A Study Of Ethan’s Alienation In The Winter Of Our Discontent

The Winter of Our Discontent is John Steinbeck’s last novel and is considered tobe the direct reason for him to acquire the Nobel Prize for Literature. Based on ErichFromm’s alienation theory, this thesis analyzes the suffering and corruption of theprotagonist Ethan in The Winter of Our Discontent as well as his efforts to receive finalredemption, for the purpose of better understanding this novel and justifyingSteinbeck’s love and faith in human beings. This thesis firstly points out that Ethan’sloss and degeneration is due to his living in a consumer society where money is thefirst thing and his own longing to avoid moral isolation. The second part of this thesisanalyzes Ethan’s alienation from his once familiar hometown New Baytown, fromother people as well as from himself, displaying Americans’ inescapable sense ofestrangement and alienation in the middle of the20thcentury. The third part focuses onEthan’s tendency to de-alienate. Though he finally is about to live a wealthy life, Ethansuffers from a strong sense of guilt and humiliation, he therefore begins to reconsiderhimself and change some of his life practices. At the moment of committing suicide heregains his self. In the end, the thesis concludes that for a man living in a materialisticsociety, his alienation is unavoidable, but man has the potential of perfectibility andthrough his own consciousness and efforts he can regain his self and receivede-alienation.By employing Fromm’s alienation theory to interpret The Winter of OurDiscontent, this thesis properly demonstrates Steinbeck’s meticulous observation anddeep understanding of society as well as his firm faith in human beings.