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Curley
® Curley is the antagonist in the novel. He purposely causes trouble on
the ranch, unlike Lennie, and is depicted by Steinbeck as having no
good qualities and Curley doesn’t develop throughout the novel, if
anything as the novel develops, we are exposed to more and more
of Curley’s character and his misogynistic, racist persona.
® Because Curley is a rather static character the novel concludes with
the reader disliking him as much as they do at the beginning. Curley’s
lack of change paired with his unjustified violence and pugnacity
isolate him from the other men – he doesn’t understand them as they
don’t have anything in common; Curley has everything he wants
handed to him on a silver platter, even through the great depression
whereas the other men have to develop and work out how to survive.
® Curley is symbolic of the ‘small’ people who may feel inferior and
overcompensate by inflating or flaunting their power and status to
gain respect.
® As Curley is the boss’ son he represents the novella of the land-owning
class and wears fancy clothes like ‘high heeled boots’ to mark his
status and wealth as if to try and gain respect.
® Curley also has ‘tightly curled’ hair resemblant of springs which can
be compared to his volatile temper, as just as a spring he can
explode at any moment
, ® ENGLISH GCSE – OF MICE & MEN
➝ There is a sense that Curley’s pugnacity comes from a desire to be
perceived as tough and powerful, the power this his position n the
ranch implies he ought to already possess but this is Steinbeck showing
that just because your wealthy doesn’t make you a nice person and
that you only get respect if you respect others – like Slim.
➝ In the part of the novel where Curley fights Lennie for laughing (not
even at him) it demonstrates his short temperament and that fact he
just makes assumptions and doesn’t think.
➝ As well as this is demonstrates his arrogance in wanting to fight Lennie
as she seems like he wants to get excitement out of it. Once again
Steinbeck also shows us how he values his pride as he agrees to keep
the fight a secret, so the other ranch worker don’t tell others about
how he lost a fight.
➝ It shows the extreme lengths he will go to, to not become a laughing
stock, even when his hand has been crushed and can easily get
Lennie possible killed he doesn’t want to be humiliated because he
values respect and authority.
➝ Through Curley's violent personality, Steinbeck again criticises
American society - whilst the ranch hands are stuck in the monotonous
cycle working, blowing their money then moving on somewhere else,
Curley has everything.
➝ He has his own house, expensive clothing, and is the heir to the ranch,
which one must presume is a somewhat profitable enterprise, but
what has he done to earn it?
➝ Curley doesn't ‘bust a gut bucking barley’, Curley isn't ‘skilled in a
trade’ like Crooks or Slim, and Curley would never have had the
initiative to set up his own ranch as his father did!
➝ Without the element of nepotism inherent in Capitalist society, Curley
would be nothing, just like the other men, and he wouldn't even have
a great element of humanity or kindness to him.
Insecure:
➝ Curley self-conscious because of his height. He wears ‘high heeled
boots’ like his dad to give him extra height and show he’s in charge.
He also worries where his wife is all the time and spends the novel
searching for her.
➝ 'Any you guys seen my wife?' This shows that he is controlling of his
wife; he wants to know where she is at all times and domineers
(arrogant & bossy) over her own actions, who she is allowed to talk to,
where she is allowed to go etc.
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