Sunday, January 23, 2011

Chapter 5 Response

In Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck illustrates through Curley’s wife that one should not judge someone when they do not know them. Through the book, all of the male characters looked down upon Curley’s wife. “Well, I think Curley’s married… a tart.” (28) This was a mutual feeling throughout the ranch because they all have seen her flirt with all the boys, and not Curley. However, there is a reason she is all over the other guys and why she’s never with Curley. “Well, I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t get nowhere or make something of myself, an’ where they stole you letters. I ast her if she stole it, too, an’ she says no. So I married Curley. Met him out to the Riverside Dance Palace that same night” (88) It wasn’t that Curley’s wife wanted to marry Curley, she didn’t love him or anything. “I don’ like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” (89) She only married him because she was, one, rejected by a Hollywood guy who worked in movies, and she didn’t like living with her mother. If any girl, married someone they didn’t want to or they didn’t like, of course they would have “the eye”. Curley’s wife was living an unfulfilling and unhappy life. She wanted more in life than what was given to her. “Coulda been in the movies, an’ had nice clothes-all them nice clothes like they wear.” (89) Curley’s wife was overall disappointed in her life, her choices, and her husband. She was only trying to make herself happier, but others saw it as being “jail bait” or a “tart”. She was so misunderstood. No one truly knew who she was, she was a victim of others perceptions. Does someone deserve to die because others judge them without knowing them? No, it wasn’t fair for Curley’s wife to die. She didn’t mean harm.

3 comments:

  1. I agree with the statement that Curley's wife was just a really lonely person. She did not have anyone besides Curley, who was barely with her. She was a harmless person who wanted friends and I think she did not deserve to die.

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  2. I agree with what you are saying here, how Curley's wife was misunderstood, and that she only wanted a better life for herself. But I think that she went about it wrong, and maybe some of her actions led to those misunderstandings. But I think you did a great job of backing up your point with evidence and analysis.

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  3. You have a very strong thesis statement. I agree with it completely. The points you made and the evidence you used was a good choice in supporting your answer to the prompt. Your quotes and explanations were very exact and straight to the point, and it was well written. My favorite part was how she did not want to be on the ranch with all of the guys and she was the only woman. Good job with the whole thing.

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