Of Mice and Men Blog

In the start of chapter 2 we are introduced to the setting of George and Lennie's sleeping quarters. The setting is, "The bunkhouse was a long, rectangular building. Inside, the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted." It seems to be a an old big cabin, which says a lot about the depression and how migrants lived. The atmosphere is different from the setting in which it is the feelings in the place not what it is or how the place looks like. Due to the characters having conflicts about power, as shown by Slim being more respected, “There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke.” Page 33 Meanwhile Curley is more tolerated,"He just don't give a damn. Won't ever get canned 'cause his old man's the boss." They even insult him with the vaseline rumor.

All characters in the story are important however when introduced they are all showed differently. George and Lennie's appearances are directly stated in the book, “-small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined:small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose.”, and “-a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders;and he walked heavily-” Page 2 However like most of the other characters we are left to interpret their character though their actions and mannerisms, like George's foulmouth and anger towards Lennie or Lennie's forgetfulness and dull manner. Some characters like Carlson are introduced very briefly, “A powerful, big-stomached man…” Page 35 and then left vaguely until the next chapter. Carlson's wife is an exception to this and is explained by other characters, specifically the gossipy old man Candy. He is the one who reveals her "tart" and "tramp" actions without even having her being seen or introduced by us. They are all introduced differently, but every character is still important to the story and the way it develops.

Curley's wife, in my predictions, will have an influence on the conflict of the story however she has no name. I think that John Steinbeck is trying to make a point of her eyeing other men by stating that she is Curley's wife constantly. In the book they mention her as a "tart" a "tramp". All descriptions except of her beauty all have negative meanings. They even go as far as mentioning she has the eye in page 28. By not giving her a name they can enhance the connotation the name brings. When I think of her I think of Curley's flirtatious wife.  Another reason is the possibility that Curley's Wife could be based off of one of John Steinbeck's past relationships and the name is kept that way due to secrecy.