Curley's Wife Objectification

Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ shows a great deal of feelings towards and from Curley’s wife. In this novel the character’s feelings towards the only women on the ranch can be said to stay the same even after certain life-changing events occur to these characters; whereas Curley’s wife’s feelings only really change at the very end of her time in the novel, where she is shown even a little bit of kindness.
One of the feelings that are shown towards (and even from) Curley’s wife is one of objectification. This feeling is constant throughout the novel and is especially seen when at the beginning of the novel Steinbeck says “Lennie’s eyes moved down over her body” to which “she bridled a little”. This suggests that even though she has only about three sentences to him he is already looking at her as if she were his prey; therefore it is obvious that Lennie is already objectifying the woman as he wasn’t listening to her …show more content…
While she has no herself, she takes the power that Curley has and wields it for her own use as she is his wife. One example of this is when Crooks’ tries to get her out of his room and she replies to his treat by using a threat herself; “You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” She doesn’t even have to say what she could do and the fact that she doesn’t makes her a bit more intimidating as she is letting Crook’s think through all the horrible things she could get done to him, without even lifting a finger herself. It is also clear that he is doing this as when she asks him again he simply responds with “Yes, ma’am.” She was able to turn Crooks’ from having some confidence and standing up to her to a withering, respectful introvert. The use of ‘Ma’am’ proves that she told Crooks’ his place and that he should stay there as he is suddenly respectful to her as she reminded him of her power and authority over him as a woman and a wife; therefore she is perceived as