what she says and what she does. I seen 'em poison before, but i never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her..."(Steinbeck,32). This quote exemplifies how George and really how mostly everyone feels about Curley's wife on the barn as they all share roughly the same opinions. They all believe that Curley's wife is in a way a slut, when in reality she just wants company. In a biblical context, this can be compared to the story of Adam and Eve. Many take that story as justification to see women as full of lust and disobeying god's will for their own selfish desires. Similarly, the men of the barn dislike Curley's wife as she is seen as full of lust for the other men in the barn while disobeying her husband's base desire for her to be faithful.
Example 3: Another example of how women are treated/portrayed in Of Mice and Men is how Curley's wife is perpetually running away from him. Her "flirting" with the other men on the ranch is not an example of her promiscuity or "slutiness" rather her desire to find company with someone who does not bore her or mistreat her. Throughout the book, on multiple occasions, Curley is often looking for his own wife to which she is hiding from him. This behavior shows a certain expectation for women, not to act promiscuous, but rather to simply marry rich. During this time period, The Great Depression, women having jobs is an extremely rare sight. For someone like Curley's wife, it is simply safer, more reasonable and generally well expected of her to marry someone with money rather than find her own way in a highly patriarchal society. It really shows the stigmas against women in this time period.
Citations:
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. 96. Print.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. 32. Print.
, "Of Mice And Men" is how Curley takes the murder of his wife. Most men would be angry of course but mostly due to the fact that they just lost the love of their life; Curley on the other hand became angry about his wife's death, not because he lost the love of life but because he saw her death as a stolen property from him in a sense. Curley feels as if Lennie had no right to kill her and that him killing her is Lennie's stealing/destroying his property. This is exemplified on page 96..."Curley came suddenly to life. "I know who done it," he cried. "That big son-of-a-bitch done it. I know he done it. Why ever'body else was out there playin' horseshoes." He worked himself into a fury. "I'm gonna get him. I'm going for my shotgun. I'll kill the big son-of-a-bitch myself. I'll shoot 'im in the guts. Come on, you guys." He ran furiously out of the barn." (Steinbeck, 96) This quote shows that Curley isn't mad about his Wife's death. Not once does he express any morose for the loss of his "loved one" rather pure angry towards Lennie. He sees her death as property damage rather than a murder of a human.
Example 2: Another example of how women are portrayed in Of Mice And Men is during chapter 2. When Curley's wife is first introduced. The author gives her qualities that express a somewhat promiscuous attitude. Even though Curley's wife is really just lonely, the reader may not see that. Furthermore, George then says to Lennie on Page 32, "Don't you even take a look at that bitch. I don't care what she says and what she does. I seen 'em poison before, but i never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her..."(Steinbeck,32). This quote exemplifies how George and really how mostly everyone feels about Curley's wife on the barn as they all share roughly the same opinions. They all believe that Curley's wife is in a way a slut, when in reality she just wants company. In a biblical context, this can be compared to the story of Adam and Eve. Many take that story as justification to see women as full of lust and disobeying god's will for their own selfish desires. Similarly, the men of the barn dislike Curley's wife as she is seen as full of lust for the other men in the barn while disobeying her husband's base desire for her to be faithful.
Example 3: Another example of how women are treated/portrayed in Of Mice and Men is how Curley's wife is perpetually running away from him. Her "flirting" with the other men on the ranch is not an example of her promiscuity or "slutiness" rather her desire to find company with someone who does not bore her or mistreat her. Throughout the book, on multiple occasions, Curley is often looking for his own wife to which she is hiding from him. This behavior shows a certain expectation for women, not to act promiscuous, but rather to simply marry rich. During this time period, The Great Depression, women having jobs is an extremely rare sight. For someone like Curley's wife, it is simply safer, more reasonable and generally well expected of her to marry someone with money rather than find her own way in a highly patriarchal society. It really shows the stigmas against women in this time period.
Citations:
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. Print.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. 96. Print.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993. 32. Print.