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Name A Woman's Role(1) Curley's wife in Of Mice and Men enjoys little freedom. She is trapped on her husband's ranch and not even allowed to cultivate friendships. Most of the ranch hands refuse to talk with her for fear of reprisals from Curley. In their eyes, she is his property, and though she may be lonely, that is her husband's business and not theirs.(2) In the early 1900s men and women were generally restricted to separate spheres of life. Traditionalist values placed women at home in charge of domestic duties, outside of social circles, and men in the workplace, mingling with society at large. While many couples adhered to this traditional division, others in the early twentieth century urged and struggled for new rights for women.(3) During this period, known as the Progressive Era, women's roles in society and marriage changed dramatically. The most significant development was their gaining the right to vote in 1920. In fact, women's suffrage had already taken place in many states individually, including California, which had granted its female citizens this right as early as 1911.(4) The workplace became a focal point for the development of women's rights. Career opportunities for women increased from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. In 1900 about 20 percent of women over ten years old worked. This number rose to 25 percent by 1920. The respect women gained by joining the work force, however, did not always translate into respect at home. A common feeling during this time was that married women who were supported by their husbands ought not to take jobs that rightfully belonged to men. Many men believed it was impractical for a woman to juggle motherhood, wifehood, and a career, and equally impractical for a man to share domestic burdens, so most wives did not work.(5) Though marriage remained a primary goal for most women in the Progressive Era, it in some cases did not leave them feeling fulfilled. There was more emphasis than in previous decades on love and happiness as important ingredients in a marriage—though the old notion that the family's well-being should take priority lingered on for many. Despite the new concern for personal happiness, many people still believed that “The purpose of marriage is the protection of the family idea ... if the incident of happiness is lost, duty remains!” (Campbell, pp. 74–5). Such contradictory notions must have left many women in inner conflict. Not surprisingly the incidence of divorce increased to a rate of 13 percent around 1920, though society still harshly judged the act of divorce or separation and those who undertook it.(6) In Of Mice and Men, Curley's wife displays a restlessness associated with other women of her situation and status. The attitude matches those of real-life farm wives studied in surveys at the time, which “were filled with complaints of ... isolation and lack of entertainment” (Banner, p. 59). In the story, instead of providing Curley's wife with the excitement of a new life, her marriage has replaced dreams of being an actress with the reality of a daily life filled with boredom. Though not all women felt so dissatisfied, Curley's wife represents a type of unhappiness that would continue for some married women until their role in society broadened."Overview: Of Mice and Men." Literature and Its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events that Influenced Them. Joyce Moss and George Wilson. Vol. 3: Growth of Empires to the Great Depression (1890-1930s). Detroit: Gale, 1997. Literature Resource Center. Gale. Eastern Suffolk BOCES School Lib System. 1 Dec. 2009 <. According to the passage, most men on the ranch refuse to talk to Curley’s wife becausea. they do not find her attractivec. she avoids conversationb. they fear reprisals from Curleyd. she doesn’t speak English well2. The passage suggests that during the 1900s, men and women werea. hostile toward each otherc. restricted to separate spheres of life by traditional valuesb. treated with equalityd. engaged in violent conflict3. Based on paragraph three, the word “suffrage” refers toa. suffering of women during the Great Depressionc. the right to voteb. the right to workd. a woman’s role in societyDirections: Respond to the following questions in complete sentences. Use evidence from the text to support your statements.4. Why do most of the men on the ranch speak so negatively about Curley’s wife? In what ways might they be misunderstanding her intentions?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5. Based on paragraphs 4-6, why do you think Curley’s wife may have married him? Why might she have decided to stay with him in an unhappy marriage?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6. In a letter, John Steinbeck wrote the following of Curley’s wife: “She’s a nice girl and not a tart.” Discuss your own impressions of Curley’s wife. Is she a “tart” or a lonely victim of a bad marriage and failed dreams? ................
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