he theme of loneliness and develops Curley's wife, who is shown to be a lonely woman, constantly seeking company. In the fifth chapter, her loneliness leads her into the barn, where she engages Lennie in conversation. It has been clearly foreshadowed that nothing good can happen in this encounter. In fact, Curley's wife is the instrument causing the tragic ending of the book. In a flirtatious manner, she asks Lennie to stroke her soft hair. When she feels
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