Of Mice and Men is a novella by John Steinbeck about the price that one may have to pay in order to pursue the American dream, especially when one is a woman. The American dream drives a woman to success causing a lack in sense of belonging.When a woman pursues a dream of the unordinary society is taken back and is quick to root against them. Steinbeck shows a women chasing the American dream often results in dragging personal relationships. Curley's wife is the loneliest character in the story, not only was it a challenge to be taken seriously as a woman back then, but she was also stuck in an unhealthy marriage.

In the 1930’s it was very much a “dream” for women to pursue their goals, for most women they were known for working indoors …show more content…
In Of Mice and Men the characters along with the readers see Curley's wife craving sexual attention. The ranch hands did not interact with Curley's wife unless she was flaunting herself at them. She used her looks along with excuses to start a conversation with the ranch hands knowing that was the only way they would interact with her. One day she asked Slim if he knew where Curley was and he responded with, “Well you ain't tryin very hard. I seen him goin’ in your house.” (Slim 32) Slim assumed she was looking for unwarranted attention from him. What the ranch hands did not realize is that her loneliness led her to these actions, “She put her hand behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward.” (Steinbeck 31). Being in a relationship should satisfy one's need for attention. Curley's wife considered her marriage unhealthy and did not consider Curley a good husband. Throughout the novella, Curley's wife was consistently looking for Curley and she spent most of her time in the ranch house alone. The two were never together and the only time they were Curley was nasty to her, which drove Curley's wife to feel alone, “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella.” (Curley's wife 89). In reality, the only reason she tried to talk to the ranch hands was because she wanted to have a conversation with one who would not be nasty to …show more content…
Throughout her life span irrational decisions strained her path to Hollywood fame. Curley’s wife was vulnerable due to the strict guidelines set in place by her mother. These guidelines caused Curley's wife to make the sporadic decision to marry him and escape her mother's discouragement, “I always thought my ol' lady stole it. Well, I wasn't gonna stay no place where I couldn't get nowhere or make something of myself, an' where they stole your letters, I ast her if she stole it, too, an' she says no. So I married Curley.”(Curley's wife 88). As a result, she married Curley because she believed he was her last resort in order to make a better life for