Chapter 5

Curley who is the boss's son is married to a woman. This woman in the novel has no name, she is refered to as Curley's wife. The novel makes her seem portrayed as a pet. Since they call her Curley's wife, it seems like she belongs to Curley. Throughout the entire novel Curley and his wife are always asking where each other are. It seems as if they are actually trying to hide from each other. Curley always thinks she is with other men on the ranch. Curley has no trust in her. They got married not because they loved each other but because they were alone. They needed to feel part of something. " So I married Curley. Met him out to the Riverside Dance Palace that same night. I don't like Curley. He ain't a nice fella." said Curley's wife.( Steinbeck, 88-89, 1937)


Curley's wife is one of the loneliest characters in the novel. She has no friends on the ranch, and she is the only lady on the ranch. Curley's wife is always flirting with the other guys on the ranch. She doesn't do this to be harmful, but only because she is so lonely and has no one to talk to. Lennie was in the barn petting the puppies. Curely's wife went into the barn and started to talk to Lennie. Lennie didn't want to talk to her because he was following George's orders. Curely's wife didn't want any trouble, all she wanted to do was have a real conversation with someone. " Why can't I talk to you? I never get to talk to nobody. I get awful lonely. You can talk to people, but i can't talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad. How'd you like not to talk to anybody." said curley's wife.( Steinbeck, 86, 1937) I feel bad for Curley's wife as she has no one to talk to, and she has no friends. She must feel lonely living with Curley.

While in the barn Lennie was touching Curley's wife's hair. Lennie has an uncontrollable desire to touch soft, and smooth things. Curley's wife wanted Lennie to stop touching her dress, but Lennie didn't stop. Curley's wife started to yell and Lennie got confused so he grabbed on to her and didn't let go. Eventually Lennie started to shake her, and he broke her spine, and she died. When George found out Lennie did this, he knew this dream he had made with Lennie and Candy was over. George knew that what Lennie did was going to change their lives. When George told Candy what Lennie did, Candy even knew that his only chance to leave the ranch and live a normal life was just ruined. " You an' me can get that little place, can't we George? You an' me can go there an' live nice, can't we, George? Can't we?" said Candy.( Steinbeck, 94, 1937)
Candy was devastated with the fact that he would have to still live on the ranch.

Lennie doesn't realize what is coming for him. Because of what Lennie had done, this was going to change the lives of everyone on the ranch--especially George and Candy's life. As much as they try to get away from loneliness it always comes running back to them.