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Steinbeck Persisting In The Middle

Posted on:2007-01-20Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:Y M WangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360185484811Subject:English Language and Literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The Grapes of Wrath has been indeed blessed with increasing critical popularity, but not out of an appreciation fair enough. Reviewers to date have responded to Steinbeck's biggest novel with mixed criticisms, exactly speaking, a little polarized ones. By "polarized", the writer of the thesis means that Steinbeck has been labeled either as a political or artistic novelist. That is, the novel's aesthetic value is sometimes overstated; the critical reception of the writer's masterpiece, The Grapes of wrath, can hardly escape from the association with the thirties of leftism. In fact, it is highly risky to look at the novel from either political or artistic angle alone. Based upon stylistic and philosophical studies of the novel, this thesis explores into what is behind the book's popularity as a best-seller, and enduringness as a classic.To begin with, the writer of the thesis makes a brief thesis statement, provides the origin of the study, and a comprehensive literature review relevant to the research thesis. As for Steinbeck criticism, the thesis holds that the big half of the critical findings so far have been to some degree a little polarized and unfair. It is perhaps this kind of unfair treatment of Steinbeck and his masterpiece that makes room for the study in point because in the writer's view, the novelist's writing style, methodology, and life philosophy are kind of eclectic and pluralized. This chapter also provides an overview of the research objectives and approaches.Secondly, the thesis focuses on the structure of the novel. There have been disapproving critical voices that The Grapes of Wrath is a formless fiction with mechanically arranged structure. But the writer of the thesis finds out that the pattern of alternating narrative chapters with inter-chapters helps much tell the Joads' story without involving the readers too much, and universalize the subject without getting the readers far detached. The employment of this double approach also makes pluralized styles possible, and contributes much to the novel's success as a social document and an artistic epic as well.Thirdly, the thesis emphasizes Steinbeck's combination of realism and symbolism throughout the novel. As a realistic writer, Steinbeck successfully works out a world of symbols in the novel, from natural dust to the biblical structure of the whole book. As opposed to traditional realists, Steinbeck typifies his protagonists instead of characterizing them in a...
Keywords/Search Tags:Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, style, eclectic philosophy, contained subversion
PDF Full Text Request
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