Steinbeck's Contradictory Views On Women In The Grapes Of Wrath

Through the depiction of the Joads' sufferings during their journey westward, The Grapes of Wrath, the masterpiece of John Steinbeck's, exposes a variety of social problems caused by the migrants' loss of their lands, such as poverty, starvation and unemployment. All characters in the novel epitomize various migrant workers, and the female characters to some degree show Steinbeck's attitudes towards women. With the help of feminist literary criticism, this thesis studies Steinbeck's views on women in The Grapes of Wrath, arguing that on the one hand he expresses his appreciation for women's rebellions against patriarchy, and on the other hand, he devalues women by involving them with patriarchal oppression. Steinbeck's contradictory portrayals of the female characters demonstrate his contradictory views on women, which are instructive for us to reexamine the identity of the female and seek for a harmonious relationship between both sexes.This thesis is composed of an introduction, a body and a conclusion. The introduction provides information about Steinbeck's life and the content of The Grapes of Wrath, the scholarship of him and the novel at home and abroad, as well as the argument and the layout of this thesis.The body consists of three chapters. By analyzing his descriptions of the female characters as rebels against patriarchy, the first chapter reveals Steinbeck's appreciation for women. Through Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon, Steinbeck deconstructs the patriarchal binary opposition of the male-female relationship and the self-other relationship. And he also subverts the traditional image of the female and advocates for women's self realization. The second chapter elaborates on Steinbeck's devaluation of women by discussing the patriarchal oppression of Granma Joad, Ma Joad, Rose of Sharon, Sairy Wilson and Mrs. Sandry. He not only limits women to patriarchal gender roles but also exerts sexual discrimination against women and represses their spiritual needs. The third chapter explores the origins and significance of Steinbeck's contradictory views on women. His contradictory attitudes towards women result from the dual influences of the social background and his life experience. The pervasively patriarchal ideology makes him accustomed to devalue women; the social transformation in the Great Depression helps him see women's reforming power; and living with modern women enables him to see women's potentiality and thus respect them. The real situation of women in a patriarchal society is represented by Steinbeck's contradictory views on women, which enable us to reconsider women's identity in accordance with their distinguishing characteristics and maintain harmony and balance between both sexes.And the conclusion summarizes the main ideas discussed in the body part. Since Steinbeck appreciates and devalues women simultaneously, his attitudes towards women are contradictory. His contradictory views on women tell us that we should correctly understand and redefine the identity of the female on the basis of women's distinguishing characteristics and that we should also try our best to resist various repercussions of patriarchy and establish a harmonious relationship between men and women.