How Does Steinbeck Present The Nature Of Social Inequality

Over the course of time, many authors have attempted to resonate the truths of social and economic inequality through their works. Authors often use setting, symbolism, and irony to convey the way that things really are. In the novels The Old Man and the Sea, Animal Farm, and The Pearl, these writing elements are implemented to express the social and economic inequality of their times. Hemingway, Orwell, and Steinbeck employ setting, symbolism and irony to explore the nature of social and economic inequality by blatantly pointing out flaws within society that ultimately lead to its downfall. Setting is a key factor in demonstrating social and economic inequality because it shows a scenario to the reader that they may have not seen before.

This is proven by Orwell when it is said “A windmill.. would light the stalls and warm them in winter, and would also run a circular saw, a chaff-cutter, a mangel-slicer, and an electric milking machine” (48). The windmill represents a better life for all of the animals that live on Animal Farm. Over the course of the novel, the animals are made to believe that they are all equal socially. However, it is proven that the pigs carry the hierarchy and they are simply using the rest of the animals to make the windmill. Steinbeck also uses symbolism in his works to prove the striking social inequalities between Native-Americans and the upper-class whites. This is proven when it is told “But Coyotito -- he was the one -- he wore a blue sailor suit from the United States and a little yachting cap such as Kino has seen once when a pleasure boat put into the estuary. All of these things Kino saw in the lucent pearl…” (24). The Pearl represents a future for Kino, Juana, and Coyotito. Without The Pearl, Kino feels as if he has nothing, however, it ends up being the thing that tears his family apart. In Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, symbolism is a key factor to obtaining key information. This is proven when it is told “He tried to increase the tension, but the line had been taut up to the very edge of the

Orwell uses irony in Animal Farm for this specific reason. This is proven when it is told “Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever” (7). Soon after Mr. Jones is kicked off of the farm, the animals notice a sudden increase in the food supply. However, once Snowball is kicked off of the farm and Napoleon takes over, the food supply suddenly diminishes. Man is not the problem on the farm. The problem is who power is given to and their lack of being accountable for their actions. In Steinbeck’s The Pearl, irony proves the main concept of the story by foreshadowing the events of the novel. This is proven when Juana says, “...let us throw it back in the sea where it belongs. Kino, it is evil!” (57). Juana knows that The Pearl will ultimately lead to the destruction of their family, however Kino sees the future that it could bring to the family if they could sell it for what it is worth. However, because the family is poor, nobody will take them seriously and therefore the pearl buyers take advantage of them. Irony is also a key concept in Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. This is proven when it is told “He stopped for a moment and looked back and saw the reflection from the street light the great tail of the fish standing up well behind the skiff’s stern. He saw the white naked line of his backbone