Narrative Statement About Curley's Wife

Not everyone is exactly as they seem. In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Curley’s wife is seen by most on the ranch as provocative and attention seeking. Curley and his wife are rarely ever seen together. Instead, Curley’s wife often wanders the ranch, talking to other men but never to her husband. As a result, the workers believe that she is simply looking for male attention. However, when her story is told, she is shown in a very different light. Her backstory shows that Curley’s wife is not trying to be unfaithful to Curley. She has not been romantically involved with any men on the ranch, she tells Lennie that she just wants to talk, and Curley does not like his wife talking to people. Curley’s wife is not involved with any men on the ranch. Curley barges into the bunkhouse, looking for his wife. When he notices that Slim is not in the bunkhouse, he asks Lennie and George about his whereabouts. They inform him that Slim went to the barn and Curly leaves angrily. Lennie was recently in the barn, and George asks him if he saw what Slim was doing. He responds, “‘Oh …show more content…
During their conversation in the barn, Lennie tells Curley’s wife that he is not supposed to talk to her. As a result, she says “‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am anyways?’” (Steinbeck 87). Her vague referral to the men on the ranch proves that when she tries to talk to anyone, not only Lennie, she is often turned down. It also shows her anger towards being refused conversation, especially in the case where her and Lennie have already begun to talk. After this, Lennie clarifies that George had threatened not to let Lennie tend the rabbits if he finds him talking to Curley’s wife. To this Curley’s wife responds “‘Why can’t I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely’” (Steinbeck 86). Out of aggravation, she has revealed that she is lonely, and does not, in fact, talk to anyone on the