What is the importance of Curley's wife in the novel Of Mice and Men?

Curleys wife is an important character in the novel for
many reasons.

Number one:  She is often
misjudged, the other characters describe her as a 'jail
bait'.

Number two: She represents the theme of
loneliness in the novel. She is a lonely character, who in some ways, uses her beauty:
'full roughed lips' to attraction on all male farm, where the men to a great extent are
deprived of sex. Although, many of the men pay little attention to her, and Curleys
'glove' which he keeps 'for his wife' is symbolic of how little she means to him. Later
in the novel, she gains the attention of one man, Lennie, who has a strong physical
figure, but a mind of a child, which links to the contrasting title of the novel, 'Of
Mice and Men'. Lennie, like Curleys Wife is lonely, and he has his own American Dream of
owning a ranch. Towards the end of the novel both of the characters die with what they
enjoy most, and have so longed for. Curleys wife dies knowing that someone has
eventually listened to her, and gave her the attention shes crys for so deeply; and
Lennie dies with the thought of his own American Dream in his
mind.

Curley's wife character on the other hand
is like her husband. Curley's wife uses her beauty to try to attract attention on the
ranch from the men; but she gets little of it. In some ways, her 'full rough lips' and
use of make-up show that she is concealing a hidden personality, and that
this make-up gives her all of the confidence she has. Similarly, Curley is described as
wearing boots to (dont know the quote) higher his status on the ranch. Both characters
are very similar here in how they use clothes and appearance to boost their status, and
actually get attention.

Many people beleive Curley is a
horrible character, but in many ways he is very misunderstood, and his horrid ways maybe
the only way to attract attention and respect on the land.