In today’s society everyone strives to be successful. Society portrays the idea that success is getting a job and being rich. In Cannery Row however, Steinbeck goes against the idea of how society depicts success and suggests that it may be something else. We can see it through his writing style and characters that success really is more than just money, and more geared to how you see yourself. A successful individual is one who views themself as successful by not giving in to cultural stereotypes, not caring how others perceive you, and by being content with the effort you put into something.
A successful individual is one who views themself as successful demonstrated by not caring how others perceive you. Everyday, people who see or hear
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In Cannery Row by Steinbeck, he reminds one that, “Its inhabitants are, as the man once said, “whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches,” by which he meant Everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, “Saints and angels, and martyrs and holy men,” and he would have meant the same thing”(1). Despite people perceiving you as unsuccessful or bad, if you yourself feels successful then it doesn’t matter what other’s think of you. In the quote, it implies that someone might perceive you in a bad way but if they got to know you personally and looked at you with a different point of view they might see you in a better light. There are many people who have their own ideas on who you are but because they do not know you like you do yourself, their negative words should have no meaning …show more content…
Many people because of their heritage or culture are stereotyped as being uneducated, uncultured, unmannered and many more negative things.. An example of a race that is often stereotyped as uneducated are Hispanics. In Always Running by Luis Rodriguez, he writes, “I'm writing a book”....It took me forever to finish a page, but I kept at it in between my other activities. By then I actually had a quarter of a ream done...in my case though I didn’t know how to write or paint... ”(134,219). The author and main character Rodriguez are one in the same person. At a young age Luis Rodriguez started writing about his life story which becomes a big feat for him because of not getting education in school, gang related problems, and being a leader in school for his fellow classmates. He clearly goes against a stereotype he faces which is Hispanics are illiterate by, writing a book despite getting without help in his circumstances and writing becoming very popular throughout the years. As a result of his hard work he put into his stories and poems, thanks to one of his teachers Mrs. Baez, the stories and poems were edited and sent to many literary contests. In Always Running, the author Rodriguez tells a bit of his memories and emotions in his experience in a life changing moment for him, “I had to do it even when I knew my works would be subject to ridicule, would be called stupid and naive... I had to believe
Both authors write about the confidence the main characters receive from their culture. Rodriguez talks about his “private language” being Spanish. A language that makes him unique. He is adamant in his pride of not belonging to the public society of the “gringos”. In Tafolla's poem, Richi is introduced as a boy who is strict about the pronunciation of his name.
Cannery Row is densely populated with a group of characters, in the narrative sense of the word and in terms of personalities. There is Dora, an imposing figure of a woman who runs a successful brothel, Henri, the non-French Frenchman, Lee Chong the shrewd but kind-hearted grocer, Doc the scientist, Mack, who leads a small group of men and is loved by the people of Cannery Row, and a host of other fascinating people who make Cannery Row so compelling. It may not seem obvious when reading John Steinbeck’s novel “Cannery Row,” but the main point or lesson in the novel is the importance of respect and Steinbeck uses his characters to tell this story about
Cannery Row follows a group of unemployed boys that mostly steal what they need to live off of. Lee Chong, the grocer, lets Mack and the boys stay in a meal shack that they turn into their home, even though he knows they will never pay him rent. The boys show their appreciation to Lee Chong by no longer stealing from his grocery store. The boys also want to do something nice for Doc, who lives across the street from them. They plan to give Doc a party and spend a lot of time trying to get everything perfect for him, although they’re also throwing the party just to have a party for themselves.
The two hour movie, partially in Spanish, is based off the autobiography of the same title written by Reinaldo Arenas with only a few notable differences. It follows the entire life of Reinaldo from his birth in Cuba to his eventual suicide in New York. Although it is difficult to understand during some scenes, the film does an exemplary job at presenting the issues of literary and homosexual oppression in Cuban through the viewpoint of Reinaldo.
Rodriguez’s situation was that “his parents are immigrants to the United States and several of his siblings were born in the United States in the State of Texas.” His dad was well educated back in their country, Mexico, but they’re being declined because of the existence of bigotry. “His parents were having a tough time finding a job because of their situation – they have found several jobs but are paid below minimum sometimes.” Rodriguez’s parents have multiple jobs just to survive on their daily basis. Rodriguez’s family situation has affected them all – Luis was affected the most and went astray as he was so desperate into fitting into the society and is able to help his parents. No matter how hard life will be, there are ways to avoid gangs and criminal behavior – government programs and other resource center helps a family to survive and even lend a hand to parents and educate them of how to suppress their child to go astray and be involved with crimes and gang
Success is the chance to go out there and use the resources available to take advantage of opportunities that most people do not. Usually, things happen in life and it can prevent the process of obtaining success. In the readings, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara and “Horatio Alger” by Harlon L. Dalton conveys the message that success is not always an everyday thing and it takes opportunities for it to become part of life. In “The Lesson”, an angered girl named Sylvia is taken on a field trip to a toy store with Miss Moore to learn a valuable lesson. The lesson is to become successful in society because it is the only way to make it to the top. On the other hand, “Horatio Alger” shows more of a realistic viewpoint where success is not as easy
Success can be an extremely broad subject. There is an abounding amount of different views on what the “true” definition of success is. Personally, I believe that success is finding happiness. Success is waking up in the morning and not having to worry about whether or not the bills are going to be paid this month. Success is having a job that you enjoy going to every day. Success is having friends and family who love and support you. Success does not mean that one has to be exceedingly rich or have a lakeside mansion. As long as they are happy, they have succeeded in life.
Located in central Monterey Rey, California, the real city of Cannery Row is home to thousands of current residents, but is really home to a small, concentrated sense of nostalgia for the characters of John Steinebeck’s American Classic. Cannery Row, written in 1945 by Steinbeck, faintly touches on the idea of the American dream, on what it has to offer to a crookedly, quaint town in the middle of central California. The characters in Cannery Row are initially perceived as inappropriate, childish, slavish, ignorant, and a general mistake of humanity, with disgusting morals and a true burden to the world. As the story starts to unfold upon it self, and not only does this compelling plot line seem to start to come into place, the audience comes to revelation and comes to an understanding as to what the American dream really is. Mixed with his stylistic diction writing, Steinbeck convolutes the idea the American dream with a grim sense of realism on how it's unattainable, from society's basic perception. The characters in Cannery Row, represent perseverance through strife in spite of a ...
The "Failure" As Hero in Cannery Row It is Doc, in Cannery Row, who provides the objective and nonteleological point of view which is to be found in so many of Steinbeck's works. For Doc, himself freed from the get-get-get philosophy of the world of the machine by virtue of his science, his detachment, his gentleness, and his personal refusal to be pushed into either Social Importance or the role of Social Judge, insists that the boys of the Palace Flophouse are universal symbols rather than mere ne'er-do-wells. And what they symbolize is simply this: the madness of a world in which those who enjoy life most are those whom the world considers "failures." For Mack and the boys most certainly are failures-in everything but humanity and life itself: Mack and the boys . . .
His embarrassment and sense of shame for his apparent inadequacies, as well as those of his parents, provided the driving force to become educated. Rodriguez describes himself as “The boy who first entered a classroom barely able to speak English…” (195). Becoming educated changed Rodriguez, enabling him to move through academia without the cultural baggage of his past: Describing himself as the scholarship boy, Rodriguez outlines this progression in the following statement: “Advancing in his studies, the boy notices that his mother and father have not changed as much as he. Rather, when he sees them, they often remind him of the person he once was and the life he earlier shared with them” (198). This realization drove Rodriguez throughout his academic career as well as his life.
Luis Rodriguez, the main character from the novel Always Running, went through multiple life-changing events that were unavoidable because Mexican’s socio-economic status at that time period. His lack of knowledge in certain situations provoked him to make consequential choices. Rodriguez faced death and dealt with complicated relationships, violence, and inequality at a young age. His emotions during these life-changing events molded him into an utterly wounded man internally, where he relied heavily on his affiliation with gangs to gain support, male domination, and protection from the informal subculture. However, the seductive bonds between the gang members and his friendship with influential leaders like Chente contributed to his entry
Richard Rodriguez states himself he was an “imitative and unoriginal pupil” (Rodriguez 516). He takes what he reads and goes along with it; there is no analysis or individual thought. Unlike his brother or his sister, he feels the need to prove himself. Richard Rodriguez displays a strong yearning to be different. To be special and have esteem like the teachers and professors he venerates.
Rodriguez acknowledges individuality by regarding himself as an American citizen. He also acknowledges social identity by viewing how he and his parents go through a difficult time learning English to communicate within their neighborhood. In addition, Rodriguez notices social identity when he is finally confident to speak the English language. In the end, the struggles Rodriguez experiences while adjusting to the American society only make him a stronger and triumphant individual.
... it functions. Cannery Row also shows how much everyone truly needs community in our society, even the Undesirables of the world. Many characters throughout the novel show this, such as Doc with the loneliness he presents. The community in Cannery Row encompasses a very wide variety of people, from whores to bums to strange storeowners. Although these people are all independent and completely different, they are all interconnected and are willing to support each-other. In Cannery Row, Steinbeck presents a structure of different moral values, those which make a person good, and also those who are valued by society, but may be valued for the wrong reasons. Steinbeck defines what he thinks a good person is, using the characters in the book as examples. He shows that what society sees as an ideal person may not be as good as the traits that people generally scorn.
Lea Ramsdell states that Richard Rodriguez has chosen to write in English as a means for what he expects would bring him success in America. Ramsdell studied autobiography of three authors, and Rodriguez is the one that is farthest removed from his original Spanish speaking culture. The change for Rodriguez came when nuns from school informed his parents that if he did not master English, it would disturb his education. This causes his parents to encourage speaking English at home and rarely speaking their native...