Prompt Chapter 5

Does Curley's wife get what she deserves?

In a short essay, respond to this prompt. Provide excellent evidence and commentary that support a PERFECT thesis.

            
In the story, Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck demonstrates through the characterization of Curley's wife that a villain can also be a victim. Through out the book Curley's wife has antagonized Lennie and the other men at the ranch. She has little respect for her husband and their relationship. She clearly states in chapter 5 her disgust for Curley: " 'I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella.' " It means that she does not really love Curley. This is important because it tells the reader her feelings and why she acts the way she does around men. This is significant because if she loved Curley than Curley would not need to prove himself to her and also she would not get others (Lennie) in trouble. Curley's wife is  continually getting others and herself in trouble. In chapter three Curley's wife gets Slim into trouble with Curley. "Slim said, "'Well, you been askin' me too often. I'm gettin' God damn sick of it. If you can't look after your own God damn wife, what you expect em to do about it? You lay offa me.'" This quote means that Curley's wife is usually hanging out and flirting with Slim and that causes Curley to get mad and paranoid. This is important because Curley's wife illustrates her feelings towards Curley when she is off trying to flirt with other men. When Curley's wife is flirting with other men it tends to get other men in trouble. This is significant because if Curley's wife just kept to her husband then she would not hurt others. On page 86 and 87- chapter 5 she insist on talking with Lennie even though he says he is not allowed to. " 'Don't you worry about talkin' to me. Listen to the guys yell out there. They got four dollars bet in that tenement. None of them ain't gonna leave till it's over.' " This quote means that Curley's wife is trying to persuade Lennie to talk to her. This is an important quote  because she is intentionally sneaking around and talking to Lennie when  they are both supposed to stay away from each other. This is significant quote because if she was not trying to sneak around with Lennie then she would not have ended up dead and Lennie would not be a in trouble or a murder. Curley's wife is clearly a villain in this book, but even though Curley's wife crosses the line when she should not have crossed it, it was not all her fault for what happened to Lennie and herself. She did insist that Lennie to talk to her the entire chapter, and for him to touch her hair (page 90-91); however, she did not intend for it to end up in her death. In fact, she was just lonely, and handled it the wrong way. On the bottom of page 86 and the top of 87 she shares that she gets lonely: "' Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely." Lennie tells her that he is not allowed to talk to her and then she repeats it. "' I get lonely," she said. "You can talk to people, but I can't talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How'd you like not to talk to anybody?'" This quote means that she is very restricted and does not like how Curley handles her. This is important because it shows that they way she is treated makes her act out. This is a significant quote because it illustrates that Curley's wife is a victim of loneliness. If Curley's wife was not a victim of loneliness then it would not have made her a victim of death.