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What criticisms is Steinbeck making about the American society of his time in of mice and men
What criticisms is Steinbeck making about the American society of his time in of mice and men
John steinbeck world view
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Americans live a beautiful paradox their entire lives without knowing the truth about anything and then being dumbfounded when they reach the real world.This idea expressed in the essay “Paradox and Dream” written by John Steinbeck. Which flows into the idea of what is John Steinbeck is trying to say about Americans and what is its literal meaning?
Americans do all of things any other person in the world would do,but because their history they think they can do things that nobody else can do. This is where it plays into the first idea of John Steinbeck is that americans contradict themselves too many times during our lives just to get what they want. An example of this from “Paradox and Dream” is that when they something they will trample over anyone to get but we always want help. This is one way the idea can be shown by showing how Americans be crude but also seeking for approval and help from people around them. Another way the idea can be shown in “Paradox and Dream” by “We are able to believe that our government is weak, stupid, overbearing, dishonest, and inefficient, and a...
After reading both, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Paradox and Dream” by John Steinbeck, it is extremely clear that both authors believe the American Dream differs from person to person. Though, the main similarity between American’s different versions of the American Dream is that each person wants more than they have. No matter the social status or salary, each person dreams of more; more money, a bigger home, a better job, etc.
In the article The American Dream: Slipping Away? by Susan Neuman I found many things interesting to read, some even shocking. When Neuman speaks about a study done that found that middle and upper middle class families use a child-rearing strategy called concerted cultivation while working-class and poor parents use the strategy of natural growth, I realized that my mother definitely used natural growth. Neuman states, “These parents generally have less education and time to impress on their children the values that will give them an advantage in school. Their children often spend less time in the company of adults and more time with other children in self-directed, open-ended play” (pp. 166).
Baseball is a rugged sport, uniquely American. Two Jewish boys meet during one of the most hotly contested baseball games of the high school season, in New York City during World War II. The teams’ rivalry—one team are Hassidim, the other orthodox—fuels intense acrimony between them until a freak accident during the game sends one to the hospital with an injury that nearly costs him an eye. The near loss of the boy’s eye creates a bond between the boys which develops into a deep and lasting friendship.
Sinclair's novel is meant to entirely reject the capitalist system and to bring in its place a socialist system. In this novel, capitalism and its exploitation of the immigrants and other workers, are in fact shown to be tools of the capitalist bosses, used as another means to control and mislead them. In Sinclair's novel the broken dreams of Jurgis Rudkis and his fellow Lithuanian immigrants, unions are meant to be institutions which give false hope to the workers. They live in utterly dreadful circumstances and are exploited like animals by their capitalist bosses. The women are forced to work at an inhuman pace, lose money if they cannot, and then fired if the complain. (106). And the men in the packinghouses like slaves in hell. When Jurgis is lucky enough to be picked for work, he finds working conditions to hardly fitting of the American Dream for which he left his native Lithuania. Sinclair is relentless in providing page after page of detailed horrors the immigrants faced everyday at work, "there were the beef luggers who carried two-hundred-pound quarters into the refrigerators cars, a fearful kind of work, that began at four o'clock in the morning, and that wore out the most powerful men in a few years.......of..... al those who used knives, you could scarcely find a person who had the use of his thumb (101).
People who work hard enough become successful and build a good life for themselves and their family. Millions of Americans and others who admire America have believed this for generations. However, is this still true? Brandon King debates his interpretation of the American Dream in his published work, “The American Dream: Dead, Alive, or on Hold?” During his essay, the speaker highlights how important the American Dream is to the economy and providing a distance from inequality. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the American Dream is still alive within America and that people must work hard to achieve it. When discussing the American Dream, King will agree that the idea is alive and thriving in the minds of Americans; yet, I argue that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of upward social independence and economic mobility.
Human beings all around the world are different in many ways. They all have their unique and physical characteristics, as well as different personalities. They each also have different ideas and thoughts on different topics. America is made up of a great amount of diverse people with diverse, even conflicting opinions and ideas. Diversity is a major component of the foundation of our country. The cliché of American as a salad bowl is extremely true. Every person is different and every person in his or her own way makes up a small part of America. Without the diversity of ideas and beliefs of Americans, the nation would not be nearly as successful as we are. A major similarity between Ralph Waldo Emerson's Self Reliance and J.D Salinger's Catcher in the Rye is a non-conformist ideology that both exhibit, and the idea that one should choose their own individuality above confomity.
According to Ty Kiisel, writer for Forbes magazine, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” (Kiisel). In the book Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger, Alger portrays a young New York boot black in the 1860s. Dick rises to become the embodiment of the American Dream through, as Kiisel notes, who he knows. Ragged Dick builds many relationships with upper-class men, fellow boot blacks, and even builds connections within himself, all while keeping his morality in check. The relationships that Ragged Dick forms are what make him achieve the American Dream.
Nutrition and health have become more popular in today 's society. Our generation is becoming more and more indebted to the idea of being healthy and eating nutritious meals. However, in “The American Paradox,” by Michael Pollan he argues that our unhealthy population is preoccupied with nutrition and the idea of eating healthy than their actual health. He also mentions the food industry, nutrition science and how culture affects the way we eat and make food choices. While Pollan is right about all these factor that affect our eating habits, there is more to it than that. Convenience, affordability and social influence also affects our food choices making them inadequate.
As the three recurring themes of the books become clear, so does our understanding of the ideas embedded in the lines of the books. Even with all the difficulties presented by the themes of both books, I think Steinbeck still wishes us to view these challenges as valuable experiences and richest opportunities to eventually achieve the seemingly impossible American Dream. In a smaller context, what the two books taught me are : Be kind. Be optimistic. Be yourself. These words are grossly clichéd but totally true.
The American Dream presents the idea that all American citizens should have equal opportunities in regards to their hard work, persistence, and tenacity; however, Steinbeck displays the flaws in the American Dream due to the biased and prejudiced views of high-class citizens within the novel, and how people in lower classes will never receive equal opportunity. Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, the narrator vividly illustrates the harsh circumstances that the Joad family, alongside other Okies, face along the expedition to California. Correspondingly, the privileged landowners prove guilty for the death of the American Dream elucidated in the novel.
One final contradiction that Steinbeck uses in his essay that I have personally witnessed is, "In no country are more seeds and plants and equipment purchased, and less vegetables and flowers raised." It seems like every other week my neighbor two houses down brings home bags of seeds for plants, trees, fruits, and vegetables, yet their back yard still looks like all they plant are weeds. They even hire landscapers to come and work on their yard.
The concept of the American Dream has always been that everyone wants something in life, no matter if it is wealth, education, financial stability, safety, or a decent standard of living. In addition, everyone will try to strive to get what they want. The American Dream, is said to be that everyone should try and get what they hope they can get in life. In the play A Raisin in the Sun the author Hansberry tells us about a family where each has an American Dream, and Hughes in the poem “ Let America be America Again “is telling us to let America be the America that was free for us to obtain The American Dream. Hansberry and Langston see America like as a place to find the dream desired, although they also see limitation to obtain the American Dream, such as poverty, freedom, inequality, racism and discrimination.
The structure of the american paradox is complex. The dreams set through decades upon decades of generations have consumed the americans way of living. this paradox and dream is what we have come to not just base our entire lives around but build are morals, standards, and expectations for overall existence. “Paradox and Dream “ isn't like Steinbecks normal pieces of literature. Steinbeck's “Paradox and Dreams” is a sarcastic and criticism filled outlook on the self made paradox created by americans and based on their way of living. Steinbeck is a credited author who is also known for writing Of Mice and Men and East of Eden. both well known pieces of literature. But unlike his more famous pieces of literature that are Fictional stories with specific lessons. “Paradox and Dreams” is based on a realistic outlook on american civilization and the fictional expectations people have for life. He criticises the perspective we have on normal living. and informs us of the true reality and reasoning behind what we look at as normal and realistic. he gives a new look and view on a flawed nation of unreasonable perfectionist. It’s believed Steinbecks criticism stems from The american ability to create false hopes and dreams. that ultimately fool themselves into believing that they are something they're not. leaving the outcome to only hurts the community and population.
In “Paradox and Dream”, John Steinbeck creates a negative attitude towards American people and the ideals they have. He uses paradoxes to show how Americans are unappeased and frustrated with many things, they are only focused on their own opinions and are intemperate, and lastly Americans believe in these fables about themselves that are not always true. Those who read “Paradox and Dream” need to realize that sometimes people take things for granted. They also have to notice the actions that they take in order for them to be on top, which is not right.
In Paradox and Dream he exclaims, “We proudly insist that we base our political positions on the issues – and we will vote against a man because of his religion, his name, or the shape of his nose,” (332). The irony present throughout Steinbeck’s observations of the American Dream in the essay vocalizes his observation of the apparent prejudice prominent in America (similar to his expression of prejudice through Crooks in Of Mice and Men), and is used as a direct attack to its roots. With race and health as possible motives for removal from work, many Americans chose to deny this disadvantage as a means to