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All Quotations for Curley’s Wife in the order in which they appear:
Chapter TWO
Candy: says “Curley ain’t givin’ nobody a chance” “he’s worse lately” since he “got married” “Curley says he’s keepin’ that hand soft for his wife” “glove fulla vaseline” “Wait’ll you see Curley’s wife”George asks “Purty?”
Candy “she got the eye” – for “Slim” and “Carlson” “I think Curley’s married … a tart”
George says to Lennie to “keep away”
“if you get in trouble” (go back to the place in Chapter 1) “trouble” is repeated about four times
George says to Lennie to “keep away”
“if you get in trouble” (go back to the place in Chapter 1) “trouble” is repeated about four times
Enter Curley’s Wife‘the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway was cut off’; ‘a girl’ ‘full, rouged lips’ ‘wide’ eyes ‘heavily made up’, fingernails ‘red’, ‘red mules’ ‘red ostrich feathers’. Her voice was ‘nasal, brittle’. ‘her body’ is repeated twice. Lennie is ‘fascinated’ – she smiles ‘archly’ (knowingly). She leaves. Then:
George “Jesus, what a tramp.”
Lennie “she’s purty”
George “Bet she’d clear out for twenty bucks” “Don’t you even take a look at that bitch” “poison” “I never seen no piece of jail bait worse than her” “she’s a rattrap” he speaks ‘disgustedly’
Chapter Three
There’s a bit of general chitchat:
George “Me an’ Lennie’s gonna roll up a stake”
Whit describes Curley’s Wife as “new kid” then “a looloo” “she got the eye goin’ all the time on everybody”
George asks if there’s been any trouble. Whit says “No… nothing yet. Curley’s got yella-jackets in his drawers” (is jealous, irritable) “pants is just crawlin’ with ants, but they ain’t nothing come of it yet”George: “She’s gonna make a mess … a bad mess. She’s a jail bait all set on the trigger.” “Ranch with a bunch of guys on it ain’t no place for a girl, specially like her.”
The brothel: ‘Ol’ Susy’s place’, and ‘Clara’s house’ – a “flop” (colloquial euphemism for sex)
Crooks: “You got no rights comin’ in a colored man’s room.
The brothel: ‘Ol’ Susy’s place’, and ‘Clara’s house’ – a “flop” (colloquial euphemism for sex)
Crooks: “You got no rights comin’ in a colored man’s room.
Chapter Four
Curley’s Wife Enters (looking for Curley who she knows is at the brothel):
‘Her face was heavily made up. Her lips were slightly parted.’
‘Her face was heavily made up. Her lips were slightly parted.’
“They left all the weak ones here.” “I know where they all went.”
Lennie ‘watched’ ‘fascinated’ but Candy and Crooks ‘were scowling’
Curley’s Wife says: “You’re all scared of each other, that’s what.” “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”
Candy: “You gotta husban’. You got no call foolin’ aroun’ with other guys, causin’ trouble.”
The girl flared up. “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy he don’t like, and he don’t like nobody.”
She asks about Curley’s hand and no one will tell her.
“I tell ya I could of went with shows.” “a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers . . . .”
She complains that all she has to do is stand “talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep—an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
Candy strikes back: “You don’t know that we got our own ranch to go to, an’ our own house.” “An’ we got fren’s”
‘Curley’s wife laughed at him. “Baloney.”’
Lennie ‘watched’ ‘fascinated’ but Candy and Crooks ‘were scowling’
Curley’s Wife says: “You’re all scared of each other, that’s what.” “Think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in that house alla time?”
Candy: “You gotta husban’. You got no call foolin’ aroun’ with other guys, causin’ trouble.”
The girl flared up. “Sure I gotta husban’. You all seen him. Swell guy, ain’t he? Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guy he don’t like, and he don’t like nobody.”
She asks about Curley’s hand and no one will tell her.
“I tell ya I could of went with shows.” “a guy tol’ me he could put me in pitchers . . . .”
She complains that all she has to do is stand “talkin’ to a bunch of bindle stiffs—a nigger an’ a dum-dum and a lousy ol’ sheep—an’ likin’ it because they ain’t nobody else.”
Candy strikes back: “You don’t know that we got our own ranch to go to, an’ our own house.” “An’ we got fren’s”
‘Curley’s wife laughed at him. “Baloney.”’
Curley’s Wife says: “Listen, Nigger,” she said. “You know what I can do to you if you open your trap?” “Well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung upon a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.”
Candy:“That bitch didn’t ought to of said that to you.”
Chapter Five
Lennie is sitting quietly in the barn mourning the dead puppy.
Curley’s wife enters in her ‘bright cotton dress’ and ‘mules with the red ostrich feathers’
Lennie “George says I ain’t to have nothing to do with you.”
Curley’s Wife: “if Curley gets tough, you can break his other han’” “I get awful lonely”, repeats “I get lonely” “I can’t talk to nobody but Curley. Else he gets mad.”
She says about the dog “He was jus’ a mutt.” “The whole country is fulla mutts.”
Curley’s Wife “Ain’t I got a right to talk to nobody? Whatta they think I am, anyways?” “I could made somethin’ of myself,” she said darkly. “Maybe I will yet.” ‘her words tumbled out in a passion of communication’ “If I went” “Hollywood” “I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella” “I coulda” “see how soft it is”
‘Lennie’s other hand closed over her mouth and nose’ “Please don’t do that. George’ll be mad.”
‘muffled screaming’ ‘her eyes were wild with terror’
Lennie: “I done another bad thing”
‘the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face’ ‘very pretty and simple’ ‘sweet and young’
Candy: Curly will ‘get ‘im lynched’
George: “I think I knowed from the very start”
“Then it’s all off -” Candy asked sulkily.
George: “All the time he done bad things but he never done one of ‘em mean”
Candy “You god damn tramp” ‘viciously’ “You done it” “You ain’t no good now you lousy tart” ‘his eyes blinded with tears’