Grapes Of Wrath Feminist Analysis

It can be deducted that Steinbeck’s writing often limits the potential of a woman’s aptitude in society, which reflects an internal bias in opposition to women. Incredibly smart women, such as Eliza from “The Chrysanthemums,” have their ambition and intelligence stifled by their homes and are left broken. Other women have shallow personalities and no aspirations to acquire further knowledge. Curley’s wife’s mindset perfectly mirrors this idea. Furthermore, the irrelevant women in The Grapes of Wrath lack any ambition, and hold no place in their society painted by Steinbeck. This underlying perspective on women supports the idea that Steinbeck passively disregards women and it is hinted through the expression of his female characters and their

It was not without thought that Steinbeck represents these women in such a restricted light. Women are also vigilantly placed behind or kept next to their husbands, but never in front of them. Furthermore, women are often distanced from their husbands and often observe from afar. This literal position is intentionally subjugating for the women created in Steinbeck’s work. Not only women kept in the shadow of men, they are denied of their ability to express their strength and influence, and thus must relay it through other methods of

Ma is the quintessence of a mother who cooks for the family and gives her children occasional tough love, but she does not ever take initiative to finalize decisions that are carried out by her sons and her husband. Additionally, Ma has no daughters, and is often portrayed as holding the family together by being the heart of the family. This traditional stereotype of women is an easy exit for Steinbeck to extinguish any dominance for a woman with a lot of potential. Ma endures emotional burdens she only keeps to herself, showing that her issues are of lesser importance than her husband and sons’ burdens. Steinbeck could have easily given Ma more family authority, but chooses to use Ma as an outlet for emotional support only. Since Ma cannot explicitly assert her dominance in the family, providing emotional support and being the essential caregiver is what gives her any advantage or value to the men in her life. Steinbeck once again expresses an underlying idea that females are inferior to males and that their value is subjective in the perspective of