Pride is something that has both a positive connotation and a negative connotation. It is important for people to hold self confidence and believe in themselves, but if an individual gains too much pride and starts to regard oneself too much, it can be disastrous for one and for others as well. Too much ego or hubris can result in an individual’s corruption and the misuse of power, which can be detrimental and unfavorable for others. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, the abuse of power caused by the negativity of pride is developed through powerful men, such as Curley and Brother in their respective environments. Doodle and Lennie are both subject to cruelty and the abuse of power by the more powerful
…show more content…
The fact that Lennie is more physically powerful than him makes Curley feel insecure of his power and makes him develop a resentment for Lennie because “[Curley] hates big guys… Kind of like he’s mad at ‘em because he ain’t a big guy” (Steinbeck 26). Powerful residents of the ranch, like Curley, take advantage of those that are not regarded by the society, such as Crooks, Lennie, and Candy, making them feel more defeated and deprived of self confidence. As the mental defeat of let down characters like Crooks and Candy starts to become more noticeable, many powerful people at the ranch start to feel more dominant and start believing in their superiority. This gives them a sense of control and therefore allows them to misuse their power and express more hateful and prejudiced thoughts towards the less able characters, but when their pride is cracked, it takes a heavy toll on them and causes them to feel bitter towards the one that causes the insecurity of their pride. This is related to Curley’s arrogant and jealous behavior because his increased …show more content…
The cruelty caused by the pride within Brother and Curley arises, and they begin to misuse their power over the less able because, “pride is a wonderful terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death”(Hurst 2). Lennie and Doodle lack mental or physical qualities that enable them to defend themselves against others who demonstrate a greater sense of power than them, causing the pride of others to turn dangerous for them. Brother’s pride is hurt because he has a dysfunctional brother, who he will possibly never be able to have much to relate to with or who he will never be proud enough to stand with. To maintain his pride, Brother begins to abuse his power and train Doodle to perform certain physical activities that are out of his reach, along with setting too high expectations for him. The cruelty within Brother is awakened when Doodle unintentionally hurts Brother’s pride from not being able to meet his Brother’s high expectations. This causes Brother to leave Doodle behind and be unable to ensure his safety or prevent his death during the storm, resulting in Doodle’s death due to a tree. Similarly, Lennie’s death is caused by a hurt pride and the misuse of power. Curley’s pride is hurt due to
The fact that Lennie is more physically powerful than him makes Curley feel insecure of his power and makes him develop a resentment for Lennie because “[Curley] hates big guys… Kind of like he’s mad at ‘em because he ain’t a big guy” (Steinbeck 26). Powerful residents of the ranch, like Curley, take advantage of those that are not regarded by the society, such as Crooks, Lennie, and Candy, making them feel more defeated and deprived of self confidence. As the mental defeat of let down characters like Crooks and Candy starts to become more noticeable, many powerful people at the ranch start to feel more dominant and start believing in their superiority. This gives them a sense of control and therefore allows them to misuse their power and express more hateful and prejudiced thoughts towards the less able characters, but when their pride is cracked, it takes a heavy toll on them and causes them to feel bitter towards the one that causes the insecurity of their pride. This is related to Curley’s arrogant and jealous behavior because his increased …show more content…
The cruelty caused by the pride within Brother and Curley arises, and they begin to misuse their power over the less able because, “pride is a wonderful terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life and death”(Hurst 2). Lennie and Doodle lack mental or physical qualities that enable them to defend themselves against others who demonstrate a greater sense of power than them, causing the pride of others to turn dangerous for them. Brother’s pride is hurt because he has a dysfunctional brother, who he will possibly never be able to have much to relate to with or who he will never be proud enough to stand with. To maintain his pride, Brother begins to abuse his power and train Doodle to perform certain physical activities that are out of his reach, along with setting too high expectations for him. The cruelty within Brother is awakened when Doodle unintentionally hurts Brother’s pride from not being able to meet his Brother’s high expectations. This causes Brother to leave Doodle behind and be unable to ensure his safety or prevent his death during the storm, resulting in Doodle’s death due to a tree. Similarly, Lennie’s death is caused by a hurt pride and the misuse of power. Curley’s pride is hurt due to