Babylon Revisited And The Grape Of Wrath Analysis

Both Babylon Revisited and The Grape of wrath are stories that capture and explain the difficulties and the changes that occurred in peoples lives as a result of the Great Depression of 1929. Babylon Revisited explores life after the recession with its setting being in the 1930s. It explains the economical downfall of individuals during the recession and how they view the life before the recession, during the recession, and after the recession. The Grape of Wrath is set in the recession time with the story focusing on the Joad family, their woes during the move to California to search for work and the numerous challenges that they faced in California. It gives an in-depth understanding of what the great depression was all about and how†¦show more content†¦He then goes to search for his family at his uncles accompanied by his friend Tim who they reconnect on his journey back home. The arrival at his uncles place where his family had taken shelter dawned on him the increased rates of unemployment. Even his uncles family had fled the countryside to California in search of work. This meant that the desperation for work was increasing alarmingly (Steinbeck, 1939). Charlie in the Babylon Revisited takes his time to study Paris and visit all the areas he used to go to before the Recession. He realized that there was so much that he had missed out on in those several years. This clearly shows that Charlie was not able to travel to Paros as often as he used to which described his reason why he hadnt been in touch with his friend. The Great Depression can, therefore, be seen to have caused tremendous changes in his life including his lifestyle and his travels. In changing his lifestyle, Charlie is seen to have quit his drunkard ways and only drunk one bottle a day as is shown when he declines his friends offers to go and drink wildly like they used to before. While Charlie was away, it is not clear if he had to go to rehab to change his ways or the money troubles from the recession did this on their own (Fitzgerald, 2008). The Grape of Wrath saw the Joad family travel to California in search of work which was scarce and getting scarcer by day as more people trickled in

Ferhana Shah. Dr. Neufeld And Dr. Slucki. Honors Colloquium

Ferhana Shah Dr. Neufeld and Dr. Slucki Honors Colloquium in Western Civilization 14 April 2017 Transcending Double Consciousness in 20th Century America In The Souls of Black Folk, W. E. B. Du Bois coins â€Å"double consciousness†, as a â€Å"peculiar feeling†¦ this sense of always looking at one s self through the eyes of others† (Du Bois I). He goes on to say that as a black person, â€Å"one ever feels his twoness—an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body,† (Du Bois I). In other words, double consciousness refers to living with two identities that are at constant war with each other. For Du Bois, a black man can never simply just be an â€Å"American† or a â€Å"Negro†, for blacks will†¦show more content†¦While Du Bois gives us a clear vision for his solution to dealing with these issues, by placing a strong emphasis on education as a way to escape the bonds of double consciousness, The Jazz Singer is not as explicitly clear. However, based on the film’s ending, The Jazz Singer does seem to suggest that the only way to lessen the burden of double consciousness is to confront the issue head-on by trying to mesh the two identities into one. Immigrants who come to the United States of America arrive from all corners of the world, and inevitably bring their own cultures, languages, dress, values, and beliefs with them. Jackie’s father, Cantor Rabinowitz, is no exception to this notion. While Cantor Rabinowitz may have no problems with wholeheartedly clinging to the traditions of his homeland, Jackie, as a first generation American, struggles to stabilize his conflicting Jewish and American roots. His Jewish upbringing in New York and his father’s expectation that Jackie will be a Jewish cantor constantly competes with his passion for singing jazz tunes and his dream of becoming a Broadway performer (Crosland). As mentioned earlier, according to Du Bois, African Americans have this same identity crisis: no matter what minority groups do to try to fit into the role of the standard â€Å"American†, they

Guidelines Free Essays

How is history (or the author’s biography) related to the short story? On your points and ideas by citing lines from the story. Moral ‘Philosophical Approach * Expound * What morality or philosophy in life does the short story teach to its readers? Expound on your points and ideas by citing lines from the story. Formalism Approach * Analyze the elements of the short story. We will write a custom essay sample on Guidelines or any similar topic only for you Order Now * How do the elements help establish the overall message of the story? Psychoanalytical Approach * Examine the three parts of the major character’s psyche. Explain how sexuality motivates the behavior and the struggle of the protagonist. * What symbols that are linked to sexual pleasure are made apparent in the story? Archetypal Approach * Identify and analyze the recurring patterns or symbol’s in the story. * Expound Feminist Approach * What female roles are pointed out in the story? * Explain how society imposes gender gap. Marxist Approach * Discuss the struggle within classes (the haves vs.. The have-onto/the elite vs.. The socially impoverished). * How does power remain constant or shift throughout the Tory? Reader Response Approach * How do you relate with the short story? * What are your personal responses to the short story? NOTE: Regardless of the approach used, the plot of the story should be pointed out. Criteria: Content (Are the questions clearly answered? How in-depth are the responses and discussions? How to cite Guidelines, Papers