Steinbeck presents her as a negative married woman. She has been presented first through the dialogue of ranch-hand Candy when he describes her to George. His opinion is very sexist towards Curleyâs wife as he says âCurley married...a tartâ. This shows Steinbeck presents her in a very crude manner. The word âtartâ shows the immediate impression and effect Curleyâs wife has on the other men on the ranch. Steinbeck used this effect because he wants to show the reader the first impression the man have about Curleyâs wife. This affects the reader to pre-judge Curleyâs wife even before she entered.
She has been portrayed as dangerous. When Curleyâs wife first appears both George and Lennie notices â...the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway is cut offâ. This suggests that Curleyâs wife is like darkness. She is also dangerous and brings only trouble to ranch hands because when she appears their âsunshineâ is cut off. Light represents hope in this novel. The fact that light/sunshine has been cut off links back to the idea that Curleyâs wife will stand between their dream and future and may take away their happiness and dream just like darkness.
Steinbeck presents her as being very flirty and in need for attention. She is described as âshe has full rouged lips and wide spaced eyes and heavily made up. Her hair was hung in little rolled clusters, like sausagesâ. This part about her hair could be taken as an insult and she has failed to make herself attractive.
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