Invisible Man and The Grapes of Wrath

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The two novels, The Grapes of Wrath and Invisible Man, are evidently, two classic masterpieces that marvelously portray the social, economic and political turmoil that prevailed in the mid-20th century in America. Despite the obvious differences, the protagonist’s lives in these two novels are similarly affected by external forces.

Perhaps, the foremost similarities between these two novels are the protagonists’ desperate struggle for survival and how their dreams and hopes are shattered once they reach their destination. In The Grapes of Wrath, the Joads hope for a positive amendment in their lives and reach California, where their dreams and hopes become shattered. Similarly, in Invisible Man, the unnamed narrator reaches Harlem, where his dreams and hope of going back to his university and getting a degree becomes shattered. In brief, their desperate attempts to become socially significant are shattered.

These two American literatures could be noted for speaking about and exposing the various controversial issues. Ellison and Steinbeck express the feeling of the American society, regarding the social problems that they face, intending to evoke intense feelings from the readers. Both create many emotions and convey the true reality of the American society. They make the readers perceive the negative reality of their society.

Negative aspects of the societies that these two authors speak encompass racism, poverty and discrimination. In Invisible Man, Ellison makes the readers witness the scurrilous and irascible behavior of the white people to the black Americans. The inhuman behavior of the whites, resulting in the maltreatment of blacks. And in the case of The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck makes the readers witness the disc...

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...ally. This hurdle in the journey is made by the upper class so that their desperate attempt to become socially and economically significant is shattered.

It is evident that from portraying the social, economic and political turmoil that the protagonists face, Ellison and Steinbeck are trying to make an affirmative statement through their novels. A statement that is not just concerned about these two protagonists or just the people of these two novels, but also the whole community.

Thus, Ellison and Steinbeck made the protagonists the representatives of their respective communities. Especially in Invisible Man, the protagonist is invisible. He doesn’t have either a name or an identity. By making them the representatives of their communities, these two authors conveys the readers to generalize the condition that prevailed in the America in the mid-20th century.

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