Curley's Wife Language Analysis

Curley’s wife explores the dichotomy of good and bad. Steinbeck immediately creates a picture of negativity surrounding the character by using provocative adjectives like ‘jailbait, bitch’ and ‘tramp’. This interpretation is accepted by the readers however through her death there are a number of redeeming features that place her as a positive character.
Steinbeck prejudices the reader by using her appearance and description to create a character that is one dimensional. The author compares here hair to sausages; he excessively uses the word ‘red’ and manipulates metaphorical language to shape the readers opinions. Not only is the metaphor a descriptive technique, it also serves as a structural device; it acts as a means of foreshadowing how …show more content…
Arguably once again prejudicing the reader against her. The atmosphere of ‘paranoia’ and ‘suspicion’ and mistrust is immediately sensed by George. Soon after the introduction George bitterly states ‘seen em poison before but I never seen no peace of jailbait worse than her’. Not only is the language here emotive, descriptive and provocative, perhaps it suggests how men viewed women in such a time. This almost serves as a warning to Lennie as he soon commands him to leave her be. This is a typical example of how the ranchmen reacted to Curley’s wife. This relates to Steinbeck’s idea that if anyone was to cognizance her it would be because she was ‘sexually desirable’. George’s language has been effectively manipulated by Steinbeck. The colloquial language and descriptive imagery recreates the voice of ordinary ranchmen and the readers see how aggressive it could be. Also structurally, she is one of the first characters to be introduced ans therefore the first to be judged as good or bad character by the reader. George’s character illustrates Curley’s wife as ‘poison’ and a piece of jailbait however Steinbeck sheds more light on this in his leter. He states that is anyone was to give her a break and treated her like a person she would be a ‘slave’ to them. This perhaps changes the interpretation of Curley’s wife as is seems to suggest that she is a …show more content…
It is unfortunate for both Lennie and Curley’s wife that she suffers this fate. Th novella explores the theme of destiny and fate and no more so than in Curley’s wife. She was destined for death but she believed that fate would carry her to the ‘pictures’. As the men played out life with a game of cards, her life is played out in a similar fashion. In her last moments the readers are given a glimpse into her dreams, her life and her kind and honest personality. Even in her death she ‘flopped like a fish’. This description is incredibally peculiar and perhaps insights more sympathy from the reader. However after this dark demise Steinbeck masterfully offers some light. The meanness and the planning and the discontent were all you see from her face’. The list of three and repetition of the word and creates a sense of flow and momentum. It is almost like she is exonerated from the cruelty and malice that plagued her life. The reader at this stage would start re-assessing their opinions of Curley’s wife. Whilst they are doing so Steinbeck informs us that ‘the curly little tiny sasusages were spread out on the hay. We see Steinbeck manipulate the cyclical narrative but with one key difference. He purges her character and shows a young girls that was taken before her time. Time is yet another theme that is explored within the novella and it is a concept that is against all of the characters.