Curley s better half and female stereotype
One prominent example of the misperceptions that women face in a male-dominated society is provided in the story Of Rats and Guys by David Steinbeck. The storyplot takes place in the Dust Bowl time, when hard economic instances made it hard to find work, two farmhands, George and Lennie, manage to have a job at a hacienda. They meet many people at the farm, such as the boss’s son Curley, who is disliked by many which includes, notably, his wife. Even though she is viewed by the various other men since flirtatious and provocative, Steinbeck generates compassion for Curley’s wife simply by presenting the men’s views on her, then simply revealing her true home through dialogue at the end of the novel, eventually suggesting the way others see her may not be how she genuinely is.
Although the guys at the hacienda don’t know her, they still have set preconceived ideas about Curley’s wife. That they immediately evaluate her by the way she dresses, acts, as well as the fact that the girl with a woman- the only girl on the hacienda, in fact. Through the entire novel, they call her a “tart” and “tramp”. When George and Lennie first get to the ranch, the old swamper Candy tells them regarding her: “She got the eye¦ I believe Curley’s committed a tart, ” (28). Candy does not really find out her, and simply uses her as a way to describe Curley like she is one among his attributes and not a person. After hearing what Candy has to say, George tells Lennie: “You stay away from her, ’cause she’s a rat-trap if I ever seen one, ” George has only read a few things about her, but uses these few thoughts and his preconceived ideas against ladies to assume that she is what everyone says she is.
Another way Steinbeck generates sympathy for Curley’s wife through having her seen as an object, rather than a individual with emotions. Throughout the book she’s simply referred to as “Curley’s wife”. Steinbeck doesn’t also give her a name, choosing to allude to her as a pure possession of Curley’s. This displays how she actually is trapped underneath Curley’s power, as well as how insignificant girls were to guys in that time period. When Curley’s wife provides the opportunity to start about her feelings, your woman tells Lennie: “‘You may talk to persons, but I actually cant talk to nobody nevertheless Curley. Otherwise he gets mad. Howd you like to not talk to any person? ‘” (87) She’s incredibly lonely on the ranch since she is the sole woman, and Curley won’t want her talking to any individual else- yet she by no means receives focus from him. It’s this that makes her adopt a flirtatious fashion, because your woman tries to gain that misplaced attention through the other guys on the ranch. This triggers the additional men to watch her as being a “tart”, as well as the cycle of oppression keeps repeating since women usually are seen as their own person like men are.
For the end of the novel, Curley’s wife shows another part of her when chatting one-on-one with Lennie. She finally takes and reveals her pent-up emotions: “‘Wha’s the matter beside me? ‘ the lady cried. ‘Ain’t I got a right to talk to no person? Whatta they presume I was, anyways. I actually ain’t doin’ no trouble for you¦. Seems like they isn’t non-e of which cares the way i gotta live'” (87). She knows that the other males dislike her, but will not understand why, and it makes her experience alone and upset. Curley’s wife likewise opens up regarding her earlier, and how the lady almost managed to get to Hollywood. “‘I tell you I isn’t used to livin’ like this. My spouse and i coulda made somethin’ of myself” (88). She could’ve become a famous actress, nevertheless her mother didn’t allow her. In fact , she only married Curley to get away after her mother died. Prior to this scene, viewers only really know what the additional men say about her. Now, after hearing Curley’s wife’s genuine story, they will know the reasons behind what the lady does and may sympathize with her.
Steinbeck’s portrayal of Curley’s partner allows the reader to sympathize with her. Initially she is offered as a attention grabbing woman whom the men detest. However , right at the end of the story, Steinbeck has her talk about her true feelings, which allows you to have a better understanding of her character. The way in which Steinbeck features written reephasizes the fact that stereotypes or preconceptions against women are generally not always accurate, and that in spite of facades of all sorts, later his or her own story.