Curley

Curley is the son of the ranch boss. He is a small, semi-privileged man with a very short temper and something of an inferiority complex. He used to be a lightweight fighter, and it seems he’s always itching for a scuffle, as though it were his opportunity to prove himself on the ranch among other bigger, better men.

One of Curley’s defining characteristics is that he’s married to a woman he wants to control and can’t. Curley’s wife’s running around is a source of constant concern for him, and he forever seems to be flitting around the ranch trying to track her down. While he boasts about his sexual prowess to the others, Curley’s constant concern over his wife (and his wife’s constant absence) indicate that for Curley, sexual power is a way to show masculinity, especially if he feels his small size compromises his manliness. Sadly, it’s clear that Curley lacks sexual power, and will seek some other way to show his strength, which mostly entails picking on the mentally slow Lennie.

Curley doesn’t develop much (or at all, actually) over the course of the book, but he stands out as a character with whom the author simply does not sympathize. While everyone else is struggling, Curley’s busy picking fights and trying to throw his weight around his dad’s ranch. He seems outside of the economic struggle and even the personal struggle of the Depression. Curley’s the kind of jerk you need in contrast to the other characters. Also, we need someone to be the source of trouble among these men who mostly want to get along.