Steinbeck depicts Curley’s wife not as a villain, but rather as a victim. Like the ranch-hands, she is desperately lonely and has broken dreams of a better life.
Q. How does Steinbeck describe women in Of Mice and men?
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells about the lives of American workers during the Great Depression. In the novel, women are portrayed either as possessions, seductresses, or caretakers of men. She is the only female character that appears frequently in the story. Despite her important role, she is nameless.
Table of Contents
- Q. How does Steinbeck describe women in Of Mice and men?
- Q. How does Steinbeck feel about women?
- Q. How does Steinbeck describe Curley’s wife what can we infer about the way Steinbeck views women?
- Q. Why is George so mean to Lennie?
- Q. What bad things did Lennie do?
- Q. Why is Lennie’s strength both good and bad?
Q. How does Steinbeck feel about women?
The investigation concludes that Steinbeck felt sympathy for women and the societal roles they were forced to occupy. The characters of wife, mother, and prostitute are indicative of the lack of professional paths offered to women at the time.
Q. How does Steinbeck describe Curley’s wife what can we infer about the way Steinbeck views women?
Curley’s wife’s namelessness, then, is the result of no other character ever asking or hearing her name. This indicates the way women were viewed as extensions of the men with which they belonged.
Q. Why is George so mean to Lennie?
While George can be very rational and thoughtful, he also gets frustrated and angry with Lennie because the big man cannot control his strength or actions.
Q. What bad things did Lennie do?
Expert Answers Lennie makes several bad decisions throughout the course of the book. The guys have had to relocate because of a bad decision he made in Weed. Once on the ranch in their new jobs, he takes a puppy, which he promptly kills, and then breaks Curley’s wife’s neck.
Q. Why is Lennie’s strength both good and bad?
Expert Answers Because Lennie is virtually incapable of answering questions for himself, George, when the two apply for jobs, points out Lennie’s physical strength to prospective employers. Because the work of ranch-hands consists of manual labor, Lennie’s strength helps him to do his job well.