Of Mice and Men Curley's wife
by John Steinbeck

The only female character, Curley’s wife is never given a proper name indicating her role as merely a possession of Curley’s. In the minutes before her death, she reveals her former dream of becoming a Hollywood actress, but like so many dreams in the novel, hers is never achieved. She has no particular duty on the ranch, and consequently spends her time finding reasons to visit the men in the bunk and attempt conversations with them, despite the men’s hesitations to engage with her. Although the men consider her a “floozy,” she is likely visiting the men in order to seek companionship and conversation in the midst of an otherwise dull and tedious life as the only woman on the ranch.