The Power Shift
As I was reading Part 4 of Of Mice and Men, I really picked up on the Power Shift. In Crooks Bedroom, sat Crooks, Candy, and Lennie. They sat discussing their future, and their "American Dream". They talk about the rabbits, the land, and how they are going to tend to it all. As they talk, Curley's Wife enters the room, flirting and playing mind games with the men. Her face was "heavily made up" (77). She was looking for Curley, even though she knew that he was not going to be in Crooks bedroom. Instead she was just trying to get attention from the men..... Which eventually happened!
While Curley's Wife and the others talk, she brings up the bruises on Curley's fist. Candy lies and tells her that his hand was caught in a machine. Curley's Wife knows better than to believe that, so she starts a tirade. She starts yelling and calling names at the men. She demeans the men, saying "'You bindle bums think your so damn good.... Standin' here talkin' to a bunch of bindle stiffs - a nigger an' a dum - dum and a lousey ol' sheep'" (78). She uses her words to hurt the men, and lower their self - esteem.
This is kinda ironic considering the fact that women (back in this time period) weren't allowed to confront and talk down to men. But Curley's Wife uses her brain to scan the situation, seeing only a old man, a black man, and a mentally unstable man. She threatens Crooks life, saying, "' Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny"' (81). Like I said, you'd expect to see the power with the men in the situation, but Curley's Wife plays her cards right. This allows her to win the situation either way. She can call the men names and talk down to them (not ladylike), and still get away with it. Or the men can report her. If they report her, the others won't listen to the men, because they are just old, black, and mentally unstable.
While Curley's Wife and the others talk, she brings up the bruises on Curley's fist. Candy lies and tells her that his hand was caught in a machine. Curley's Wife knows better than to believe that, so she starts a tirade. She starts yelling and calling names at the men. She demeans the men, saying "'You bindle bums think your so damn good.... Standin' here talkin' to a bunch of bindle stiffs - a nigger an' a dum - dum and a lousey ol' sheep'" (78). She uses her words to hurt the men, and lower their self - esteem.
This is kinda ironic considering the fact that women (back in this time period) weren't allowed to confront and talk down to men. But Curley's Wife uses her brain to scan the situation, seeing only a old man, a black man, and a mentally unstable man. She threatens Crooks life, saying, "' Well, you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain't even funny"' (81). Like I said, you'd expect to see the power with the men in the situation, but Curley's Wife plays her cards right. This allows her to win the situation either way. She can call the men names and talk down to them (not ladylike), and still get away with it. Or the men can report her. If they report her, the others won't listen to the men, because they are just old, black, and mentally unstable.
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