In the early twentieth century, a whirlwind of issues plagued the American people. From the ending of World War I, to the Stock Market Crash of 1929, and the great plunge into the Great Depression, Steinbeck’s writings during the time fed off of the surrounding economic turmoil. Steinbeck consistently expressed the idea of greed leading to conflict and corruption within his novels The Pearl and Of Mice and Men. The encompassing power of greed acts as the Achilles Heel to the main characters in both novels. Characters are given the opportunity to listen to forewarnings, but tunnel vision inhibits their grasp on the reality of their situations. While the characters in both The Pearl and Of Mice and Men are confronted with greed and desire, the
…show more content…
For example, in The Pearl, Kino’s wife Juana tells him “this pearl is evil,” and she advises him to rid the family of the evil the pearl brings to their family (The Pearl 61). Although Kino does not comply with her requests, she often conveys her concerns to Kino who is ignorant to the negative effects the pearl brings. Steinbeck also provides Juana’s disapproving thoughts like “ Juana, in her woman’s soul, knew the mountain would stand while the man broke himself; that the sea would surge while the man drowned in it,” from an omniscient position (The Pearl 64). Although Kino ignores her requests, she is trying her hardest to get through to Kino and advise him of the menacing nature of the pearl. Also, Juana is important because she acts as a foil to Kino who is encompassed with gaining riches from his newfound pearl. She highlights his unrealistic dreams and takes on the role of being a realist while Kino’s idealist attitudes put him and his family in danger. Likewise, in Of Mice and Men, Crooks logically concludes “nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land,” based on his own personal observations of men coming in and out of the ranch(Of Mice and Men 72). Steinbeck uses Juana and Crooks as almost forewarnings within his novels because they warn the main characters. Ironically, in both novels, Juana and Crooks foreshadow grim endings to both of Steinbeck’s
For example, in The Pearl, Kino’s wife Juana tells him “this pearl is evil,” and she advises him to rid the family of the evil the pearl brings to their family (The Pearl 61). Although Kino does not comply with her requests, she often conveys her concerns to Kino who is ignorant to the negative effects the pearl brings. Steinbeck also provides Juana’s disapproving thoughts like “ Juana, in her woman’s soul, knew the mountain would stand while the man broke himself; that the sea would surge while the man drowned in it,” from an omniscient position (The Pearl 64). Although Kino ignores her requests, she is trying her hardest to get through to Kino and advise him of the menacing nature of the pearl. Also, Juana is important because she acts as a foil to Kino who is encompassed with gaining riches from his newfound pearl. She highlights his unrealistic dreams and takes on the role of being a realist while Kino’s idealist attitudes put him and his family in danger. Likewise, in Of Mice and Men, Crooks logically concludes “nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land,” based on his own personal observations of men coming in and out of the ranch(Of Mice and Men 72). Steinbeck uses Juana and Crooks as almost forewarnings within his novels because they warn the main characters. Ironically, in both novels, Juana and Crooks foreshadow grim endings to both of Steinbeck’s