Curly's Wife--Of mice and men

Curley’s wife in Of Mice and Men is given a fairly one-dimensional portrayal throughout the novella, as her character stays, for the most part, enigmatic. The most obvious example would be her lack of a name. She is continually referred to as a possession of her husband and without a name she becomes almost insignificant. The author, however, drops hints throughout the book telling his audience that there may be more to Curley’s …

…an actress and living in Hollywood. Her dream went unfulfilled (which may also allude to the failure of George and Lennie’s dream), leaving her a very lonely person married to an angry man, living on a ranch without friends, and viewed as a troublemaker by everyone. Even without thorough description and a mostly negative portrayal, Curley’s wife still contributes to the collective emotions of the characters involving feelings of outcast and lost dreams.