of mice and men curley essay

Skip to content

Get Revising

Join get revising, already a member, curley analysis.

• Created by: Herdman99
• Created on: 11-04-15 15:10
• English Literature
• Of Mice and Men

Report Tue 11th December, 2018 @ 21:05

could you include the themes and importance to the novel.

Similar English Literature resources:

Curley 1.0 / 5 based on 1 rating

English literature (Curleyl's wife's notes) 0.0 / 5

CURLEY 0.0 / 5

Of Mice and Men 0.0 / 5

Of Mice and Men (ALL) 0.0 / 5

Points for Slim - Of Mice and Men 2.0 / 5 based on 1 rating

Character Analysis: Lennie Small 0.0 / 5

CURLEY’S WIFE 0.0 / 5

Of Mice and Men 5.0 / 5 based on 3 ratings

Related discussions on The Student Room

• igcse english literature paper1 17th may 2023 »
• NEED HELP from people who took WJEC English GCSE Of Mice and Men Higher IN 2023 »
• IGCSE edexcel english literature jan 2023 »
• IGCSE English Literature Edexcel »
• Is this enough revision for the English Literature exam in January? »
• Of Mice And Men GCSE Essays »
• CCEA GCSE English literature »
• Of Mice and Men 2022 predictions (WJEC) »
• Of Mice and Men »
• edexcel iGCSE english lit jan 2023 »

Introduction

Strutting around the ranch in his ridiculous “high-heeled boots”, the Curley is an “angry little man” who tries to prove his masculinity and assert his authority with his “handy” boxing skills, but most of the men view him with contempt. The antagonist is in a privileged position because he is the boss’s son while the other ranchers struggle to find their place in the world. He treats his wife like a possession. Instead of grieving for her towards the end of the story, he seeks revenge for the ignominy of being “crushed” by Lennie.

There is no doubt Curley is certainly the villain in Of Mice and Men .

Physical Appearance

The reader is introduced to the “pugnacious” Curley in chapter two:

“a young man came into the bunkhouse; a thin young man with a brown face, with brown eyes and a head of tightly curled hair. He wore a work glove on his left hand, and, like the boss, he wore high-heeled boots.”

The repetition of “young” places an emphasis on Curley’s age, suggesting the character has all the impatience and energy associated with youth. It could also convey his lack of experience and wisdom because this epithet is an obvious contrast to Candy’s archetypal “old man”.

Curley is just as wild and uncontrollable as his “head of tightly curled hair” so that detail is another deliberate piece of characterisation. In terms of nomenclature, Curley is probably his nickname, reinforcing the link between his hair and his unruly personality. This energy is clear in the way he “bounced” and “burst” into the bunkhouse when he was looking for his wife in chapters two and three. These verbs are very active and convey his volatile personality.

Height is an important signifier of status and importance on the ranch so Curley wears “high-heeled boots” to make himself look taller and command more respect from the men. Although he presents himself as confident, he clearly feels self-conscious about his “thin” physique in comparison to the other workers.

This description of Curley’s physical appearance hints at his impetuous nature and eagerness to assert his authority over the ranch workers.

Perhaps the best example of his “pugnacious” body language comes from when Steinbeck describes how “Curley lashed his body around”. The violent verb “lashed” is very aggressive and reinforces the reader’s negative interpretation of the character. It also metaphorically compares Curley to a vicious whip: fast moving and capable of causing tremendous physical pain. In this way, Steinbeck compares Curley to a dangerous weapon.

It should also be noted that a whip would have been used on the ranch to control the animals. For example, we are told about Slim’s skill as the jerkline skinner, whipping a fly of a mule from twenty yards. Therefore, “lashed” also suggests Curley is trying to control the men through force and fear. They are nothing but animals to him and Curley is clearly a character to be feared.

Steinbeck uses combative body language and aggressive movement throughout the novel to define Curley, constantly reminding the reader of the character’s “pugnacious” personality and skill as a “handy” boxer.

When he first enters the bunkhouse and “glanced coldly” at George, his “arms gradually bent at the elbows” and “his hands closed into fists”. He then “stiffened and went into a slight crouch”. This is an expert boxer’s stance. Curley is positioning his body in a defensive “crouch”, making himself less vulnerable to a punch, but his “fists” are ready to strike.

He takes another stance in chapter three when he questions the men in the bunkhouse about Slim’s whereabouts. Curley “dropped and squared” his shoulders into an open, aggressive pose. When he viciously attacks Lennie at the end of chapter three, he “balanced and poised”. Each of these descriptions demonstrate his boxing knowledge and skills.

Curley is an intelligent and capable fighter. Again, when he first looked at George, Steinbeck describes his “glance” as “calculating”. In the third chapter, he “took in his height” and “measured his reach”. Put simply, he is trying to determine how far George could punch and work out the best way to beat the protagonist in a fight.

After being humiliated by Slim and called “yella as a frog belly” by Carlson, Curley tries to regain some of his authority by attacking Lennie. Candy “skeptically” explained Curley’s strategy in the second chapter. If Curley “jumps a big guy an’ licks him”, he asserts his dominance. However, if he loses, then he can claim it was an unfair fight and “ever’body says the big guy oughtta pick somebody his own size”. Either way, the boss’s son can claim a victory.

He “stepped over to Lennie like a terrier”. This simile compares the antagonist to a dog known for its wiry body, boundless energy and fearless personality. They were also bred to hunt and kill rats so they can be quite vicious. Therefore, it is an appropriate comparison for a lightweight who loves to compete in the boxing ring.

The verbs used to describe Curley’s movements in his fight against Lennie are quick and aggressive: “slashed”, “smashed” “slugging” and “swinging”. The ferocious and brutal rhythm of the attack is conveyed through the sibilance that connects the words and the repetition of “slashed”. It is a very a violent and cruel assault that evokes disgust and horror from the reader.

Direct Speech

Steinbeck tries to recreate the character’s authentic voice in the direct speech. This is important aspect of characterisation because it will convey Curley’s aggressive tone. Consider the following extract: “By Christ, he’s gotta talk when he’s spoke to. What the hell are you gettin’ into it for?”

His dialect is reproduced in the elided “gotta” and the way he uses “spoke” rather than the grammatically correct “spoken”. His accent is clear in the consonant dropping of /n/ from the verb “getting”. The use of vernacular, especially the blasphemous “Christ” and “hell”, is another way of making the character sound more convincing.

There are plenty more examples of Curley’s blunt and threatening language throughout the story. Put simply, when the reader hears the violence in his voice, we realise he is the villain of this narrative.

The Angry Little Man

Steinbeck uses the perspectives of other characters to influence our opinion of Curley. For instance, Candy “cautiously” waits until Curley leaves the bunkhouse before he gossips with George because he is afraid of getting “canned” by the boss’s son. This informs the reader that he is someone who abuses his position on the ranch and is to be feared.

Despite his apprehension, Candy still admires Curley for his boxing ability, calling him “pretty handy”. In the third chapter, Whit also describes him as “handy” twice in his conversation with George. In fact, Curley is referred to as “handy” six times in the novel before his own hand is “crushed” and “bust” by Lennie. Whit then mentions how Curley “got in the finals for the Golden Gloves” and kept “newspaper clippings” of the bouts. On a ranch where strength and force are needed to survive, the men are impressed by Curley’s dexterity.

Perhaps, it is George’s reaction to Curley that has the greatest impact on the reader’s understanding of the character. The protagonist tells Candy he “don’t like mean little guys” and calls Curley a few swear words beginning with the letter “b” that would not get past your school’s filters for offensive language. George recognises that Curley is someone who causes trouble and needs to be avoided.

In conclusion, Steinbeck makes it obvious to the reader that Curley is an “angry little man”.

Curley is sensitive about how he is viewed on the ranch and demands the respect of the other workers. He is full of bravado when he lets them know he is wearing a glove full of Vaseline because “he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife”. As George comments, “that’s a dirty thing to tell around”.

Since Steinbeck has already established the character’s insecurity, the reader will not be surprised to learn Curley is jealous of his wife when she talks to the other men, especially Slim. That anxiety can be seen in the third chapter during the confrontation with George when he “demanded angrily” to know her whereabouts. Rather than acting out of love, Curley’s motivation here is to protect his reputation.

When George is worried about getting canned at the end of the third chapter, Slim exploits Curley’s desperate need for respect and threatens to tell everyone that his hand was “crushed” by Lennie. He agrees to the plan because he does not want the other men to “laugh” at him for being beaten by a “dum dum”. It would be humiliating.

Forget respect. Curley deserves nothing more than our scorn. Even his wife says, “I don’t  like  Curley”. The image of him being caught by Lennie and “flopping like a fish on a line” evokes no sympathy from the reader. The simile comparing him to a helpless fish, emphasised by the alliteration of /f/, is particularly effective because it reduces him to an insignificant and mindless animal.

Curley’s Wife

Curley and his wife have been married for two weeks, yet he abandons her on the ranch to spend Saturday evening at Susie’s place looking for a shot of whiskey or a flop. Although there is no real intimacy or love between the two characters, this is still despicable and cruel behaviour.

In chapter four, Curley’s Wife sarcastically calls him a “swell guy” and says to Lennie he “ain’t a nice fella”. Isolated and alone, she craves companionship and his attention, but he is too self-absorbed and always wants to talk about boxing. Sadly, she is just another trophy for him to flaunt.

After her body is discovered in the barn, Curley wants to “shoot” Lennie “in the guts” to inflict as much pain as possible. Instead of seeking justice for the murder of his wife, he is only interested in getting revenge for his “crushed” hand. He is a nasty and thoroughly unlikable character.

Essay Questions

• To what extent do you believe Curley’s ambition to be respected on the ranch makes him the villain of the novel?
• From your reading of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men”, explore how the writer presents Curley as an “angry little man” who always causes conflict in the novel.
• With reference to the ways Steinbeck presents Curley, show how far you would agree that he is   a danger to others.
• To what extent do you believe Steinbeck is positioning the reader to dislike to Curley?

Learning Objectives

The essay questions are testing your ability to:

• read and understand the novel;
• critically assess the presentation of the character;
• select and evaluate relevant textual material;
• support your interpretations with evidence from the novel.

“Of Mice and Men” Comprehension Exercises

Steinbeck’s Language and Imagery

Cruelty in “Of Mice and Men”

The Bleak Bunkhouse in Of Mice and Men

The Dangerous Ranch

How Steinbeck “Frames” the Characters

Hands Motif in “Of Mice and Men”

Curly’s Wife

Thanks for reading!

Structuring Your Essays

Thoughts, Evidence and Analysis

Recently added.

After Apple-Picking

Othello Comprehension Exercises

Discover more.

The Voyage – Part 1

• Essay Skills
• Language Skills
• Writers’ Methods

Of Mice and Men

John steinbeck, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions, curley’s wife quotes in of mice and men.

“Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely.”

He pawed up the hay until it partly covered her.

• Study Guides
• Homework Questions

Vicky Huang-Of Mice and Men Curleys Aggression Essay

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2360 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11007 literature essays, 2767 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Of Mice and Men

Misunderstood until the end: curley's wife in of mice and men anonymous 9th grade.

One poignant example of the misperceptions that women face in a male-dominated society is presented in the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The story takes place in the Dust Bowl era, when rough economic times made it hard to find work; two farmhands, George and Lennie, manage to take a job at a ranch. They meet many people at the farm, such as the boss’s son Curley, who is disliked by many - including, notably, his wife. Although she is seen by the other men as flirtatious and provocative, Steinbeck generates sympathy for Curley’s wife by presenting the men’s opinions on her, then revealing her true self through dialogue at the end of the novel, ultimately suggesting that the way others see her may not be how she truly is.

Although the men at the ranch don’t know her, they still have set preconceptions about Curley’s wife. They immediately judge her by the way she dresses, acts, and the fact that she is a woman- the only woman on the ranch, in fact. Throughout the novel, they call her a “tart” and “tramp”. When George and Lennie first arrive at the ranch, the old swamper Candy tells them about her: “She got the eye… I think Curley’s married a tart,” (28). Candy doesn’t really know her, and just uses her as a way to...

GradeSaver provides access to 2312 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 10989 literature essays, 2751 sample college application essays, 911 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Already a member? Log in

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Of Mice and Men — Curley’s Wife and Female Stereotype in “Of Mice and Men”

Curley's Wife and Female Stereotype in "Of Mice and Men"

• Categories: Gender Inequality Gender Stereotypes Of Mice and Men

About this sample

Words: 771 |

Pages: 1.5 |

Published: Jun 29, 2018

Words: 771 | Pages: 1.5 | 4 min read

Works Cited

• Bloom, H. (2009). John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Infobase Publishing.
• French, W. (2016). Women in American Education, 1820-1955: The Female Force and Educational Reform. Routledge.
• Gale, R. M. (2012). A Study Guide for John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Gale, Cengage Learning.
• Gentry, T. (2004). The New Woman as Villain in Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck Studies, 15(1), 75-84.
• Hughes, D. R. (2008). John Steinbeck: A Study of the Short Fiction. Twayne Publishers.
• Jackson, D. (2013). The Indifferent Injustice in Of Mice and Men. Southern Journal of Philosophy, 51(1), 61-83.
• McGrath, J. (2015). The feminine mystique in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. The Steinbeck Review, 12(1), 34-49.
• Meyer, M. J. (2012). Of Mice and Men: A Kinship of Powerlessness. In The Cambridge Companion to John Steinbeck (pp. 89-106). Cambridge University Press.
• Steinbeck, J. (1993). Of Mice and Men. Penguin Books.
• Tritt, M. L. (2006). The dynamics of disability: Measuring the impact of disability in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck Review, 3(2), 67-81.

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Social Issues Sociology Literature

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 975 words

1.5 pages / 777 words

1 pages / 615 words

4.5 pages / 1980 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Of Mice and Men

Novella Of Mice and Men explores the complex and often elusive nature of dreams and their significance in the lives of individuals. The characters in the novel are driven by their desires and aspirations, yet their dreams are [...]

Novella "Of Mice and Men" is a classic piece of literature that delves into the lives of migrant workers during the Great Depression. One of the pivotal characters in the story is Curley's wife, who is often misunderstood and [...]

One such character is Curley’s wife, who is often misunderstood and overlooked by readers. Through a close examination of her actions, words, and interactions with other characters, it becomes clear that Curley’s wife is a [...]

John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men, explores the theme of isolation and loneliness through the experiences of its characters. Set during the Great Depression in California, the novel follows the journey of two migrant [...]

In John Steinbeck's iconic novel "Of Mice and Men," the character of Curley's wife often elicits strong reactions from readers. She is frequently viewed as a villainous figure, a temptress who causes trouble for the men on the [...]

Friendship is like a religion to some people if it is broken then they break, in the novel Of Mice Of Men friendship is a big part of the novel. In the novel, friendship is brought up many times throughout the novel the [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• International
• Schools directory
• Resources Jobs Schools directory News Search

Setting Essay Plan for GCSE (Of Mice and Men)

Subject: English

Age range: 14-16

Resource type: Assessment and revision

Last updated

27 April 2024

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Like this resource? Check out the OMAM Character question bundle here! https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13002879 A comprehensive guide to the inclusion of animalistic imagery as a theme in Of Mice and Men. The essay plan has a range of analysis, covering context too - making it suitable for all exam boards including Edexcel IGCSE, AQA and WJEC.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 48%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

Character and Themes Essay Plans for Of Mice and Men

This collection of comprehensive guides give students a full insight into the presentation of certain characters, their relationships, and a few themes in Of Mice and Men. The essay plans contain a range of analysis, covering context too - making it suitable for all exam boards including Edexcel IGCSE, AQA and WJEC. Characters covered: Crooks Curley Curley's Wife Slim Candy George Lennie Carlson Relationships covered: Curley and Curley's wife George and Lennie Themes covered: Prejudice Importance of animals Significance of setting

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

ESSAY SAUCE

FOR STUDENTS : ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF A GOOD ESSAY

Essay: Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ – Curley’s wife

Essay details and download:.

• Subject area(s): Literature essays
• Reading time: 4 minutes
• Price: Free download
• Published: 16 July 2021*
• File format: Text
• Words: 1,068 (approx)
• Number of pages: 5 (approx)
• Tags: Of Mice and Men

Text preview of this essay:

This page of the essay has 1,068 words. Download the full version above.

Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in 1930s America during the dust bowl and The Great Depression. In the novel Steinbeck introduces the reader to many different characters. One of the characters we are introduced to is Curley’s wife who is represented as a very lonely and selfish person. Steinbeck also portrays Curley’s wife as a dangerous and cautious person towards others working at the ranch, so a reader throughout the novel would have ideas about her. The novel is a microcosm, reflecting the preconceived society. Black people had no rights in America; they were seen as ‘nobody’s. Women too had very few rights and Curley’s wife represents this. All these people were forced into loneliness and isolation just like she was; they all had a dream, ‘The American Dream’. Curley’s wife is represented as a quite aggressive character in the novel especially towards Crooks. The author uses adjectives such as ‘seductive’, ‘red dress’, ‘red lips’ and also other phrases like ‘red ostrich feather’ or ‘red mules’ ,that tells us that she likes to dresses very attractively, this is unusual for a ranch owners wife. Most of the ranch workers call her a ‘tart’ or ‘jailbait’ due to the way she dresses. The adjectives used make us think of passion or love because of the colour red, which is also a colour that suggests danger and cautions. we understand this as she is a danger to the jobs of the ranch workers because if they talk or interact with her, then they may get sacked by Curley, in addition to this she is very lonely, Curley’s wife is very aggressive when it comes to achieving her needs and desires, because of this she does not belong at the ranch and stands out just like the colour red.The message Steinbeck is trying to get across with this is that life as workers like George and Lennie is very difficult, and maybe, in order to to fulfil your needs, danger and aggression may be an option. For example Curley’s wife, has become very bitter due to her loneliness and unfulfilled dreams. Curley’s Wife and her significance in the novel is how she revolves around the novels main themes and events. Curley’s Wife is left out for being a female, she often searches for companionship with the ranch worker. She is married but she in not happy, we know this as, she states to Lennie “I don’t like Curley he aint a nice fella.” This is why she tries to talk to other men on the ranch however she usually ignored because the workers think that a “ranch aint no place for a girl.” Or as Carlson states “women should be at home where she belongs.” The fact that she is deprived from a place of physical work is objective of how women were portrayed in the 1930’s. They suppose to be at home and raise a family. Curley’ wife feels insecure because of the loneliness she feel. Curley’s wife says “none of them care how I gotta live.” This shows her frustration and realisation of her issues of being a female during 1930s and Steinbeck draws a readers attention to this. Similar to Crooks, Curley’s Wife is not named. This carries on throughout the novel, highlighting her lack of identity on the ranch and how she is viewed as the belonging of her husband, the use of the possessive apostrophe reminds us of this. In addition to her self doubt, she tries to fight her loneliness and isolation by being violent. Her vicious attacks on Crooks to getting him “strung up on a tree” and the attacks on Lennie due to his mental disability, show how loneliness can not only change a person, but destroy them. Despite the representation of threat that she is appointed (an aspect in which we see in the scene that takes place in Crooks’ room), Curley’s wife belongs to the less powerful and deprived group that are in Crooks’ room, such as Candy, Crooks and Lennie, Curley’s wife has very little authority in her world. She is controlled by her more patriarchal husband, feared by the hands of the ranch and isolated as the only woman on the ranch. All of the emotions Curley’s Wife encounters come as a result of the loneliness she feels, and these clearly represent of what a terrifying character she is. Also, through out the novel she still remains ‘Curley’s wife’ This fact helps to provide her character to be seen as an object – George constantly warms Lennie to keep away, she is a person to be feared from a distance. The others, the men, also talk about her in ways that are compatible with the fact that the “tart” presents a danger to the men living on the ranch. Another way in which Steinbeck presents Curley’s Wife is through the use of irony. Curley’s Wife only gets negative attention, but it is the only attention she can get because she can’t get the attention which she desires to get from being in the limelight, this links to her American dream to be a film star. The ranch hands don’t give her this positive attention because they think a “ranch with a bunch of guys on it, ain’t no place for a girl specially like her.” Steinbeck uses this to hint and foreshadow at the unhappy ending of her life. She does not know that she is causing pain and casting shadows, so it is ironic that when she dies the light leaves her, “the sun streaks were high on the wall by now.” This ties in with the American Dream women had during Steinbecks harsh world; to be “in the movies”. Just like many others Curley’s wife wants to in the limelight and theatre even though it is not possible for someone like Curley’s wife who has very little authority. Overall, Steinbeck through out the novel uses Curley’s wife to foreshadow events later in the novel and hint at the key events and themes of the novel. It is made clear she is threat to George and Lennie’s dream, however also a victim of sexism and loneliness. Steinbeck makes it clear that companionship is a vital part of human happiness.

...(download the rest of the essay above)

Discover more:

• Of Mice and Men

Recommended for you

• Examples of euthanasia in ‘Of Mice and Men’
• Unattainable American Dream: Of Mice and Men Examined By John Steinbeck
• Inequity in America and its Literature (Of Mice and Men/Why We Can’t Wait)

About this essay:

If you use part of this page in your own work, you need to provide a citation, as follows:

Essay Sauce, Steinbeck’s novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ – Curley’s wife . Available from:<https://www.essaysauce.com/literature-essays/steinbecks-novel-of-mice-and-men-curleys-wife/> [Accessed 28-04-24].

These Literature essays have been submitted to us by students in order to help you with your studies.

* This essay may have been previously published on Essay.uk.com at an earlier date.

Essay Categories:

• Accounting essays
• Architecture essays
• Business essays
• Computer science essays
• Criminology essays
• Economics essays
• Education essays
• Engineering essays
• English language essays
• Environmental studies essays
• Essay examples
• Finance essays
• Geography essays
• Health essays
• History essays
• Hospitality and tourism essays
• Human rights essays
• Information technology essays
• International relations
• Leadership essays
• Linguistics essays
• Literature essays
• Management essays
• Marketing essays
• Mathematics essays
• Media essays
• Medicine essays
• Military essays
• Miscellaneous essays
• Music Essays
• Nursing essays
• Philosophy essays
• Photography and arts essays
• Politics essays
• Project management essays
• Psychology essays
• Religious studies and theology essays
• Sample essays
• Science essays
• Social work essays
• Sociology essays
• Sports essays
• Types of essay
• Zoology essays

Of Mice And Men: 10 Differences Between The Book And The Film

• Lennie's size is downplayed in the Of Mice and Men film, relying more on Malkovich's performance to convey his isolation and loneliness.
• The Of Mice and Men film focuses on Lennie's intellectual disability rather than his mental illness, forgoing hallucinations like Aunt Clara and the rabbit featured in the book.
• The character of Curley's wife is portrayed as more sympathetic in the film, making her death appear more tragic and less deserving.

One of the great American classics, Of Mice and Men , was turned into a 1992 feature film starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinese, but there are several Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. John Steinbeck is one of the greatest American writers to have set pen to paper. His novels shine a light on the realities of the American experience and stands as some of the classics of literature, with books such as The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and, of course, Of Mice and Men. Of Mice and Men , in particular, has proven to be a fruitful text for cinematic interpretation.

The Of Mice and Men story sees two field migrant workers, the intelligent but uneducated George Milton (Sinese) and the overly-strong but intellectually disabled Lennie Small (Malkovich), who dream of one day owning their own piece of land and settling down. When they begin working on Curley's (Casey Siemaszko) farm, tragedy after tragedy strikes, leading to a horribly sad ending that has a lot to say about the "American Dream." As with all film adaptations, the Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book are numerous, and director Gary Sinese made key changes to Steinbeck's beloved characters.

Related: Cyrano & 9 Other Great Modern Adaptations Of Classic Literature

Lennie’s Size

One of the biggest Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book is that Lennie's massive size in the novella is downplayed in the must-watch John Malkovich movie . In Steinbeck’s original novel, much is made of Lennie’s size. Again and again, readers' attention is drawn to the fact that Lennie is significantly larger than the rest of the men on the ranch, highlighting the fact that he is deeply lonely and estranged. In the film, by contrast, Lennie is portrayed as basically the same size as everyone else. The film thus has to rely more on Malkovich’s performance to convey Lennie’s sense of being cast adrift from the life of the ranch and from the people that surround him.

Lennie’s Character

Sinese made notable changes to Lennie's character in the Of Mice and Men movie vs book debate. In the book, it is repeatedly made clear that, in addition to having some form of intellectual disability, Lennie suffers from some form of mental illness that affects his perception of the world. He frequently has hallucinations, such as one involving a rabbit and Aunt Clara. The underrated classic novel movie adaptation cuts out these hallucinations, focusing instead on the way that Lennie has an intellectual disability. Again, a great amount of this relies on Malkovich’s performance, and he manages to bring out the fundamental humanity of Lennie, allowing viewers to sympathize with and, to an extent, understand him.

The Character Of Curley’s Wife

The character of Curley’s wife is another one of the biggest Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. In the novel, Curley’s wife is depicted as being flirtatious and more than a little bit cruel, toying with Lennie's emotions and threatening to have Crooks (Joe Morton) lynched. The film makes an effort to change her into a more sympathetic character than she appears in the novel. She doesn’t dress nearly as flirtatiously, she frequently appears more bored than angry and, as a result, when she is killed, she becomes more of a victim than she appears in the novel, which attempts to make her seem more deserving of her death.

The Shooting Of Lennie

Lennie, who has been compared to the character Nick from Shameles s , is an entirely tragic figure and his heartbreaking death was one of the bigger Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. The moment when George shoots Lennie is one of the most heartbreaking and shattering moments in both. In the novel, George tells Lennie a story, and it is clear that he suffers a great deal as he undertakes this traumatic action. In the film, on the other hand, he shoots Lennie with almost no hesitation, making him appear as much less of a sympathetic character than he does in the book.

The Aftermath Of The Shooting

Not only was Lennie's death slightly different in the case of Of Mice and Men movie vs. book, but so was the aftermath. After George shoots Lennie in the novel, he has a conversation with several other characters, which provides him with a means of coping with the consequences of the terrible action that he has just committed. In fact, one of the other characters comforts him by telling him that he had to do the shooting. In the film’s version of events, however, he set out alone on a train. This lends the whole sequence a bleaker appearance than in the novel, as audiences are left to endure George’s thoughts on his own.

An Important Conversation Is Cut From The Film

One of John Malkovich's best movies saw even more Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book as a thematically important conversation from the novella was cut for time. In a key sequence in the novel, several of the characters—including Curley’s wife—gather together in the barn to talk about all of the things that they want to accomplish in life, their various dreams, the things that they cling to help them deal with the bleak despair associated with the Great Depression. The film excises this scene altogether so that we do not get to see the ways in which these various characters have managed to come together even though they are all outcast from society.

The Romanticizing Of The Setting

By far one of the biggest differences cited in the Of Mice and Men movie vs book debate is the clear changes to the setting. As with so many Steinbeck novels, Of Mice and Men is a brutally realistic story, showing the rather gritty and unromantic everyday reality of life on a ranch during the period of the Great Depression, one of the bleakest periods in the history of the United States. In the film, on the other hand, viewers see instead a rather romanticized version of rural ranch life. It comes across as being a bit more nostalgic than anything else, a rather strange feeling since this is based on a novel by John Steinbeck.

The Prominence Of Carlson And Crooks

Gary Sinese ( CSI: New York ) added further Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book in his treatment of Carlson and Crooks. In the novel, Carlson has a relatively small part to play in the course of events, while the film expands his role, giving him more to do. On the other hand, in Steinbeck's book, Crooks is a part of several key events that happen, whereas in the film he is given substantially less to do. Of course, these changes make sense, as it often takes some shuffling of characters during the translation of a novel into the medium of film.

The Killing Of The Puppy

Another horrifying event that happens in the book is when Lennie accidentally kills a puppy that he has been given, and his treatment of the animal after its tragic death is another one of the Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. The novel shows Lennie feeling a moment of remorse, weeping as the puppy lies on the ground before him, while in the film he simply paces around with the puppy in his arms, not showing any signs of tears. Either way, though, there is no doubt that this is one of the most traumatic and gut-wrenching scenes in Of Mice and Men, yet another reminder of the story’s essential bleakness.

The Frame Of The Film

One of the greatest Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book is the format and timing in which the story is told. In the novel, the story opens up during the middle of George and Lennie's journey, so that the reader is brought into the immediate time of the story and at the heart of the action. In turn, the movie takes a more retrospective approach. In the film, by contrast, in the beginning, viewers see George riding on a train, with the rest of the story told through flashbacks before the film returns at the end to show him riding on the train.