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The Grapes of Wrath Critics - Coggle Diagram
The Grapes of Wrath Critics
"Not a promised land, but a blighted eden"
Crockett
Appearance vs reality/Delusion- California is viewed in an idealised way by the characters
Gatsby link- Gatsby believes Daisy is his Eden
Journey and Place- Journey is ultimately pointless and unyielding
"Joad family shifts from a patriarchal structure to a predominantly matriarchal one"
Motley
Women- Ultimately gain power in novel- could represent women gaining more power. However power is only as a mother.
Gatsby link- motherhood and family are unimportant in the novel. Daisy's family lacks structure and she is not in control
"exposes nothing but the total depravity, vulgarity, and degraded mentality of the author''
Congressman of Oklahoma
Context- book was banned by many, viewed as communist. Shows that people didn't want to be made aware of the reality of the situation. Not wanting to see the reality of life.
Link to Gatsby- Gatsby also shows the reality of the time- eg sex. however seems much more romantic, reality for upper classes much less harsh.
"his messages...considerably broaden man's sense of spiritual community" (on Jim Casy)
Individuality and Collectivism- Community is cherished rather than individualism- Casy teaches that people flourish together.
Link to Gatsby- No community or togetherness and no shift in society at end of novel- hopeless rather than hopeful.
"Steinbeck countered the idealism of the frontier"
Hughes
Delusion- Holding delusion of frontier with them years later. Times changed.
Link to Gatsby- Fitzgerald kind of mythologises the west- frontier positivity.
(Characters are) "essentially symbolic marionettes"
Appearance and reality- Do the characters lack depth? act purely as symbols for message
Link to Gatsby- Gatsby symbolising america- characters seem to fall into stereotypes?- rich girl and boy and idealised gatsby doesn't this happen in many novels with a societal message
"Praised by the left as a triumph of proletarian writing"
DeMott
Social commentary- Showing the struggles of the lower working classes.
Link to Gatsby- not proletarian, focuses on the higher classes. Views lower classes in ambigious way, not involved with them.
"Steinbeck has smashed the idealism of the American dream."
Jason Spangler
"The novel picks apart the willful optimism of the pioneer and questions the limits of individualism"
Blades
American Dream- Problems with optimistic american view
Individualism vs collectivism- Problems with individualistic american nature
Link to Gatsby- Individualism doesn't aid gatsby.
"Steinbeck has smashed the notions of the American dream"
Spangler
American dream- shows how it cannot be achieved by the lower class, and how it is illusion.
Social commentary- Steinbeck attempting to expose the problems of the american dream
"Document of protest and compassion."
Kronenberger
Love- Compassion for the people steinbeck is writing about- characters display this compassion.
Link to Gatsby- Less compassionate, doesn't really see good in people? However is protesting the actions of the rich.
"I want to put a tag of shame on the greedy bastards who are responsible for this."
John Steinbeck