I am woman....hear me roar.....
9 years ago
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Race
Some of Steinbeck's ethnic and racial characterizations are loaded with stereotype. Yet he also makes extremely prescient comments about the role that many races played in the building of America, and he takes the time to give dignity to all types of persons. Lee is one example of a character that constantly subverts expectations. Can you think of other scenes or characters that might have challenged conventional notions in Steinbeck's time? In ours? How unusual do you think it might have been to write about America as a multicultural haven in the 1950s? And do you agree that that is what Steinbeck does, or do you think he reveals a darker side to American diversity?
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2 comments:
I felt that Steinbeck, in this book, tried to tell the story about people and their lives...their passions, beliefs, and faults. It in many ways it talks about people as a whole. The ethnic challenge in this story was with the Chinese. I didn't see it with the Black lady that owned one of the brothels in town. This is a question that is hard and has so many facets and once the comment page came up I couldn't refer back to the questions as I couldn't see tham all...so I guess I will leave this question with the "not much sense" answer I have given so far. Sorry!
I think he reveals an honest side to American diversity and stereotypes, for better or for worse.
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