John Steinbeck, The author of the novel "Of Mice and Men", set the book during the Wall Street crash, where thousands of people lost or didn't know how much money they had. Many men were travelling all over America in search for work, most of these men were searching for work on ranches.
George and Lennie are searching for work on ranches in a place called Soledad in the state of California. They travel together, they have done for years. They have been chased out of their previous job because of Lennie's confusion. We meet George and Lennie as they are travelling to their new job. As George and Lennie enter the ranch, they see candy, an old man who has worked there for years as a swamper because of his injured hand.
They are then led to their living quarters- The bunk-house, as they talk.
to Candy, Candy tells them about Curley's wife.
Candy tells George, "well - she got the eye." Candy means that even though Curley's wife has only been married two weeks, she is already flirting with other men as though she isn't married. Candy expresses to George "I think Curley's married . . . a tart." Candy thinks that Curley's wife is like a common prostitute. Candy is afraid of Curley because he tells George "You won't tell Curley nothing I said?", .
Candy says this as though he is afraid of losing his job or afraid of getting beaten.
In the Beginning of the second chapter, we are led to expect Curley's wife as a flirty tart, who is unsatisfied with her new marriage to Curley, she tries to emphasise the fact that she is the only woman on the ranch. .
John Steinbeck portrays Curley's wife as though she isn't important enough to have a name, he tries to emphasise the fact that she's Curley's property. .
