The Idea of Post-War America in Selected Novels by John Steinbeck and John Dos Passos
Loading...
Date
2011
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This dissertation attempts to study the idea of the ‘Other’ according to John Dos
Passos (1896-1970) and John Steinbeck (1902-1968). We have analyzed the position of the
two authors towards major post-war issues. Throughout our thesis, we have referred to the
numerous social, racial, gender, political, and economic issues that arose as a result of the
aftermath of the First World War. Our appropriation of the New Historicist theory has enabled
us to make a historical and literary diagnosis of John Dos Passos’s case and John Steinbeck’s
fiction. We have endeavored to demonstrate that both Dos Passos and John Steinbeck share
the same idea, position, and vision towards a fragmented, class-based, ‘white supremacist’
and capitalist post-war America. To reach our objective, we have selected some ‘target’
novels that will be decisive throughout our analysis. These novels are Steinbeck’s Tortilla
Flat (1935), Of Mice and Men (1937), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), and John Dos Passos’
trilogy U.S.A (1938). The study of Of Mice and Men and Dos Passos’ U.S.A is investigated
from the perspective of racial discrimination and gender issues. Indeed, the Hispanic
community of Tortilla Flat, the unique black character of the novella Of Mice and Men
‘Crooks’ ,and the two Italian Italian-born anarchists Sacco and Vanzetti experience the same
hatred, racism, and discrimination. In addition, we investigated women status within post-war
American society. This study also explores another post-war theme,i.e, the struggle
proletariat vs. big business, this proletariat theme is an influential part of Dos Passos’ trilogy
U.S.A and Steinbeck’s epic novel The Grapes of Wrath. Our ‘proletariat’ reading attempts to
demonstrate that the two authors share the idea that post-war America is composed of twonations;
one of them belongs to the rich and privileged and the other one to the have-not and
the powerless
Description
112p.:ill;30cm.(+cd)
Keywords
Citation
literature