In "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Fiesta" we see the effect key moments of American history can have in society - How do the main themes of both novels reveal this?
In "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Fiesta" we see the effect key moments of American history can have in society. How do the main themes of both novels reveal this? In Ernest Hemingway's "Fiesta (The Sun Also Rises)" we are given an account of life in Europe, after the devastation of World War I. The main characters are expatriates living in Europe after all suffering through the War. Both their identity and their lives have been affected; consequently forcing them to be categorised as the lost generation1. In John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath" we follow the Joad family as they travel west in search of a new, more prosperous life. The journey reveals the difficulties of creating an ordered, fully functioning society. In contrast to the expatriates in "Fiesta"; the Joads' migration can be categorised as an establishment of a new generation. That is to say, a new society built on ideals of individual success and prosperity, in western America. By exploring the major themes in both novels, we can see exactly what effects the First World War and westward migration have upon the main characters. Additionally, we can see how this relates to individual actions, and American society as a whole. In "Fiesta", Hemingway presents us with a series of characters whose lives have been tragically altered by the effects of the First World War. The characters are described as "expatriates" by
Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon Often the setting of a prose work takes on an importance beyond that of simply providing the characters with a background against which to act out their lives. In the novel "Sunset Song" by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, the main character, Chris, is divided between her love of the land and the brutal harshness of farming life. Throughout the story the writer has used to good effect setting, characterisation, plot and themes to describe the complex nature of Chris. Firstly the writer shows the importance of setting in the novel through characterisation. The main character has to chose between the English Chris and the Scottish Chris. The English Chris loves books and wants to go to University to be a teacher whereas the Scottish Chris loves the land; "Two Chrises there were that fought for her heart and tormented her" She found it difficult to chose between the two Chrises and did not know which path to carry on with. I can see that she was fascinated by books when the writer says; "But the Murdoch laughed with a blithe, sweet face. But more and more she turned from that laughter, resolute, loving to hear of the things in the histories and geographies" However she ends up choosing the Scottish Chris, as her mother taught her to love the land and when she dies, Chris is devastated; "And Chris of the books and the dreams died with it"
George Willard is a small town boy who is discouraged by the lack of direction in his life, and comes to mature by being the town medium in Winesburg, Ohio.
George Willard is a small town boy who is discouraged by the lack of direction in his life, and comes to mature by being the town medium in Winesburg, Ohio. George Willard achieves maturity when he realizes and accepts loneliness as the essential human condition and understands the value of all human suffering. There is a time in the life of every boy when for the first time he takes the backward view of life. The thesis of this story is to show the maturation of George Willard from town boy to manhood. George was growing up and the thoughts of being a man filled his head. He felt lonely as he contemplated his upcoming departure from Winesburg to a city where he hoped to work for a newspaper. After his mother's death, the feeling of maturity and loneliness had visited him often as it does with every boy at some point. George Willard being the town medium has his fair share of "friends" that were woman. One of the women George had longed for was Helen White. George sees Helen as a beautiful girl with all the necessary attributes to find a good husband. George cannot suppress his feelings for Helen. It all started when Seth Richmond came to visit George one summer evening. George and Seth began talking about different things and George stated how he wanted to write a love story. George being a reporter for the Winesburg Eagle always tried to put himself in the
What do you learn of Crooks and the way he lives from this extract?
Killgallonaw What do you learn of Crooks and the way he lives from this extract? Of Mice and Men was set in California in 1939. It is a well written story and includes many things that were true to life back then. In the story we get to meet the stable buck who is called Crooks. He is pretty much an outcast and is avoided as he is black. Crooks' seems to be a very tidy man. The condition of his room is very neat and clean. 'A little bench for leather working tools', 'On pegs were pieces of harness'. This shows that he is a 'proud and aloof' man and most of his things have a special place to be kept. His room had very little space inside and he had many possessions to fit into it. Crooks had an injured back and he also possessed many broken things. 'In one hand he held a bottle of liniment; with the other he rubbed his spine'. This point compliments with the things in his room as they are broken and so is he. He had, 'a broken hame'. Crooks also had some books. 'a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the Californian civil code' He is very aware of the law and maybe has this book to read up about the laws on racism. Although he takes care of his room he does not seem to be so bothered about his appearance. 'His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles'. From this point we can see that the pressure from his work and the fact that he can get quite angry, as he is
The Friendship.
THE FRIENDSHIP One afternoon, a couple went into the forest with their little baby boy called Lennie, to have a sort of picnic and also enjoy the picturesque view which can only be appreciated from the slopping hill, as they usually do every evening. They were going to their favourite spot today, unusually in the afternoon. The couple went in hand in hand laughing, baby on his father's shoulder. It was mid-June; the sun was out and shone brightly enhancing the colours of the variety of plants in the forest. Wild flowers blossom in the sun and colours varied from green -mostly dominant, yellow, to pink and indigo. At some places the shrub was thick and dense under the tall, huge trees, and other places were just empty with no plants but just dead leaves. Animals of different kind made their habitat under and on top of most huge trees such as oaks. And it boosted many communities. A lot of chattering and hovering could be heard and a lot more, animals running and jumping, in groups and alone, could be seen, it was a blissful sight to behold. Small and Jane sat in their favourite spot, under a very large oak tree, animal noises above and around them, were surrounded by thick brush and bushes. Jane laid down a cloth; it was pleasantly multicoloured, boasting of yellowish pink circles, and flowers of different petal colours ranging from blue, green to light red, itself coloured