John Steinbeck stressed significant contrast between men and women in society, by providing extensive work on developing protagonist male characters to prove their superior rank. The Grapes of Wrath, taking place during the Great Depression, brings life to a family struggling through a serious drought in Oklahoma, and attempting to find better work and land in California. The novel, written in 1939, at the end of the depression, highlights strong male roles as Tom Joad decides to move his family, and lead other tenant farmers in the same direction. Besides Tom, the family consists of his parents, Ma and Pa, Granma, Grampa, Uncle John, and his siblings, Al, Noah, Ruthie, and Winfield (Ashley). During their trip, they are slowed by crowded
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His fictional women serve as models for all women who struggled to be an equal in society and culture. Steinbeck featured various qualities of his personal life in his writings, including his home Salinas, the traditional domestic roles of his parents, and the women with which he had established relationships. Substantial historical milestones, such as women’s suffrage and the Great Depression also affected Steinbeck and his life. The public’s views of the time established the typical responsibilities of a man to be the superior leader and protector, and a woman to be a supporter and homemaker. Therefore, in his short narrative “The Chrysanthemums”, he portrays a strong, capable women, who is reminded and shown as unappreciated, as well as, useless for anything other than her role as a wife. Then, in the “The White Quail”, the female protagonist represents a woman who desires more success in her life, but is weakened by the male society. Additionally, The Grapes of Wrath brings life to a motherly figure who is most greatly depicted, and must support her family in a dark time, but nevertheless, cannot over step the patriarchal lead. Furthermore, John Steinbeck highlighted the stereotypical cultural positions of men and women of his time. Shown as independent and knowledgeable, his women were ultimately represented as weak and inferior to any
His fictional women serve as models for all women who struggled to be an equal in society and culture. Steinbeck featured various qualities of his personal life in his writings, including his home Salinas, the traditional domestic roles of his parents, and the women with which he had established relationships. Substantial historical milestones, such as women’s suffrage and the Great Depression also affected Steinbeck and his life. The public’s views of the time established the typical responsibilities of a man to be the superior leader and protector, and a woman to be a supporter and homemaker. Therefore, in his short narrative “The Chrysanthemums”, he portrays a strong, capable women, who is reminded and shown as unappreciated, as well as, useless for anything other than her role as a wife. Then, in the “The White Quail”, the female protagonist represents a woman who desires more success in her life, but is weakened by the male society. Additionally, The Grapes of Wrath brings life to a motherly figure who is most greatly depicted, and must support her family in a dark time, but nevertheless, cannot over step the patriarchal lead. Furthermore, John Steinbeck highlighted the stereotypical cultural positions of men and women of his time. Shown as independent and knowledgeable, his women were ultimately represented as weak and inferior to any