He tells Candy to give him a minute to go to the bunkhouse before telling the other men; then George will come along as though he had not already seen Curley's wife. 2023. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Curleys wife didnt take him seriously ,but he was the only TimesMojo is a social question-and-answer website where you can get all the answers to your questions. Her and Lennie as he acts like a child and likes to feel soft things. On page 90, Curley's wife said When I do my hair sometimes, I jus set an stroke it cause its so soft. To show this she did it, she ran her fingers over the top of her head. He keeps repeating "she's purty." Curley's wife is terribly lonely. In the John Steinbeck novel of Mice and Men, everyone is lonely and will try or do anything to stop being lonely. She told Lennie that she didn't like Curley and that she had had other opportunities to go places and make something of herself, but she couldn't take advantage of them, so she married Curley as the next most likely way to get out of her hometown. "What did Lennie say about Curley's wife?" She lies dead on the hay. Lennie is responsible for killing Curleys wife because he did it. Curleys wife regrets marrying her husband and strives for attention by flirting with the workers on the ranch. He is angry and vengeful not only because his wife has been killed, but also because Lennie had gotten the better of him previously, in the confrontation in which his hand was broken. He tells George that she is pretty, and he tells her that he can't talk to her because she'll get him "in a mess," which he tells her again just before he breaks her neck. According to the text All the time he coulda had such a good time if it wasnt for you. Steinbeck seems to show, through Curley's wife, that even the worst of us have our humanity. In the scene in Crooks' room, she reminds Crooks of his place and threatens to have him lynched if he doesn't show her the proper respect as the wife of the boss' son and a white woman. Curley was also rude towards everyone and, he even attacked people who he thinks were with her wife. Lennie easily lets down his guard. As she tries to get her hair away from Lennie, he becomes scared and holds on more tightly. Curley shows his vindictive nature in recommending that Lennie be shot in the stomach. and any corresponding bookmarks? http://www.gradesaver.com/of-mice-and-men/study-guide/summary-chapter-five. Why did Curley's wife rush to marry Curley? Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Curley's wife regrets the path her life has taken, and laments having missed her chance to move to Hollywood and become a movie star. He does, but his big, clumsy fingers start to mess it up, and she angrily tells him to let go. Why does Curley's wife offer to let Lennie pet her hair? What happened after Lennie kills Curley's wife? Upon meeting Curly's wife, Lennie is immediately attracted to her, calling her "purty." George is immediately alarmed by this, and with uncharacteristic vehemence, he instructs Lennie to. What does Curleys wife tell Lennie and why? She is defined by her role: Curley's wife or possession. He enjoys "pettin'" soft things, puppies, rabbits and mice but he is so strong that he kills them with his fingers as he did in chapter one whilst George and Lennie were walking along. On what page did Curley say he wanted to shoot Lennie in the guts in Of Mice and Men? What are two examples showing how Lennie is discriminated against because of his disability in the book Of Mice and Men? As a result, he broke her neck. Steinbeck reiterates this impression by portraying her innocence in death: Curley's wife lay with a half-covering of yellow hay. Curley's wife tells Lennie that she only married Curley because she didn't want to stay in a place where she couldn't get anywhere, and she doesn't even like Curley, and she chose to confide in Lennie because she thinks he's not one to tell for fear that it he does he will get in trouble with George. After Curley finds out that his wife has died, he becomes determined to kill Lennie gruesomely for revenge. When Lennie started touching her hair, she got upset and started screaming. Lennie is fascinated by her and cannot take his eyes off her. When Lennie explains that he likes to pet soft things, Curley's wife reveals that she too likes to feel silk and velvet, and she invites him to feel her hair, which is very soft. People who are murdered should not get the blame for the killer's actions when not due. Lennie accidentally kills Curley's wife by shaking and breaking her neck. He keeps repeating "she's purty." Before Curley's wife leaves, what does she notice about Lennie? No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want" In this quote George talks about all the things he could do if he was alone, he could just abandon Lennie if he wishes too, but he chooses to stay, because he has sympathy for Lennie. Curley's Wife. Curleys wife did not know that day in the barn would be her last. In chapter five, George suggests to put Lennie in jail, but Slim, a jerkline skinner, quickly shot that down by saying that it would not be right if he was strapped down, and locked up in a cage, (5,9). They dream of roots, stability, and independence. Curley's wife is the only female character who is directly featured in the novel. In Of Mice and Men, George feels anguish after killing Lennie, but he knows that killing Lennie was the most humane thing to do. It's her fault Curley enters the bunkhouse when Lennie crushes the small man's hand. Immediately he remembers to hide in the brush until George comes. He then, at her invitation, starts stroking her hair, commenting "that's nice," before he accidentally breaks her neck after she starts screaming when he strokes too hard. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Her main reason is because her husband doesn't allow her to be social. Lennie, however, is still trying to figure out how to get rid of the dead pup so that George won't know. When George Killed Lennie Is Wrong 758 Words | 4 Pages. Lennie has a mental disability, making him dependent upon George to manage day to day life in the difficult environment in which they live and work. Both of them start to talk, and Curley's wife launches into a discussion of her own failed dreams. In Chapter 5, Lennie is sitting alone until Curleys wife enters. George first shows that hes caring when he and Lennie run away from Weed because Lennie touched a girls dress. He didnt mean to harm, or scare her. On page 98 Curley says Hes got Carlsons Luger. What are the Physical devices used to construct memories? She is defined by her role: Curley's wife or possession. George then warns Lennie to keep away from her. "You are nuts , but you kinda nice Hearing the horseshoe game outside, he understands that someone will come in sooner or later and discover the bad thing he has done. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Had Curley found him, he would have exacted his revenge for both breaking his hand earlier in the novel, and for murdering his wife, he says "I'm gonna get him. As the story continues, there are many hidden indications that she could be seen as a much simpler, innocent presence, rather than an evil. This page was last edited on Thursday, 6 Aug 2020 at 21:38 UTC. he woulda took his pay and raised hell in the whore house, and he coulda set in a pool room an played snooker, but he gotta take care of you (Page#101, Steinbeck). Not affiliated with Harvard College. The protagonists of the novella, George and Lennie, are heading to work at a ranch after fleeing from their last job.. What quotes show that Crooks is lonely in Of Mice and Menby John Steinbeck? And Candy is lonely character the reason being that he had a best friend who later dies, Candy is feeling less of use he is willing to do anything to feel useful. Eventually, she brings about the end of the dream of Eden, the little farm where George and Lennie can live off the fat of the land. After all, Lennie is a big man, and Curly figures that fighting him will either raise his stature amongst the men. When Slim asks George where Lennie might be, George tells Slim Lennie would have gone south (knowing all along that the little pool is north of the ranch). This is an echo of the story George earlier related to Slim about Lennie stroking a woman's red dress too hard back in Weed and the woman claiming rape. Got kinda used to each other after a little while. (40) George takes care of Lennie because Lennie is his friend; George does not have to, but he wants to. Multiple time throughout the book she is insulted by the men, who call her things such as a tramp, or a tart. What happened to Lennies puppy? Also, she just wanted anyone who would talk to her and listen to her. Why does Lennie kill Curley's wife? Why did Curleys wife let Lennie pet her hair? At the end, when Lennie killed Curleys wife, Curley wanted Lennie dead, he didnt care if someone like George will be hurt by killing his own friend, he just wanted him dead. George has lied about the Luger because he has taken it; he does not want to admit this act as the men will believe he is involved in Curleys wifes death and hurt him, too, and he will not be able to accompany the men and intercede for Lennie when they find him, or to take action on his own. Latest answer posted December 31, 2020 at 3:22:45 PM. And also because she could be doing better in her life instead of sitting around being bored and only being able to associate with Curley. From the beginning of the novella, Steinbeck foreshadows that Lennie will accidentally kill Curleys wife while trying to stroke her hair. Lennie, who has been warned to have nothing to do with her, tries to resist being drawn into conversation, but she prevails, telling him that the other men are too busy with their horseshoe tournament to care whether he talks to her or not. First, George could have let Curley and the rest of the guys handle getting rid of Lennie. 2011-09-05 20:43:43. All of these appearances cause the reader to dislike her and see her as the downfall of the men in the story. But then he uncovers the pup and strokes it again, realizing that George will know he killed it because George always knows and Lennie won't get to tend the rabbits. He shakes her violently, telling her to keep quiet so that George doesn't hear her. Before he breaks her neck, he puts his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams, and says angrily to her that "You gonna get me in trouble." She gets angry because she doesn't understand why she cannot talk to anyone besides Curley. George and Lennie have a dream: to scrounge enough money together to someday buy their own little house and a plot of land to farm. Meester states that John Steinbeck isnt being outright. Since Lennie did something to Curley's wife, and his hand Curley had the motivation to shoot him, and make him suffer. This quote shows that George is killing Lennie for Lennies own good. He doesn't mean to do it; as always with Lennie, he doesn't . And then about a year later when Lennie accidentally killed Curleys wife, the whole farm was after him. She starts talking to Lennie and then lets him touch her hair because it is soft. Lennie is certainly strong; in the very opening of the book he is described as a bear and is constantly referred to in animal terms. Now her rouged cheeks and her reddened lips made her seem alive and sleeping very lightly. Upon meeting Curly's wife, Lennie is immediately attracted to her, calling her "purty." George slapped Lennie in the face repeatedly and still Lennie held on. Curley, carrying a shotgun, tells Carlson to take Crooks' shotgun, and the men leave, taking George with them to find Lennie. She lets Lennie stroke her hair, but she panics when she feels his strength. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Curley's Wife Abuse Quotes. She insists that she could have been an actress. When Lennie first sees Curley's Wife, he comments that she is pretty, or "purty." A struggle ensues Lennie panicking and Curley's wife's eyes "wild with terror" until her body flops "like a fish" and then she is still. Picking up the dead pup, he leaves to go to the hiding place. Curly's wife does not have a name in the story. He then disappears from the barn with the dead puppy in hand. If George and Lennie hadnt run away, Lennie could have suffered a terrible fate. In summary, these brief comments are the only comments Lennie makes about Curley's Wife. Lennie had to be killed because he didnt know his own strength.