Monday, March 6, 2017
Foreshadowing with Curley's Wife in Part 2
In Part 2 in Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows that Curley's Wife is a very big flirt and throws herself at basically every guy on the ranch. Steinbeck drops several subtle (and not-so-subtle) clues at the type of trouble that Curley's Wife will bring to George and Lennie later in the book. When she's in the barracks looking for Curley," She put her hands against her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward. 'You're the new fellas that just come, ain't ya?'" (31) During this scene, Curley's wife is literally throwing herself at the men, trying to flirt with them, even though she's married! A little later," Lennie's eyes moved down over her body, and though she did not seem to be looking at Lennie she bridled a little. She looked at her fingernails. 'Sometimes Curley's in here,' she explained. George said brusquely,' Well he ain't now.' 'If he ain't, I guess I better look somewhere else,' she said playfully." (31) Lennie is very obviously extremely smitten with Curley's wife while George doesn't care for her at all, even though Curley's wife is talking to him instead of Lennie. Lennie's strong attraction to her will probably end up getting him in a lot of trouble later with Curley.
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I agree, especially when you said that she could lead Lennie into trouble with Curley later on because here George has to warn Lennie about her by saying, "'I don't care what she says or what she does. I seen 'em poison before, but I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her. You leave her be'" (32). But Lennie can only think about how pretty she is, and knowing how forgetful he is, he could forget what George is telling him about her. To make matters worse, Lennie is already in hot water with Curley, and he didn't even do anything! Imagine what Curley would do if Lennie and him have a conversation, Curley will use every chance he gets to pick a fight with Lennie, just because he's a big guy.
ReplyDeleteI agree Hallie I think that Curly is actually intimidated of Lennie even though he hasn't done anything.
DeleteYou brought up a great point Delaney! When I was reading the section when George and Lennie were talking to Curley's Wife, I never realized that she only talked to George. It is so strange that she is only talking to George because it is obvious that he does not like her and Lennie does. She did not even try to make Lennie talk like all the others have.
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