The Oxford dictionary describes the word “ostracism” as the “exclusion from a society or group” (Oxford). In John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men, crude and hurtful exclusion is common between the characters. The supporting character of Curley's wife experiences extreme ostracism from the other characters throughout the story, influencing her overly sexual behavior towards the workers.
First, the supporting character of Curley's wife experiences ostracism from the other characters throughout the story because she is married to the boss's son, causing the workers to cautiously distance themselves from her. In an honest conversation that Curley’s wife has with Lennie, she says, “you can talk to people, but I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. …show more content…
The reader never learns Curley’s wife name. The characters only refer to her as “Curley’s wife” and, occasionally, “Good lookin’” (Steinbeck 31). By stripping Curley’s wife of her name, the other characters essentially strip her of her identity. These derogatory terms lower Curley’s wife’s status and eliminate her chances of being an equal to the workers on the ranch since she belongs to Curley. Eventually, this constant manipulation ostracizes her from the rest of the group to the point where Curley’s wife is often the object of abuse and objectification. As the lady has no identity, she cannot possibly expect to socialize in a healthy way with the other characters, leaving her stranded and ostracized. Moreover, George gives Lennie a stern lecture on the dangers of this flirtatious woman. George says, “don’t you even take a look at that bitch” (Steinbeck 32). Curley’s wife is not even considered human anymore; she is lowered to the status of a mere dog. Consequently, this causes her to be excluded from everyone on the ranch. Instead of partaking in day-to-day interactions, Curley’s wife’s status excludes her from everyone else. The workers’ actions diminish Curley’s wife to a mere object of possession, …show more content…
Curley’s wife experiences ostracism from the other characters throughout the story because she is married to the boss's son, causing the workers to cautiously distance themselves from her. Moreover, she is the only woman on the ranch, reinforcing her loneliness. Consequently, the workers on the field continuously objectify Curley's wife, dehumanizing her and turning her into a sexual object. Even though the setting of the book is in the 1930s, the problems Curley’s wife faces are still relevant for women today. Many girls and women face challenges in society because they are set apart from everyone