The biggest force opposing Sophy is her son Randolph. The son is insensitive, arrogant and tactlessly ironic – he is a mess, imperfect in every way, therefore has no basis on which to abuse his mother, to abuse his veto.
Both women are symbols, standing for their respective social classes and sex. Despite their many similarities, such as the parallel in their environments, they are also different women. They are both trapped by and shaped in the hands of fate, but where Sophy is neither critical or self critical, and acts on orders rather than instinct, Curley’s wife is a critic, and does what she wants, when she wants to do it. Sophie is presented as tragic comedy, her life and death inspire pathos, and people mourn her, whereas Curley’s wife is only slightly higher in the hierarchy of death than mice and dogs. And even when she does die, she dies alongside a dirty pup, and when she is found, no pathos is shown, and she is almost immediately left alone again.
Sophy is compliant with wishes of others, whereas Curley’s wife is destructive and wild. Hardy establishes a close bond between Sophy and her dream – of living with Sam in innocence in the countryside. We get the impression that, had she achieved her dream, her status as a crippled individual would not matter so much to her. Curley’s wife is also deprived of her dream, but we feel no sympathy for her, as Steinbeck made no attempt to create pathos for her. Where Sophy is described as a,
“…gentle creature…”
Curley’s wife is symbolised by red, the colour of passion, blood and danger. Curley’s wife is a disruptive element on the ranch, whereas Sophy is simple modesty. Hardy’s presentation of Sophy as a simple, country girl, with a naïve frame of mind where life is concerned, her submissiveness and self consciences, make her weak, easily over powered by her son is accurate. Sophy being shown as somewhat fastidious is an accurate description of women of his time. Both Sophy and Curley’s wife represent much more than what we see of them. Two women represent two whole generations of oppressed, abused and infirm women. Both women personify rejection. Both are offered opportunities in their youth, Sophy by Sam and Curley’s wife by the Hollywood producer. The difference is that, where Sophy rejects Sam’s offer, Curley’s wife accepts, but then gets rejected by the offer, as she never received her letter,
“…I never did get it….I’ll bet my old lady took it…”
Sophy is later pragmatic about her opportunity. She offers to give up her job for a life with Sam. She regrets not being impulsive or myopic when the opportunity first came along. Curley’s wife is somewhat myopic, as she still longs for her dream even though it is dead. In fact, her dream, just like the American dream of owning a piece of land is polluted and doomed to fail. All dreams, according to Crooks in chapter four of “Of Mice And Men” are doomed,
“ I’ve seen hundreds of guys come and go…they all look for a piece of land…no one ever gets it…just like heaven. ”
Sophy’s marriage to the vicar is the result of her accident. It is ironic that her accident should happen whilst she is caring for the vicar. She is the most giving of creatures, yet life sees fit to punish her. We see that life is cruel to her, just as it is to Curley’s wife. The accident symbolises the life and stature of C19th women - no independence, few opportunities and traditionally oppressed by society. All these phenomenon’s can also apply to Curley’s wife. Both women’s lives are shrouded by themes of fate, entrapment. Where Sophy is denied mobility, which in turn takes away her opportunity, Curley’s wife is denied the opportunity she feels she deserves, and so we see how the C19th and C20th woman are oppressed and secluded by gender – women fail because they are women
Marriage for both characters is forced. Curley’s wife marries to spite her mother, and Sophy marries the vicar because the vicar feels a sense of duty and guilt towards her. Sophy marries him, not out of love, but because she is timid and expedient. Both authors are setting up romantically dry marriages, which are fated from their depart.
“ My mom said I couldn’t go…it’s all her fault…I met Curley down at the Riverside dance palace that same night…”
Curley’s wife marries out of spite of her mother and fear of being alone. There is a time difference between the two stories. Hardy’s “The Son’s Veto”, a short story, is set over a period of many years, whereas Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice And Men, last over a period of only a few weeks. There is also a difference of environments in the two works. Whereas Steinbeck bases his novel in and around the ranch, Hardy bases his story in different settings– the countryside and the inner city. Hardy uses these contrasting changes of environment to imply that image, (the appealing innocence of and the seedy, smoky, industrial belly of London), is more important than character. This is also true of Sophy and Curley’s wife. Curley marries his wife because of her looks, and the vicar does not marry Sophy due to her (somewhat simple at times) character and intellect. He even educates her to prevent further embarrassment for him!
Towards the end of Of Mice And Men, Steinbeck’s voice becomes more present. This is also true of Hardy in “The Son’s Veto”. Another thing that is comparable between our two women is the fact that death in and around their worlds is almost insignificant. In Sophy’s world, her life does not change even after her husband’s death. She is neither more trusted nor richer. She remains looking into society rather than becoming an active part of it. Curley’s wife’s world is shrouded with death, her own as insignificant as that of mice and dogs. It is somewhat ironic the only time she finds peace and real beauty is at her own death, and even then, she cannot see her true beauty.
“She lay half covered in hay, all the meanness and discontent gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young…”
Both women are trapped, seeking release and a better life. However, many different forms of oppression stop them achieving their goals. They are both alone in their worlds, despite being surrounded by other people. They both have regret, Sophy of not having married Sam and Curley’s wife of not having been made famous. Both writers try and make us feel pathos for these two women, by telling us they live miserable lonesome lives, and making them die without having achieved their goals. Both women lost men in their younger life which they reminisce about. Although the offers were different, both women rejected or got rejected by them! In Sophy’s case, because the offer was not good enough, and in Curley’s wife’s case, the offer rejected her, as the offer was insincere.
To conclude their comparison, there are three main points in which Curley’s wife and Sophy differ. Where Sophy is shy and somewhat easily walked over, Curley’s wife is very prominent and not at all easy to control. Sophy seeks to blend in, where Curley’s wife longs to stand out and make a difference. And finally, whereas Sophy is unsure of herself, Curley’s wife does not at all lack self- confidence, and volume to make her self heard.
Fraser McBain 11 BP
(1607 words )
