Of mice and men curley analysis. Of Mice and Men Themes and Analysis 2022-11-07

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In John Steinbeck's novel, "Of Mice and Men," the character of Curley is a complex and dynamic figure who plays a significant role in the story. As the boss's son and the only young, single man on the ranch, Curley is a symbol of authority and power. However, he is also portrayed as a lonely, insecure, and aggressive individual who is constantly seeking attention and validation.

One of the most striking aspects of Curley's character is his physical appearance. He is described as a small, wiry man with a "mean face" and "hands that closed into fists" (Steinbeck, 37). This physicality suggests that Curley is a fighter and is not afraid to use his fists to assert his dominance. In addition, his "high-heeled boots" and "stovepipe pants" (Steinbeck, 37) suggest a vain and superficial side to his character, as he is more concerned with his appearance than with being practical on the ranch.

Curley's behavior towards others on the ranch is also noteworthy. He is constantly on the lookout for trouble and is quick to pick fights with anyone who crosses him. For example, he goes out of his way to start a confrontation with Lennie, even though Lennie has done nothing to provoke him. Curley's aggressive and confrontational personality is a reflection of his insecurities and his desire to prove himself to the other men on the ranch.

At the same time, Curley is also depicted as a lonely and isolated figure. He is the only young man on the ranch, and he has no friends or companions to share his life with. This loneliness is further exacerbated by his marriage to a woman who is isolated and unhappy on the ranch, and who is forbidden by Curley from interacting with the other men. Curley's relationship with his wife is another aspect of his character that reveals his insecurities and his need for validation. He is possessive and controlling towards her, and he becomes enraged when he suspects that she may be flirting with other men.

In conclusion, Curley is a complex and multi-faceted character in "Of Mice and Men." He is a symbol of authority and power, but he is also insecure, lonely, and aggressive. These conflicting aspects of his character contribute to the tension and conflict that drive the story forward and make him a memorable and significant figure in the novel.

Of Mice and Men: Curley

of mice and men curley analysis

Dehumanization In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men 384 Words 2 Pages Analytical Paragraph Assignment Of Mice and Men provides us with plenty examples of dehumanization that guide us to conclusions, or insights or feelings of dehumanization. Curley is very possessive of his wife, and wants the men on the ranch to know that he has something valuable that they are not allowed to have. Slim helps George get up, and as they walk away, he tells him he had to do it, that it was joy his fault. A few moments later, the ranch owner returns to interview them. The first of these is the way in which he treats George and Lennie, and the ranch workers in general on the ranch. It seems as if Curley is almost pleased that Lennie has killed his wife, he is not upset in the slightest, as it grants him the opportunity to go after Lennie and impose the ultimate authority over him by ending his life.

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Of Mice and Men Chapter 2 Summary and Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

By becoming familiar with her, we come to an understanding of the tragedy of life. Lennie is still uneasy and tells her to go but she changes the subject to his dog and Lennie talks to her even though he is not supposed to. However, Curley is ultimately the man who spells the end for Lennie- Curley's vindictive and ruthless witch-hunt for Lennie in Section 5 means that there is no way forward for him, leading George to kill him in the hope of him having a more merciful ending. It is a humorous description, a small yapping dog attempting to bewilder a huge, strong man- Steinbeck uses satire to mock the American dream through this description as this small, disobedient 'terrier' is somebody who has gained the status so many dream of and has a powerful position, yet all of his power comes from nepotism and he is seen as inferior to all the other characters. Maybe I oughtn 't to. Lack of social mobility is the polar opposite of the freedom which is supposedly inherent to American society, yet this is exactly the reason that this insecure and unjust man has power over others.

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Curley analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

Steinbeck does everything he could- including using that figure of speech — to set the introductory mood of the book before ushering in his characters. They got ran out of Weed the old farm they used to work at for harassing a girl and not letting her go. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck created Curley as the main antagonist of the novel. As they begin the search, George suggests they split into different directions to cover more grounds, but only he knows where to find Lennie. Through Curley's violent personality, Steinbeck again criticises American society- whilst the ranch hands are stuck in the monotonous cycle of working simply for their fifty and found then blowing their money on alcohol and prostitutes then moving on somewhere else, from which they can never escape, Curley has his own house, expensive clothing, he is the heir to the ranch, which one must presume is a somewhat profitable enterprise, but what has he done to earn it? In a way, Curley wanted to protect her but was never willing to provide to her needs. This is perhaps where we feel most sympathetic towards her.

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Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Death Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

The other major characters of the book display different elements to their character and change in each section, but Curley remains the same- vindictive and pugnacious. Killing his wife gave him a legitimate to kill Lennie, this also shows Lennie doesn 't know his strength making him very dangerous. Slim is very clearly the complete package; strong, a leader, empathetic, and the best at his job. Women held little respect during this era, they had no choice, no voice and no right to vote, they were categorised along with the insane and children. They manage to find a job on a farm with several other workers.

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Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

Carlson advises Candy to kill the dog and begs Slim to replace the dog with one of his puppies. However, George throwing it away marks the end of all hope for their goal, just like when he kills Lennie at the end with a gunshot to the head. He has visions and in them, he sees his late Aunt, Clara, standing with a huge rabbit. Furthermore, Steinbeck helps us, by dehumanizing Crooks, living in a barn, to animals, to visualize how poorly Crooks is treated. People start off with great potential, viewing their dream as obtainable and as their biggest motivation, but in this cruel world, they are only reaching for a tragic aim. Curley's 'short' stance stereotypes him as 'scrappy', as Candy describes him in s3, and suggests his inferior power and authority. Reluctantly, the boss believes him and puts them in the grain team headed by Slim.

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Of Mice and Men

of mice and men curley analysis

Curleys wife is clearly starved for conversation and launches into a reprise of her discontented story of what might have been. But you jus' tell an' try to get this guy canned and we'll tell ever'body, an' then will you get the laugh. This means that his character does not change- he is not affected by the economic crisis, he needn't work, he needn't form alliances with other men or get to know them, after all he considers himself superior to them- which isolates him from the other men. The American dream plays a vital theme constantly throughout the book for other characters on the ranch too. Steinbeck presents the character of Curley as a symbol of his theme of fate. The outcasts of the story lead to be the head of the pack by the end.

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Of Mice And Men Curley's Wife Discrimination Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

This expresses that there are always obstacles that prevent people from succeeding just like how her mother refuses to let her be in the show and be an actress to get the attention she always yearns for. Curley's Wife Innocent Analysis 427 Words 2 Pages Attempting to seduce or Innocent Victim? At first glance, the reader might be confused as to why Curley has a position of authority on the ranch, particularly when near perfect men such as 'prince of the ranch' Slim are employed in menial roles. Curley outright abuses his power and uses it to disguise his insecurities and follow his own personal convictions; it is obvious he should not be allowed to exert any power at all over others, he is unfair, mean and vengeful, yet his birthright means that he can almost do as he pleases whether the other men respect him or not. George finds out and is unhappy that Lennie is spreading their little secret dream of owning a farm. Another way to prove himself is by marrying a physically attractive woman. He scolds Lennie and tells him not to say a word when they get to the ranch to work, adding that if things go south, he must return to their current location and wait for him. As the story continues, there are many hidden indications that she could be seen as a much simpler, innocent presence, rather than an evil.

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Of Mice and Men Themes and Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

Had she just left when Lennie asked her to, nothing would have ever happened to her. The story revolves around two men who have a father son relationship without actually being related to one another. He is 'young', implying that he is naïeve and lacks experience, and short Candy- 'he ain't a big guy' which implies that he is inferior to 'tall', powerful characters like Slim and even Lennie. This yet again, is another blow to his self-esteem. This film embodies the concept that ignorance is bliss. This probably affected the way he wrote. I think Steinbeck hoped to make us feel a change towards characters so that we understand their good and bad sides, thus know them fully.

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Of Mice And Men: Film Analysis

of mice and men curley analysis

With the dead mouse, there is a symbolism of false hope, and Lennie is too focused on clinging to it. Curley's lack of change paired with his unjustified violence and pugnacity isolate him from the other men- he doesn't understand them, they don't have anything in common as they always need to develop and work out how to survive, but Curley has everything he needs to survive handed to him on a silver platter, even in the Great Depression, and his needless and random outbursts of anger mean that the other men don't want to associate with him or find themselves at the receiving end of his vicious temper. She was finally free. For this reason, along with many others, Lennie is not to blame in any case involving his acts of violence in this novel, because of various, indisputable reasons. Lennie begins to stroke her hair tenderly and then hard — enough that she screams in anger and pain. She described to Lennie about how she was about to be a movie star and everything but her mother stopped her so she married Curley.

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Curley

of mice and men curley analysis

The alums of the gunshot help the others to trace the scene. The high heeled boots support the idea that he is a figure of authority. Curley 's wife started to freak out, she ended up killing her. If so, then the relationship between Curley and his wife seemed plain and simple, a loveless affair. Curley is a character who is disliked by all in the novella - even his wife who confides to a docile Lennie "I don't like Curley".

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