Of Mice and Men - Building a grade 9 paragraph (with lecturer video)

PP attached. Type title of the resource into YouTube for the video.

Explore how Steinbeck presents the character of Curley’s wife. You should focus on his use of language.
ANSWER - Steinbeck has chosen to place Curley’s wife, a female character, onto a ranch where there are only men. He presents her as a weak and occasionally vulnerable character that needs the attention of others. Ultimately this leads to her downfall. For example she is described as, “leaning against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward”, and, ���heavily made up.” The way Steinbeck has focused on her flirtatious body language shows the importance of her seeking male attention. Steinbeck describes her throwing her body forwards because it highlights to the reader her need for physical attention. “Thrown” is a powerful verb that suggests she fully intends to show off her body and attract male attention. “Heavily” describing her make-up again suggests she has spent a lot of time on her appearance. As a woman in the 1930s she would be socially inferior to men, and perhaps is trying to use any advantage, like physical appearance, to get close to men and up the social hierarchy.