Evaluation of a Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Development Essay

Evaluation of a Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Development The basis of Freud's psychoanalytic theory was that the mind contained three parts: The Id, Ego, and Superego. He argued that the Id controlled the primal instincts such as aggression and sexual desire ('libido'), and was found in the unconscious mind. Its purpose is to gain immediate gratification, according to the 'pleasure principle'. The Id, he said, was in competition with the ego. This is because the ego, working on the reality principle, is the more rational, and conscious mind. The superego oversees the Id and ego, and creates the sense of what is right and wrong. Freud believed that the Id was innate, that the Ego developed by the age of 2, and the superego by the age of 5. This aspect of Freud's theory is supported by research carried out by Dr. Solms. In his study, PET scans illustrated that during REM sleep (where the participant was dreaming), brain activity in the limbic system (the part of the brain that controls emotions, senses and long-term m...

Lord of the Flies :: essays papers

Lord of the Flies Children all over the world hold many of the same characteristics. Most children are good at heart, but at times seem like little mischievous devils. Children enjoy having fun and causing trouble but under some supervision can be obedient little boys an d girls. Everybody, at one time in their lives, was a child and knows what it is like to have no worries at all. Children have their own interests and react to different things in peculiar and sometimes strange ways. For example, children are enchanted with Barney and his jolly, friendly appearance without realizing that he is actually a huge dinosaur. In the novel The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, one can see how children react to certain situations. Children, when given the opportunity, wo uld choose to play and have fun rather than to do boring, hard work. Also, when children have no other adults to look up to they turn to other children for leadership. Finally, children stray towards savagery when they are w! ithout adult authority. Therefore, Golding succeeds in effectively portraying the interests and attitudes of young children in this novel. When children are given the opportunity, they would rather envelop themselves in pleasure and play than in the stresses of work. The boys show enmity towards building the shelters, even though this work is important, to engage in trivial activities. Af ter one of the shelters collapses while only Simon and Ralph are building it, Ralph clamours, "All day I've been working with Simon. No one else. They're off bathing or eating, or playing." (55). Ralph and Simon, though only children, are more mature a nd adult like and stray to work on the shelters, while the other children aimlessly run off and play. The other boys avidly choose to play, eat, etc. than to continue to work with Ralph which is very boring and uninteresting. The boys act typically of m ost children their age by being more interested in having fun than working. Secondly, all the boys leave Ralph's hard-working group to join Jack's group who just want to have fun. The day after the death of Simon when Piggy ! and Ralph are bathing, Piggy points beyond the platform and says, "That's where they're gone. Jack's party. Just for some meat. And for hunting and for pretending to be a tribe and putting on war-paint."(163). Piggy realizes exactly why the boys have gone to Jack's, which would be for fun and

browning :: essays research papers

Barrett Browning was one of the most brilliant poets of the Victorian Age. She was born in 1809 in London, England and was raised with an excellent classical school education. In her early teens she showed great signs of a genius. Many of her poems were written before she was just fifteen years of age. By looking at Elisabeth Barrett Browning she was delicate, but inside this fragile woman there was a superior spiritual and mental being. Browning’s first publication of poems written was â€Å"Essay On Mind, And Other Poems†. In 1846 at the age of thirty-seven she married her soul mate noted English poet, Robert Browning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of all great poets life experiences are a large basis of inspiration in their works. Throughout the chapter of her life tragedy and health woes surrounded Browning. She had a blood vessel burst in her lungs and this forced her to stay confined home for an extended period of time. To better her healing process her doctor recommended her to move to a warmer climate. She relocated to Torquay, England and while she was there her brother and two of his friends drowned in a boating accident. This horrific accident had a profound effect on Browning and provided a hue of thought as well as feeling to her poetry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Truly understanding the personal history of Browning enables one to read her poetry and understand her being. After reading dozens of her poems all of them stood out and it was very difficult to just focus on five poems. I will discuss â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† first. I came across the various sonnets in this piece a decade ago and believe her works to be one of the most romantic poems of all times. Browning wrote â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† during the time she first met her husband and one can not help get the impression that it was likely dedicated to him. The love that was blossoming in her heart inspired her to write this literary masterpiece. Browning had various inspirations for her works especially Shakespeare’s spirit. â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† and many of her other works where written in Petrarchan sonnets. Petrarchan sonnets in general are characteristically treat its theme in two parts. The octave, ei ght lines state a problem, express emotional problem, or even ask a question. The sestet, six lines, generally resolves the problem, relieves tensions, or answers the unknown question. browning :: essays research papers Barrett Browning was one of the most brilliant poets of the Victorian Age. She was born in 1809 in London, England and was raised with an excellent classical school education. In her early teens she showed great signs of a genius. Many of her poems were written before she was just fifteen years of age. By looking at Elisabeth Barrett Browning she was delicate, but inside this fragile woman there was a superior spiritual and mental being. Browning’s first publication of poems written was â€Å"Essay On Mind, And Other Poems†. In 1846 at the age of thirty-seven she married her soul mate noted English poet, Robert Browning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As of all great poets life experiences are a large basis of inspiration in their works. Throughout the chapter of her life tragedy and health woes surrounded Browning. She had a blood vessel burst in her lungs and this forced her to stay confined home for an extended period of time. To better her healing process her doctor recommended her to move to a warmer climate. She relocated to Torquay, England and while she was there her brother and two of his friends drowned in a boating accident. This horrific accident had a profound effect on Browning and provided a hue of thought as well as feeling to her poetry.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Truly understanding the personal history of Browning enables one to read her poetry and understand her being. After reading dozens of her poems all of them stood out and it was very difficult to just focus on five poems. I will discuss â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† first. I came across the various sonnets in this piece a decade ago and believe her works to be one of the most romantic poems of all times. Browning wrote â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† during the time she first met her husband and one can not help get the impression that it was likely dedicated to him. The love that was blossoming in her heart inspired her to write this literary masterpiece. Browning had various inspirations for her works especially Shakespeare’s spirit. â€Å"Sonnets From The Portuguese† and many of her other works where written in Petrarchan sonnets. Petrarchan sonnets in general are characteristically treat its theme in two parts. The octave, ei ght lines state a problem, express emotional problem, or even ask a question. The sestet, six lines, generally resolves the problem, relieves tensions, or answers the unknown question.

Hall High/Low Communication

Hall High/Low Context Communication In this essay I’d like to  express my opinion about Hall’s Context Communication. In general, in today's business relations, it's a small world after all. As more companies turn towards global markets, professionals are finding themselves in foreign locales, wheeling and dealing like never before. However, the key to effective communication between countries is an understanding of each other's culture, especially a working knowledge of how each society conveys meaning.First used by author Edward Hall, the expressions â€Å"high context† and â€Å"low context† are labels denoting inherent cultural differences between societies. High-context and low-context communication refers to how much speakers rely on things other than words to convey meaning. Hall states that in communication, individuals face many more sensory cues than they are able to fully process. In each culture, members have been supplied with specific †Å"filters† that allow them to focus only on what society has deemed important.In general, cultures that favor low-context communication will pay more attention to the literal meanings of words than to the context surrounding them. When individuals from high-context and low-context cultures collaborate, there are often difficulties that occur during the exchange of information. These problems can be separated into differences concerning â€Å"direction†, â€Å"quantity† and â€Å"quality. For example, employees from high-context cultures like China and France share very specific and extensive information with their â€Å"in-group members† (good friends, families, close coworkers, etc). In comparison, low-context cultures like the United States and Germany prefer to limit communication to smaller, more select groups of people, sharing only that information which is necessary. And now I’d like to speak in detail about the main features of each kind of Context Communication. High-Context CommunicationHall: â€Å"Most of the information is either in the physical context or initialized in the person. † * Knowledge is situational, relational * Less is verbally explicit or written or formally expressed * More internalized understandings of what is communicated (ex: â€Å"in-jokes†) * Often used in long term, well-established relationships * Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face communication, often around a central, authoritative figure * Strong awareness of who is accepted/belongs vs. outsiders† Low Context Communication Hall: â€Å"The mass of information is vested in the explicit code [message]. † * Rule oriented * More knowledge is public, external, and accessible. * Shorter duration of communications * Knowledge is transferable * Task-centered. Decisions and activities focus around what needs to be done and the division of responsibilities. To draw the conclusion, once can say tha t communication is everything, so make sure you know not only  what  to say, but also  how  to say it!

Outline for Gmo

Genetically –modified food of persuasion Specific Purpose: To persuade our audience that genetically modified foods are not safe for consumption. Central Idea: Genetically modified foods may bring a new allergen that we may not be prepared to treat. We put more synthetic toxins into our bodies. I. Introduction A. (Attention Getter) Soon, kids may actually have a good reason not to eat vegetables. Genetically modified foods, vegetables and fruits, â€Å"Frankedfoods†, are making their way from science labs to the dinner table.B. (Thesis Statement) The processed food that has the entire chemical added in it in order to make the food to last longer has the effect of harming the people due to the fact that everyone has their own reaction to certain chemicals. C. (Justification) Currently genetically modified (GM) crops are grown in more than 25 countries. Big transitional companies are carrying out dangerous global experiment by introducing large numbers of genetically modi fied foods into our diet. D. Speaker Credibility) I work at the fast food industry for about six years and I know fast food is bad but I didn’t know how bad it really is. After researching and reading articles about engineered food I have learn so much more what the food contains and it is shocking. E. (Preview of Main points) 1. First I will discuss the health problems of GM foods. 2. Next, how it is important to label the food, and how the government should be involved. 3. Lastly, how we can stop genetically modified foods.

Positive Psychology – a Well Lived Life

What constitutes a well-lived life? Defining the meaning of life and the conditions, traits and features of a well-lived life is a question that throughout history engrossed theologians, philosophers, artists and, more recently, positive psychologists. This essay outlines findings from a selection of the literature and research to answer this question with the aim of identifying whether happiness is the true sign and the ultimate goal and marker of a well-lived life.This review of the literature has yielded findings that possessing a disposition towards gratitude is not only indicated to be present in a well-lived life, but can enhance and improve mental, physical and spiritual life outcomes. The different research models used to explain, measure and identify the markers of a well-lived life are briefly outlined, and finally further research directions are indicated to expand understanding about how gratitude affects life satisfaction outcomes in specific populations.A challenge in r esearching this topic is that the literature describes happiness and well-lived in terms that are used by different researchers interchangeably and inconsistently. In this essay and in accordance with the literature reviewed, the terms happiness and the well-lived life are used synonymously. Definitions A problem with defining a well-lived life is that the terms well-being and happiness (Frey, 2011; Kristjansson, 2010), and the good life and happiness (Dunn & Brody, 2008) are used by researchers interchangeably.Indeed Diener (2000) notes that the very term well-being has come to be known in common usage as happiness. Seligman (2011, pp 420) notes that sometimes the terms happiness and well-being define emotions whilst at other times refer to activities. This ambiguous terminology has caused some to criticize Positive Psychology but, as both Lazarus (2003) and Kristjansson (2010) point out, precise definitions to describe a well-lived life have also eluded philosophers and other acad emics for over 2,000 years.Imprecision of terminology aside, many have attempted to describe the conditions required to nurture a good or well-lived life. Some researchers have described the good life as one full of the hedonistic pursuit of frequent positive experiences (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, 2005). Others have described it in terms of the result of employing unique talents to achieve abundance (Seligman, 2002), whilst still others have argued that the good life involves personal growth (Bauer, McAdams, & Sakaeda, 2005).Seligman (2002) argues that these descriptions are all valid because there are different pathways to happiness, although it is by combining them that one lives a full or well-lived life. He describes these pathways as the pleasant life, concerned with hedonistic pursuits, the good life, concerned with gratification of desire and the meaningful life, using ones talent to serve a higher purpose (Seligman & Royzman, 2003). Research Findings And ChallengesEar ly studies involved in identifying precisely what elements contribute to life satisfaction involved field research with participant self-reported satisfaction ratings recorded against a range of factors (Diener, 2000; Lazarus, 2003; Lyubomirsky et al. , 2005). Self reported satisfaction ratings are problematic because they are, as noted by Kristjansson (2010), by their very nature subjective. People in difficult situations can report themselves as living a good life, whereas people who are in happier circumstances can report themselves as having low life satisfaction.Additionally the factors used to measure life satisfaction are problematic because what some would consider critical to a well-lived life may be anathema to another (Bauer et al. , 2005) or not supported by the participants culture (Diener, 2000; Peterson, Ruch, Beermann, Park & Seligman, 2007). Further research is indicated to firstly identify what factors are actually desired in a good life, rather than simply measuri ng and reporting happiness levels (Kristjansson, 2010). Diener’s (2000) and Peterson et al. 2007) findings appear to support Kristjansson’s suggestion (2010). Both research studies identified significant cross country differences not only in the rates of life satisfaction but also the factors rated as important to life satisfaction. The findings appear to indicate that individualistic cultures, or those that place high value on individual choice and desires, and collectivist cultures, where the needs of group are paramount, prioritise factors contributing to life satisfaction differently (Diener, 2000).By way of example, Diener (2000) notes that participants from collectivist cultures may sacrifice personal desires for the common good, and this is not a normative feature of individualistic cultures. Diener further notes that sacrifice in collectivist cultures may, in fact, benefit the individual by providing them with the knowledge they are performing their duty. The c oncept of personal sacrifice as a factor affecting life satisfaction does not appear to be studied in the literature reviewed for this essay.Despite the significance of the findings in both studies, the researchers note a limitation of their design is that is that they relied upon self-selected participants who were motivated enough to complete the survey (Diener, 2000; Peterson et al. , 2007). This may have resulted in bias. Conclusions concerning differences in cross cultural impacts upon life satisfaction levels and factors are not unanimous. A study conducted by Linley, Joseph, Harrington and Wood (2006) found no significant difference in life satisfaction ratings or factors amongst participants from different cultures, ages or gender.A limitation of this research however, as noted by the authors, is that the study only included a small number of countries with participants who could speak and respond in English (Linley et al. , 2006). It may well be that the participants who re sponded to the survey were Westernised. Linley et al. (2006) indicate that the study should be repeated using a multi-lingual questionnaire so that participants are drawn from a wider sample. The Social Component of a Well Lived Life Examining the literature outlining models related to a well-lived life yields important clues towards determining the ultimate signs of a well lived life.The three pathways model of a full life which includes the pleasant life of hedonistic pursuits, the good life full of desire gratification and the meaningful life (Seligman & Royzman, 2003), has been criticized because the model could be applied to the non ethical, such as drug dealers, as well as those engaged in more ethical activities alike (Kristjansson, 2010). Seligman (2000) noted this as a possibility but argues this is not problematic because science is not concerned with morality.Morality aside, anti-social activities do not necessarily promote relationships and research indicates that a well lived life does indeed involve actions that promote positive social relationships (Bauer et al. , 2005; McCullough, Kimeldorf & Cohen, 2008; Peterson et al. , 2007). One way that Kristjansson (2010) suggests that the thorny issue of morality and psychology could be overcome is by applying values to define those behaviours that fall outside of societal norms, although this may result in other issues if these norms are restrictive.Although Kristjansson is not a psychologist, the idea that a well-lived life should involve societal norms does seem to be supported by Diener (2000) who suggests that societal pressures do have some bearing upon individual life satisfaction reporting. Building on the concept that a life satisfaction includes a social component, Bauer et al. (2005) argue that a well lived life includes social experiences and the ability to ascribe those experiences to a positive meaning. They go on to explain that in psychological terms this translates to having a balance b etween social interactions and having positive feelings about them (Bauer et al. 2005). These findings imply that there is indeed a social element to a life well lived which is supported by further research. Peterson et al. (2007) found that the sociable character traits such as gratitude have strong effects upon life satisfaction. Indeed Peterson et al. (2007) note that social character traits such as gratitude are more strongly correlated with life satisfaction than the three pathways to happiness (Seligman & Royzman, 2003, pp 153). Gratitude As with a well-lived life, gratitude is not easily defined (Wood, Froh & Geraghty, 2010).Although gratitude is variously described as an emotion, a trait and an action, nevertheless the literature indicates that a grateful disposition tends to be positively associated with happiness and a well-lived life (McCullough, Emmons & Tsang, 2002; McCullough et al. , 2008; Wood, Joseph & Maltby, 2008). Typically, gratitude is described as a response t hat occurs after the receipt of something perceived as positive due to the prosocial actions of another (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).Aware of the limitations of previous field research, Emmons and McCullough (2003) attempted to apply a study design that randomly assigned participants to different treatment conditions. They found a difference in mean well being scores across gratitude treatment groups from the comparison group, although less than expected, concluding that gratitude tended to increase psychological, social and spiritual well-being. One of the limitations noted in the study design (Emmons & McCullough, 2003), however, was that the study period was only three weeks long which ay not have been long enough to identify changes in responses. This limitation has been commented upon by others (Lazarus, 2003). Indeed, Lazarus (2003) notes in particular that the lack of longitudinal studies in Positive Psychology studies concerning life satisfaction makes it difficult to identif y causation and track precisely how different circumstances affect individuals, whatever the factors that contribute to a well lived life. Kristjansson (2010) notes that this is not a problem unique to studies of well-lived lives. Wood et al. 2010) noted that the definition of gratitude used in the Emmons and McCullough (2003) study did not include all of the things participants reported gratitude for that did not include a benefactor. He proposed that gratitude includes an eight level hierarchical life orientation including in ascending order; noticing and appreciating life could be worse, life is short, the present moment, engaging in ritual acts of thankfulness, admiring beauty, focusing on what one has, appreciating other people and reflecting upon what one has to be thankful for (Wood, et al. 2010). Using this expanded definition, Wood, linked gratitude to the Big Five traits, used to broadly describe human personality (Watson, Clark, & Harkness, 1994) and that people who are g rateful tend to be more agreeable, sociable, less neurotic, conscientious and extroverted. Commenting upon the benefits of gratitude, Lyubomirsky et al. (2005) note that an attitude of gratitude appears to be incompatible with negative life feelings such as greed and envy.They note that appears to encourage individuals to reflect on experiences and social relationships in a positive way. It has also been suggested that gratitude appears to protect individuals from depression (Wood et al. , 2010) and support recovery from injury (Dunn & Brody, 2008). Possible Future Research Directions The literature indicates several interesting areas for future research. The first, based on observations by Wood et al. (2010) is that there have been only a few studies studying the direct relationship between gratitude and happiness.Given the lack of longitudinal research to date as noted by Lazarus (2003) and alluded to by Emmons and McCullough (2003), it may well be promising to conduct intra-indiv idual longitudinal research of the impact of gratitude on an individual’s perception of happiness when experiencing the normal stressors of daily living (Lazarus, 2003). It may also be useful to apply a longitudinal study to examine if the things that make one grateful change across cultures, ages and genders (Diener, 2000; Linley et al. , 2006; Peterson et al. 2007) although it would be highly recommended to avoid using self-selected participants in the study. Conclusion Defining a life well-lived and the factors associated with it is a problem that has defied easy explanation for philosophers and other academics across the ages. Much of the previous research has involved recording self-reporting by participants. Given this and the fact that the very nature of happiness and a life well lived is a subjective experience, it has been argued that a propensity for gratitude impacts on an individual’s ability to view their lives in a positive way, despite individual circums tances.It has also been argued that an attitude of gratefulness has several physical and mental benefits for the individual, although these studies have not yet examined precisely if the factors that make an individual grateful change across cultures and genders. Further research is indicated in this fascinating area, possibly using longitudinal studies to explore how gratitude enables individuals to view adverse circumstances differently over time. References Bauer, J. J. , McAdams, D. P. , & Sakaeda, A. R. (2005). Interpreting the Good Life: Growth Memories in the Lives of Mature, Happy People.Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 88, 203-217. doi:10. 1037/0022-3514. 88. 1. 203 Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychologist, 55(1), 34-43. Dunn, D. S. , & Brody, C. (2008). Defining the good life following acquired physical disability. Rehabilitation Psychology, 53(4), 413-425. doi:10. 1037/a00137 49 Emmons, R. A. , & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 84, 377-389. oi:10. 1037/0022-3514. 84. 2. 377 Kristjansson, K. (2010). Positive psychology, happiness, and virtue: The troublesome conceptual issues. Review Of General Psychology, 14(4), 296-310. doi:10. 1037/a0020781 Lazarus, R S. (2003). The Lazarus Manifesto For Positive Psychology And Psychology In General. Psychological inquiry, 14(2), 173-189. Linley, P. , Joseph, S. , Harrington, S. , & Wood, A. M. (2006). Positive psychology: Past, present, and (possible) future. Journal Of Positive Psychology, 1(1), 3-16. doi:10. 1080/17439760500372796 Lyubomirsky, S. , Sheldon, K. M. , & Schkade, D. 2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review Of General Psychology, 9(2), 111-131. doi:10. 1037/1089-2680. 9. 2. 111 McCullough, M. E. , Emmons, R. A. , & Tsang, J. (2002). The grateful disposition: A conceptual and empirical topography. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 82(1), 112-127. doi:10. 1037/0022-3514. 82. 1. 112 McCullough, M. E. , Kimeldorf, M. B. , & Cohen, A. D. (2008). An Adaptation for Altruism The Social Causes, Social Effects, and Social Evolution of Gratitude. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 17(4), 281-286.Peterson, C. , Ruch, W. , Beermann, U. , Park, N. , & Seligman, M. P. (2007). Strengths of character, orientations to happiness, and life satisfaction. Journal Of Positive Psychology, 2(3), 149-156. doi:10. 1080/17439760701228938 Seligman, M. E. P. , & Royzman, E. (2003). Happiness: The three traditional theories. Adapted and edited by Paul Quek. Retrieved from http://pq. 2004. tripod. com/happiness_three_traditional_theories. pdf Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Authentic Happiness. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Retrieved July 27, 2012, from Ebook Library. Watson, D. , Clark, L. A. & Harkness, A. R. (1994). Structures of personality and their relevance to psychopathology. Journal Of Abnormal Psychology, 103(1). 18-31. doi:10. 1037/0021-843X. 103. 1. 18 Wood. A. M. , Joseph, S, & Maltby, J. (2008) Gratitude uniquely predicts satisfaction with life: Incremental validity above the domains and facets of the five factor model. Personality and Individual Differences, 45(1), pp 49–54 Wood, A. M. , Froh, J. J. , & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2010) Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical Psychology Review, 2010, Vol. 30(7), pp. 890-905.

John Steinbeck and his book ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, in 1902 in Salinas, California, He came from a reasonably well off family. He worked his way through college at Stanford University, but never graduated, so in 1925 he set off to New York where he tried to start his career as a writer, but he failed to have any of his writing published and returned to California. He then published a few books and short stories. His first novel, Cup of Gold was published in 1929, but attracted little attention. The readers also poorly acknowledged his following two novels, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown. Steinbeck then married his first wife, Carol Henning in 1930. But he still wasn’t recognised in the world of literature until 1935 when Tortilla Flat was published. It received the California Commonwealth Club’s Gold Medal for best novel by a California author, and then his work became recognised far and wide. Steinbeck then went onto produce some of his greatest novels, including Grapes of Wrath, which was a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1939. The greatest prize Steinbeck was awarded for his writing was the Nobel Prize for Literature, in 1962. John Steinbeck died on December 20th, 1968, in New York. The first book I read by John Steinbeck was ‘Of Mice and Men’ and it is about two men who are immigrant American labourers. Together they have a dream to settle down and farm their own land rather than work for other people. So they join a group of farmers to earn the money, so that they can buy the farmland for themselves. These two friends are completely unlike each other. One of them, who is called George, is a small intelligent man, and the other, Lennie, is a big, clumsy, caring, but child-like man. The two men have been friends since they were children. But Lennie was not always stupid, but became like this after an accident that happened when he was young. George is always with Lennie for comfort, friendship, but mainly as he is very strong and can work on a farm better than most people. George supports him, helps him and puts thoughts into his head, to try to him motivated. Lennie trusts George with everything and really values their friendship. When the two friends finally get the money to make their dreams come true George takes advantage of Lennie and kills him, so that his dream is secured. In this book you are made to feel sorry for Lennie, as he was very caring, and even when he killed the animals, and boss’s sons wife, you know that he was only being friendly and caring, and just wasn’t aware of his own strength. At the beginning of the book George seems to be Lennie’s friend, but by the end you realize that he is only using Lennie to fulfil his own dreams. The second book by Steinbeck I read was ‘East of Eden’. This book was set in the period between the American Civil War and the end of World War I. It is about the conflicts of two generations of brothers. The opening chapters describe Samuel and his family, and what living in Salinas Valley is like for them. The first generation is the kind, gentle, caring Adam Trask and his wild brother Charles. Adam eventually marries Cathy Ames who is a wicked, manipulative, but very beautiful prostitute. Cathy betrays Adam, with his brother Charles on the very night of their wedding. Later, after giving birth to twin boys, she shoots Adam and then leaves him to return to her former job. With the help of their Chinese servant Lee, Adam raises their sons, the fair-haired, charming, yet stubborn Aron, and the mysterious, clever Caleb, without telling them about their mother. The second generation of brothers compete for their father’s approval. In resentment Caleb reveals the truth about their mother to Aron, so he then leaves to join the army. At the end of the story, Lee makes a great effort to help keep the Trask family together, when Adam is lying in his bed dying, Caleb is overwhelmed with guilt because Aron has been killed in the army. Lee believes that if Adam gives Caleb his blessing for indirectly killing his own brother, he will able to move on in life, and not always feel so guilty. In this novel, although he is not a main character, Lee, their servant is a good friend to Adam, and helped him at his worst times, and managed to hold the family together, so the story wouldn’t have turned out the same without him. The third book I read by John Steinbeck was ‘The Grapes of Wrath’. The book is set in California and it follows the terrible misfortunes of the Joad family, who like many others have given up their lives in Oklahoma in search of employment in California. The book follows both their hopes and setbacks creating a true account of the American dream of the 1930’s, as we observe their struggle to try to get by with what little money and possessions they have. When the Joad family leave the Hooverville, which is an independent migrant camp and move to a government camp, because they cannot find a job at Hooverville. This camp is clean and has a local government made up of migrant workers. For the first time since arriving in California, the Joads find themselves treated as human beings. However, when the work runs out they had to move on. Tom ends up killing a man who is responsible for the death of is good friend John Casey. They have to flee and find work picking cotton, and Tom’s presence there is soon spotted, and Tom has to go into hiding. The ending of this book, even though not dreadfully clear, does suggest a little hope for the Joads, but more so hope for humanity. I enjoyed this book because I saw a lot of things that all of these books have in common, and the most obvious thing was that each book was about underprivileged people who were fighting to keep their lives and families together through many misfortunes. In Steinbeck’s books there is always an inferior character that keeps the people together, for example in The Grapes of Wrath Ma Joad tries as hard as she can to keep her family together, but apart from that you don’t know much about her. And also in East of Eden the servant, Lee, holds the family together, and helped to bring up Adam’s children. The struggle between good and evil is the most dominant theme in these books. John Steinbeck shows that everyone has the potential to be a good person, or completely immoral. An example of this theme is in East of Eden, as Adam is a very kind and caring person, but Cathy is nasty and pitiless. Also in Of Mice and Men, Lennie is a gentle loving man, whereas his friend George turns out to be a horrible, ruthless person. Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath have a connection between the type of work the people do because they are both about people trying to make ends meet working on farms, trying to fulfill their own dreams. Love is another issue that all these books have in common, because whenever love is missing from a specific part of the story, the results become disastrous. The three of Steinbeck’s books that I read all have a very detailed and descriptive writing style, which adds to your satisfaction of his books, as you are given persuasive glimpse into the lives of others. The characters in Steinbeck’s books seem to come to life because of the vast understanding of human courage to be able to choose between what is right and wrong Steinbeck has. I enjoyed reading all of these books, because even though in some ways they were very similar, they all had a different storyline, so I didn’t find the second and third story boring after reading the first one.