The theme of adversity and how it affects characters discussed in class can be seen clearly within the novels Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. The fictional novella Of Mice and Men - based in 1930’s California during the Depression - demonstrates the struggles of adversity through the characters Curley’s Wife and Crooks, and the non-fictional story of Persepolis – a story narrating the author’s childhood during the Islamic Revolution during the 1980’s in Iran – displays the theme of adversity through the antagonist author, Marjane. In addition to the difficulties each character faces, how the adversity affects them and the ultimate result of their attempts to overcome their struggles will be acknowledged.
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The character of Crooks, the stable buck, faced adversity and discrimination due to his race and his crippled back. Crooks is segregated and forced to sleep separately from the other ranch hands, and is not allowed to participate with social activities, proven when he explains, “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink.” (68). Life for all ranchers during the Depression was lonely, but for a black crippled stable buck, this loneliness was only amplified, and despite the male-dominant society, Crooks remains inferior to Curley’s Wife – a situation she takes advantage of when she informs him, “Well you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” (81). Crooks is highly aware of the divide between the men and how it affects his life, not just based on his skin colour but his disability, when he claims, “This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger.”, proving he is aware that overcoming his adversity, achieving equality and being accepted is an unlikely outcome given the prejudicial circumstances he finds himself in (71). Despite accepting his misfortune, Crooks still acknowledges the struggles of isolation and admits his loneliness: “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” and upon the realization of the potential reality of the dream of the farm, Crooks is quick to join in on the …show more content…
As a child and young teenager in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, at an early age Marjane witnesses many injustices in the world around her, and struggles to accept the changes imposed by the new governments including segregation and compulsory veils. Due to a very activist family, Marjane is equally involved in fighting the social injustices introduced by the regime. Unfortunately, due to her age, Marjane’s parents are concerned about their young daughter’s involvement in the demonstrations, and she receives punishment from her mother for going with their maid, Mehri, to the Black Friday demonstration. Her struggles to accept the regime changes leads to further difficulties when she is sent to Austria by her parents, out of fear her strong-minded behaviour will lead to her execution. Additionally, as a female, Marjane faces further adversity in the unfair treatment of women in Iran at the time, seen in the expectations of females being fully covered, being segregated from men in public and having their behaviour monitored by “Guardians of the Revolution’ – a group assigned to “…arrest women who were improperly veiled” and “…put us back on the straight and narrow by explaining the duties of muslim women. (Satrapi, 132). In retaliating the oppression, many people were executed or
The character of Crooks, the stable buck, faced adversity and discrimination due to his race and his crippled back. Crooks is segregated and forced to sleep separately from the other ranch hands, and is not allowed to participate with social activities, proven when he explains, “They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink.” (68). Life for all ranchers during the Depression was lonely, but for a black crippled stable buck, this loneliness was only amplified, and despite the male-dominant society, Crooks remains inferior to Curley’s Wife – a situation she takes advantage of when she informs him, “Well you keep your place then, nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny.” (81). Crooks is highly aware of the divide between the men and how it affects his life, not just based on his skin colour but his disability, when he claims, “This is just a nigger talkin’, an’ a busted-back nigger.”, proving he is aware that overcoming his adversity, achieving equality and being accepted is an unlikely outcome given the prejudicial circumstances he finds himself in (71). Despite accepting his misfortune, Crooks still acknowledges the struggles of isolation and admits his loneliness: “I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an’ he gets sick.” and upon the realization of the potential reality of the dream of the farm, Crooks is quick to join in on the …show more content…
As a child and young teenager in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, at an early age Marjane witnesses many injustices in the world around her, and struggles to accept the changes imposed by the new governments including segregation and compulsory veils. Due to a very activist family, Marjane is equally involved in fighting the social injustices introduced by the regime. Unfortunately, due to her age, Marjane’s parents are concerned about their young daughter’s involvement in the demonstrations, and she receives punishment from her mother for going with their maid, Mehri, to the Black Friday demonstration. Her struggles to accept the regime changes leads to further difficulties when she is sent to Austria by her parents, out of fear her strong-minded behaviour will lead to her execution. Additionally, as a female, Marjane faces further adversity in the unfair treatment of women in Iran at the time, seen in the expectations of females being fully covered, being segregated from men in public and having their behaviour monitored by “Guardians of the Revolution’ – a group assigned to “…arrest women who were improperly veiled” and “…put us back on the straight and narrow by explaining the duties of muslim women. (Satrapi, 132). In retaliating the oppression, many people were executed or