Historical Commentary In The Grapes Of Wrath And The Bluest Eye

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The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck and The Bluest Eye by Morrison both make specific socio historical commentary. In The Grapes of Wrath the main focus was on the “American Dream”. This issue was not only a social issue of that time, but also historical because many immigrants were faced with the same realities. In The Bluest Eye racism was seen throughout the novel. This is a social and historical concern in this text due to the factors it played in the Breedloves lives and impact it has made in history overall.

In The Grapes of Wrath, the American Dream was such a simple concept and attainable dream. “…a whole bunch of grapes off a bush, or whatever, an’ I’m gonna squash ‘em on my face an’ let ‘em run offen my chin” (Steinbeck page 90). All they had to do was go west, get a pick oranges, and become rich. However, they did not realize that the American Dream was nearly impossible to have and it corrupted the minds of those in search of it. The unattainable nature of the American Dream of economic stability in The Grapes of Wrath was emphasized throughout the Joads migration.
The Joads migration from Oklahoma to California destroyed the existence of an economically stable future. Before the Joad family headed west, they had a home, land, and financial security. Migrating to California meant starting over again. They decided to leave their old home and life behind in hopes of beginning a new, successful one. As the Joads moved across country, they ended up staying in places where there was no financial security, or even the possibility of gaining it. The people who emigrated from European countries to America in search of a better life duplicate this, immigrants from foreign nations left their financial security behind, with no gua...

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... beauty under which Pecola and her mother suffer, is also at the root of Pecola's father's alcoholism and violence. After he impregnates Pecola and she is beaten by her mother for it, Pecola goes mad, believing she has gotten her blue eyes. B she obsessively, repeats herself and asks an imaginary person if, her eyes are "the bluest."
The two issues in the novels The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck and The Bluest Eye by Morrison both are specific socio historical. The “American Dream” was a dilemma throughout Steinbeck’s novel. Not only did the Joads and many other Oklahoman families face the issues brought about by the envisioned “American Dream” but many people migrating from foreign places discovered the same difficulties. Racism has been and still is an issue throughout the world not only seen through Morrison’s novel, but also in history books and many others.

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