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Community In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

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Community is a theme which permeates the three American writers use their texts as vehicles which transport the reader on a journey, both literally and metaphorically; on this journey their very beliefs and outlooks are challenged and altered along the way. The writers generate altered perspectives using literary techniques such as changing narrative viewpoints. They illustrate to the reader the capacity for lack of compassion among humans. These differing perspectives serve two purposes: so the reader shares the sense of disconnection the characters feel towards others. And to share the sense of compassion the characters feel, be it inherent or found along their journey. As the characters are compassionate to others, despite their disconnection …show more content…

The Californians label the immigrants as ‘Okies’ and ‘outsiders’ who aren’t welcome to the state. “Them Goddamn Okies got no sense and no feeling. They ain’t human (…) Why, Jesus they’re as dangerous as niggers in the South.” As the character uses the derogatory term ‘nigger’ and compares the Oklahomans, to whom the reader is empathetically attached, to the equally prejudiced ‘niggers in the south’ or African Americans, he highlights the human tendency to discriminate against the unknown; the other. There is a certain irony created here, as at the year of the books publishing (1939) racism was at its height, and African Americans were the least dangerous race. This lack of compassion is also embodied by Will Feeley, who ploughs the fields using a tractor and whose three dollars a day mean “a hundred people have to go out and wander on the roads”. When confronted to think of others he replies “Can’t think of that. Got to think of my own …show more content…

When the cannibals, known as ‘the bad guys’ walk past they are described as ‘An army… marching past… a phalanx carrying spears or lances’ with ‘wagons drawn by slaves in harness and piled with goods of war’. McCarthy has used a metaphor, linking the convoy of men to an army, to make them different from the reader and thus establish a divide between the reader and the cannibals, like the man and boy have done. Despite their differences becoming exaggerated by McCarthy, the cannibals share similarities with the man and the boy; they all suffer the grey apocalyptic world, they all travel on the open road and all do what is necessary for survival. Like the ‘bad guys’ who resort to cannibalism for survival, the man resorts to what is necessary for his and the boy’s survival; he kills a man with a pistol, and another with a flare gun. He also chooses to not help some people, as doing so would affect their well-being. “Can’t we help him papa? / No. We can’t help him.” Like Will Feeley in In ‘The Road’ the man only cares for his close family and lacks the ability to feel compassion towards anyone else. Steven Frye states that “the novel is a narrative of the soul’s nature: its moral embodiment in human form; its visibility in human action, whether in acts of brutality or self-sacrifice”” this is

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Although the three essays are similar with sharing the same meaning of empathy, compassion understanding and acceptance; they are completely different topics. First, “Just walk on by,” is about a man who later on in life, feels empathetic and acceptful that people will misjudge him by the color of his skin but, won’t let that define himself deeply. Secondly, “On Compassion,” is about the author trying to emphasize the meaning of compassion, with empathy and concern of why the woman she saw in Manattan, was helping the homeless. Evidently, having concern and awareness that people who are compassionate learned over time in their life, that compassion isn’t a trait you are born with. Lastly “Joyas Voladores,” is about Doyle who empathetically gives a metaphorcal message to the reader’s that life is precious, every animals heart is precious and there is more to life than letting your heart feel shattered, that empathetically we are meant to experience life, deeply.

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The man asks the boy if he would like to hear a story, in which the boy replies saying no because the stories his father once told him are not true and unrealistic. The boy no longer thinks they are helping people. The boy also refuses to tell his father any of the dreams he has, because his dreams are not happy, and stories should be happy. In the beginning of the book no matter what circumstances, the boy used to be naïve, and thought stories his father told him would come true. Even though there was doubts, he always believed they were the good guys and that they helped people.

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Within this book tells of love, hate, confusion, and perseverance. John Howard Griffin argues that negroes suffered treatment and racial inequality. There are indications in this story to believe it to be true. To name a few, Griffin stated that an important part of his daily life in the south “was spent searching for a place to eat, somewhere to find a drink of water, a rest room, or somewhere to wash his hands” (99). Also, when “stopping at the dime store where he had made most of his purchases, the white girl at the counter refused to cash his travelers check” (49).

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Not only can we learn from the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird, but also in the poem Sympathy because we can relate to what the author is talking about. Through these examples, it is clear that authors can best create empathy in their readers by developing strong characters that go through problems that the reader can relate to or learn

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Throughout the book, those people begin to lose faith in those things that had helped keep them alive: their faith, their loved ones, and themselves. Often, we find ourselves facing events in our lives that force us to redefine ourselves. Such circumstances try to break the heart of the human nature in us. It is at that time, the humanity in us either shatters apart, or it transforms into a strong bundle of compassion.

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“The Souls of Black Folk” was originally published in 1903 by W.E.B. DuBois, a famous African American writer in the 20th century. This specific passage from the work describes the journey of the speaker, an African American, and his efforts to overcome the racism he experiences. In the passage, the speaker’s first encounter with racism incorporates peaceful “sky terms,” and the underlying metaphor captures the underlying pessimistic tone. Phrases such as “dawned,” and “lived above” have a surface meaning of peace or delight, but for the speaker this is a time of despair and anguish, thus a deeper meaning of these phrases is examined to accurately fit the scene.

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Landowners were constantly deceiving and lying to the migrant workers. First, Next, the Okie’s were promised jobs if they moved their families to California. When they arrived, the population of migrants was too high and there were no jobs nearby.

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One of the biggest obstacles is the cannibals in this new post apocalyptic world, to the boy and the man they are described and called the “bad guys”. The code of ethics that the man and the boy follow isn't the as the “old world rules” where laws exist, government, and they have to abide by doing right toward others. The code of ethics they follow have to be chosen, and it is a path many don't chose in this “new world”. The man and boy are living just the two of them, not looking to hurt anyone else unless their lives are being threaten and even then the boy doesn't like to hurt others. The man does at time do some things that the boy doesn't like, and can look like he is turning out to become a bad guy, yet it is necessary steps to ensure their safety.

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The novel starts off with the Joads having to endure the effects of the Dust Bowl, which forces the family to move to California to start a new life. When they reach California, their hopes for a better life doesn’t fulfill their expectations. They end up having to face the troubles of social injustice. The family has to change the way they look at themselves because they no longer live a normal life.

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Initially, he believed everything was perfect and peaceful in the community, with no pain or suffering. However, as he begins to receive memories from the Giver and experiences emotions, he realizes that their way of life is based on deception and lies that suppress individuality and emotions. His newfound feelings enable him to see the truth and question the morality of his community. Furthermore, his empathy towards others increases, making him more aware of the suffering and pain that others are going through. Ultimately, the novel emphasizes the importance of individuality and emotions while highlighting the consequences of suppressing

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