The Grapes Of Wrath, The Stranger, And The Metamorphosis

One theme that is found in Brave New World, Cry, the Beloved Country, The Grapes of Wrath, The Stranger, and The Metamorphosis is fear. Early in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, we learn the source of the guilt Uncle John feels--his wife complained of a stomach ache, but John played it off. Soon after, his wife died of appendicitis. John still blames himself. He is afraid no one will like him after this because he murdered his wife. To compensate for this fear he leaves packs of gum for the children and does as much as he can to be a good man (Steinbeck 69). Eventually, the weight of John’s sins becomes overwhelming. He tells his family he knew the time would come â€Å"when I’d get to hurtin’ inside so I got to get drunk† (Steinbeck†¦show more content†¦Fear is best demonstrated through the eyes of Gregor’s family in Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis. The book opens with the metamorphosis itself--Gregor into a large bug. Immed iately, he is afraid of himself and shuts himself in his room. Gregor’s family is terrified and disgusted when they see what he has become, so they lock him up and stay as far away from him as possible. Only his sister has the courage to bring Gregor his meals, but even then she can only enter Gregor’s room while he is hiding under a sheet (Kafka 29). Eventually, Gregor can not stand being so hated by his family. He bursts into his living room during dinner in the hopes that his family will understand what he has been going through. Instead, the borders renting out the apartment flee from his home in terror, and his parents and sister shoo him back into the room. After being shunned from everyone around him and being the literal monster under the bed, Gregor’s shame gets the better of him and he dies. Meursault, the protagonist of Albert Camus’ The Stranger does not feel fear in the novel, he hardly feels anything at all. It is this lack of feeling and reason on Meursault’s part that ignites fear in others. This is best demonstrated while Meursault is being interrogated by the magistrate. The magistrate feels that everything must happen for a reason and the thought that this may not be true frightens him. He feels that without concrete reason and explanation his lifeShow MoreRelatedA Contrast of Humanity in Suffering and Exploitation: The Grapes of Wrath2502 Words   |  11 Pagesbestowed upon mankind, none are greater than the ones inflicted by our own species of apathy towards poverty and the hardships of our brothers. Steinbeck gives a view of human frailties and strengths from many different perspectives in â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath.† This book demonstrates how people can overcome destitution, team up to find solutions, and provide protection and secur ity in times of trouble. Steinbeck introduces people who are hard working and honest, that reach out selflessly with compassionRead MoreBelonging Essay4112 Words   |  17 Pageslove SF YA Brashares, Ann Sisterhood of the travelling pants YA Brooks, Geraldine March AF http://www.geraldinebrooks.com/march.html Burgess, Anthony A clockwork orange AF Carroll, Lewis Alice in Wonderland JF Camus, Albert The outsider (or the stranger) AF Camus, Albert The plague AF 3 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Carver, Raymond Cathedral in The stories of Raymond Carver AF Chabon, Michael The amazing