Broken Stereotypes in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath
analytical Essay
946 words
Broken Stereotypes in The Grapes of Wrath
Masculinity and femininity are not restricted to two separate and distinct groups. In reality, they are different within themselves, and similar to each other. It is a well-known stereotype that men are tough and strong with no emotions, while women are weak and need to be supported.
The characters in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath are examples of the typical masculine and feminine groups. However, the book also contains models of those who do not fit the stereotypes. In general, the book contains two types of portrayals of both men and women.
Pa is an example of the more common must-support-the-family man. On the contrary, Casy, another male character, is a soft-spoken, thoughtful man. Though they are mother and daughter, Ma and Rose of Sharon are two examples of very different femininity. Ma is a hardworking, family focused woman while Rose of Sharon is a young naïve character who needs to be taken care of.
In The Grapes of Wrath, Pa is the main male character and plays a leadership role of the family. After Grampa's death, it is clearly stated that Pa is the family leader. "Pa was the head of the family now" (151). Steinbeck purposefully puts Grampa, then Pa in the position of head of the family because the eldest male is most commonly the leader. This is a typical example of a patriarchy. Pa carries this role until they reach California and begin looking for work. Pa is ashamed that he cannot work to support his family and fulfill his position as leader.
Pa demanded, 'Well what the hell am I gonna do? We're outa money. One of my boys got a short job, but that won't feed us. I'm a-gonna go an' take twenty cents. I got to' (374).
It frustrates Pa that he is helpless when it comes to work. Although he is more than willing to work hard for money, Pa is unable to find a job to feed his family.
Ma takes on two roles in the course of the book. Pa begins despairing because of his lack of work, so Ma takes over his role as leader. This shows the masculinity in Ma's character coming out.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the characters in john steinbeck's the grapes of wrath are examples of the typical masculine and feminine groups, but the book also contains models of those who do not fit the stereotypes.
- Compares pa, casy, and ma, who are mother and daughter. ma is a hardworking, family focused woman, while rose of sharon is young nave.
- Analyzes how steinbeck purposefully puts grampa, then pa in the position of head of the family because the eldest male is most commonly the leader.
- Analyzes how ma takes on two roles in the book: pa despairs because of his lack of work, and pa's ability to allow ma to receive his role shows his masculinity coming out.
- Analyzes how pa's reaction is more humorous or "sarcastic" than it is mad. ma keeps her emotions inside to protect the rest of the family.
- Explains that ma's calmness is another typical feminine trait, which helps keep her family happy. the family looks to ma to find their own emotions.
- Explains that casy is the opposite masculine character from pa. he is on his own, with no family, which may be the reason why he is so opposite.
- Narrates how they would lay on their back an' look at the stars; morning they'd set and watch the sun come up; midday they looked out from a hill at rolling dry country.
- Analyzes how casy started talking about things he was thinking and feeling after meeting up again with tom. the stereotype is that men have no emotions.
- Analyzes how rose of sharon is a stereotypical woman. she is the complete opposite of ma.
- Analyzes how the diversity of the four characters in steinbeck's novel shows that there are no set boundaries for masculinity and femininity.
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- Steinbeck's Social Commentary in The Grapes of Wrathanalytical essaySocial Commentary in The Grapes of Wrath Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is a realistic novel that mimics life and offers social commentary too. It offers many windows on real life in midwest America in the 1930s. But it also offers a powerful social commentary, directly in the intercalary chapters and indirectly in the places and people it portrays. Typical of very many, the Joads are driven off the land by far away banks and set out on a journey to California to find a better life. However the journey breaks up the family, their dreams are not realized and their fortunes disappear.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how steinbeck's the grapes of wrath is a realistic novel that mimics life and offers social commentary too.
- Analyzes how the novel is starkly realistic, with the joads meeting the dark underside of capitalism with its uncontrolled poverty, its inhuman greed, and a fractured trust between government and people.
- Analyzes how social realism crafts a point, not to allow voyeuristic peek at the poor but to illustrate the depth of poverty and exploitation contemporary americans are suffering. it is tempered but not compromised by the goodness of ordinary people.
- Explains how to structure the novel as a journey has many advantages. the reader moves from place to place and scene to scene observing their nationwide effects.
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- Analyzes how the grapes of wrath dramatises all human life and the march to justice. whether america has heeded steinbeck yet is a moot point.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the spirit of unity emerges as the one unfailing source of strength in john steinbeck's classic the grapes of wrath.
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- Analyzes how steinbeck shows the crossover to unconscious unity as casy asks muley if he'll share.
- Analyzes how the characters dream of unions in the novel. synergy is the main theme, and the joads enter the self-governed commune.
- Analyzes how the movement towards unconscious altruism occurs on the trip west. ma reassures the wilson family that their tagging along won't be a burden.
- Analyzes how rose of sharon is selfish throughout most of the trip, especially when it comes to milk for her unborn baby. her symbolic gesture of looking past her worries to aid another, of giving of herself to inject another with life, is a fitting way to end the book.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john steinbeck's grapes of wrath themes about how the world has changed during the great depression through three important messages.
- Analyzes how grapes describes how the dynamics of a family had changed.
- Analyzes how steinbeck's political statements about the government and how they functioned during this crisis.
- Analyzes how the joad's saw trial after trial and realized they had to help others.
- Analyzes how the end of grapes of wrath is a statement about society. women and men no longer held the same position. they had to take and do what they could to survive.
- Analyzes what grapes of wrath was talking about in twentieth-century literary criticism.
- Describes the document, the declaration of independence, and all that it represents.
- Explains sandburg, carl, "grass." 1917. modern american city verse. john timberman newcomb.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john steinbeck's "the grapes of wrath" depicted the way families were run. men led the family, while women worked behind the scenes to keep everything going.
- Opines that the grapes of wrath is a fictional story based on real events witnessed and experienced by , john steinbeck.
- Analyzes how women accepted things for the way they were and didn't question why things were like that. the degradation of women in this quote is clearly evident and ridiculous.
- Analyzes how ma's gradual rise to power does not go unnoticed, and a conflict was inevitable. pa knows that ma would be better suited to lead the family, but old habits die hard.
- Analyzes how ma's mouth set hard. she said softly, 'on'y way you gonna get me to go is whup me.'
- Concludes that the hard times generated new ideas and propelled women to the head of the families and in turn allowed them to create a better life for them and their families.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john steinbeck's the grapes of wrath shows how women are portrayed stereotypically, but he also contradicts himself at times.
- Analyzes how in the grapes of wrath, women are seen as moral support and helpless, while men are viewed as protectors. ma criticizes grampa's language.
- Analyzes how steinbeck gives ma total control of the joad family. ma and rose of sharon work together to save a guy's life.
- Analyzes steinbeck's portrayal of ma as a different woman. she is the backbone of the family and the glue that keeps them together.
- Analyzes how steinbeck connects with the readers by changing the gender roles in the grapes of wrath. the joad family holds more power in the family than the men do.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the grapes of wrath is set in the horrible stage of american history, the depression. economic, social, and historical surroundings separate the common man into basically the rich and poor.
- Analyzes how the grapes of wrath tells the story of two types of ‘families’ in that the joads are factual and the body of migrant workers as the other.
- Analyzes how the setting is important to the novel because it sets the role and background of the characters. the depression that has hit nailed the common man and jobs are scarce.
- Analyzes how steinbeck focused on symbolism and foreshadowing in the novel to the upcoming parts.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john steinbeck's grapes of wrath is an important commentary on society and humanity, and is intended to evoke intense feelings from readers.
- Analyzes how the connection between man and earth causes the characters to reflect the images of the world around them.
- Analyzes how the joad family was misunderstood as the land that nobody could cultivate and tame. the land had been hurt and the connection between nature and human emotion required that they be hurt too.
- Analyzes how rose of sharon proves that goodness and morality are stronger than selfishness and hopelessness when she gives the sick man milk from her breast.
- Analyzes how the joad family proved that they were a passionate and intense family, willing to go against precedents and expectations in order to achieve their dreams and set an amazing example for humanity.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the joad family in john steinbeck's the grapes of wrath is met with inhumanity and prejudice.
- Describes how the joad family, on their journey to the land of promise, keeps their faith and good hope. even though their spiritual self is tested multiple times, they manage to stay together even in the worst times.
- Narrates how the crisis that drove them away and on the road, route 66, brought them together. the "okies" that came from the area were so alone, but at the same time they had a unity
- Analyzes how the "okies" are concerned about their honor and will not take charity or steal. they help each other when it is needed, but help is not to be found by other than the poor.
- Explains that the prejudice from the people that meet the family when they travel is never ending. they do not see the "okies" as fellow men, but rather as something coming to destroy and take advantage of their land.
- Analyzes how the events described in the book, especially when they throw away good fruits, tells us how greed controls everything. they do what they can to get as cheap labor as possible, and they fail to see what is truly important.
- Opines that the "okies" had a rough journey that brought sorrow and anger. they did their best to make it, but it wasn't enough.
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how steinbeck adds a variety of minor characters with whom the joads interact in the grapes of wrath.
- Analyzes how steinbeck portrays muley graves as a man resistant to change and fearful of new challenges.
- Analyzes how steinbeck's character, connie rivers, is the most noticeable in the novel. he leaves his family behind for personal reasons, and foreshadows his abandonment of his immediate family.
- Analyzes how steinbeck creates a type of rivalry between neighbors, which reflects the tractor driver's fear of the hard life.
- Explains that steinbeck created many characters for the joads to come in contact with for different reasons.
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In this essay, the author
- Explains the four archetypes of a woman in john steinbeck's, the grapes of wrath.
- Analyzes how steinbecks shows the importance of ma's character by the syntax usage to describe her.
- Analyzes how ma understands her role in the family and how she controls her reactions and emotions. when tom left to go to jail, she had to control her feelings toward missing him.
- Analyzes how ma sits back and lets rose of sharon decide for herself to help another. she shows her the mothers' duties in life to let their children learn from their own decisions and mistakes.
- Analyzes how rose of sharon represents the virgin, one who lacks experience and constantly learning how to be a proper mother from ma and will eventually be wise enough to make her own decisions. her hair represents an ash-blonde crown.
- Analyzes how pregnant to her is able to see and understand things that others may not. she is satisfied that she can give life to another person in need because that is her goal in life.
- Analyzes how ruthie, the'young witch' archetype, grows to mature through her older examples and is slowly maturing into a young adult.
- Explains that the 'old witch' is the most experienced of the group and carries most knowledge. she sets the example for the other women to follow.
- Explains how the joad family made it to california and survive as a family through all these hardships. ma was there to comfort and lead.
1509 wordsRead More