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Analysis Of The Grapes Of Wrath From An Ecofeminism Perspective

Posted on:2015-03-03Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:J M WeiFull Text:PDF
GTID:2255330425489958Subject:English Language and Literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
The Grapes of Wrath is a masterpiece written by famous American realist writer,John Ernst Steinbeck. He was a highly influential novelist, dramatist and socialactivist in the20thcentury. It relates us a miserable story about a poor family ofmigrant peasants who are forced to leave their home by harsh climate condition, anddriven to struggle against the hardship of moving west. Until now, many scholarshave interpreted The Grapes of Wrath from a lot of perspectives. They mainly focuson the structure, characterization and political points of view. However, aninterpretation from ecofeminism is rarely seen.This thesis bases its research on the close reading of the novel and exploration of thewriter’s life experience as well as the social background. It mainly applies theecofeminist theory to analyze the text aiming to provide new perspectives andpossibilities for a better understanding of the novel. In the novel, two typical femalecharacters draw the readers’ attention—Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon. They subvertthe conventional image of women, offering a “new woman” image to the audience.This paper aims to reflect the ecofeminist awareness revealed in the novel, byanalyzing the two major female characters. Then the thesis explores the influence offemales on Steinbeck’s life and writing career. Moreover, Steinbeck focuses on socialecology and spiritual ecology. Thus, this thesis analyzes The Grapes of Wrath usingecofeminist theories.The analysis of the female characters will help readers gain a deeper understandingof the story. The author of this thesis explores Steinbeck’s opinion of women andnature. As a writer with a blazing sense of social responsibility and environmentalconsciousness, Steinbeck expresses his deep eco-humanistic concern for the femaleand the natural world.
Keywords/Search Tags:The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, Ecofeminism
PDF Full Text Request
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