Leader of the People Essay Example

young boy to beginning his life as a man. The Cyprus tree, symbolic of death (Peters), foreshadows not the death of a character, but the death of an age.

The age of "western," where the grandfather found his calling; however, it more importantly it symbolizes the death of Jody childhood, for cessions he make will alter him as a person. Steinbeck uses symbolism behind one of the animal's actions to show Jody growth, "a road-runner flirted it tail and raced over the edge of the hill and sailed out like a glider" (612). The road-runner's running started and his flight through the air represent Jody growth as he prepares to spread his wings and take on the challenges of life.

The very last animal reference Steinbeck uses is a conversation between Jody and his grandfather at the end of the story. "He could see grandfather sitting on the porch, looking small and thin and cake. Jody gave up and went to sit in the steps at the old man's feet. "Back already? Did you kill the mice? " "No, sir. I'll kill them some other day' (619). Throughout the course of the book Jody is set on killing "those damn mice" then at the end of the story, he turns down the opportunity.

Not because it no longer sounds fun to him, but because after his dad insults his grandfather Jody sees him no longer as a strong larger than life hero, but as a weak old man. Jody has matured enough that he feels compassion for the old man and instead of playing he would rather Just sit and let he old man talk.

While they are talking Jody tries to cheer the grandfather up by saying he will lead people someday "Grandfather's stories are not so much to glorify himself as to relive those feelings of people coming together and doing something magnificent.

Once Grandfather reached the furthest edges of the West, there could be no more "western" for him. He had reached his limits" (Shaw). In this instance Steinbeck uses the land itself to act as a person to show to the conflict in the uses the incredibly detailed setting and all the animals of the frontier Leader of the people to show Jody growth from a boy into the beginnings of a man. Jody will make a few simple and harmless decisions throughout his childhood that will set the stage for the rest of his life. Not only does Steinbeck uses symbolism, he also uses character to prove the theme.

The protagonist, or main character of the story, of "The Leader of the People" is Jody. Jody is a young boy who grows up throughout the story. He starts to understand what it's like to be a man and shows it. His mind on his Grandfather changes, because he starts to realize how much meaning the stories he tells has. The Father, however, gets tired of hearing the same thing, but Jody is level- headed and gets it. Jody is a round character. One way Steinbeck describes Jody is, "The little boy, Jody... "(Steinbeck 609). He Just goes out and writes it down, you can also tell he's young by the way he acts. "... Lilied near and turned and matched his step to the old

man's step... "(612). The things Jody asks are silly and different. One time, he asked, "WSDL you like to go on a mouse hunt tomorrow, sir? "(612). Kids can only manage to hunt little animals, that is why he is allowed to hunt mice and not the beasts. Jody is a dynamic character. In the beginning he has a mindset of his Grandfather that he learned from his father. His father does not really like the Grandfather and does not look forward to him coming up to stay for a bit. Jody, though, he listens to the stories and figures out the meanings of them all.

He starts to see that his Grandfather lives in the past and enjoyed those days the most by far. In the beginning, his father is upset with his dad, Jody Grandfather, coming to stay at the house for a bit. An envelope comes in the mail and Jody blurs out making it everyone's news. "He is getting to be a Big-Britches... (610) is what his father says about him. Jody shows great maturity at the end of the story, "Can I have a lemon to make lemonade for Grandfather? "(619). He is asking to make lemonade for his Grandfather, something totally unexpected. Listening to the stories of his Grandfather's past, they start to sink into Jody.

The literary critic Joyce Hart states, "Since Jody has gained the insight of compassion, he is able to transfer his feelings to his grandfather" (Hart). By this she meaner that Jody is growing and maturing, he now thinks of other peoples feelings instead of Just his own. Jody is changing and growing n

a significant way through the story, but this is dampened by the will of his father. Not only does this story have a protagonist, it also has an antagonist. The antagonist of the story is clearly the father, Carl Tiffin; he is the reason for most if not all of the conflict in the story, he argues with everyone and is Just a difficult character.

He is static and flat. He as a person but we do not know all much about him and why he is the way he is- a stern, hard-working man. The first reference to the fathers sternness comes from a conversation, early on in the story, between Billy and Jody, Men you et all through, I could call the dogs and hung the mice. ' 'Sure, I guess you could' Said Billy Buck... 'Maybe you better ask your father before' he suggested" (Steinbeck 610). This here is the first insight in the father's character showing how he is as a person; although he is a flat character he is an important one causing most of the conflict in the book.

The father also provides a steadiness through his static personality. After a leader of the grandfather's trip to the ranch was received a fight broke out between Carl and his wife. "Carl turned impatiently away. Well if it gets too bad, I can always ND slammed the front door after him" (611). The first few lines of the father are in angered stated and acting rash, this is also seen near the end when he is complaining about the grand father and his stories. "How many times do I have

to listen to the story of the iron plates and the thirty five horses?

That time is done. " (618). The Father is introduced as a cold and stern, hardworking man and by his final lines in the story he is no different. Caring little about the past or anyone feelings. His main concern is the here and now; as different from the grandfather as fire and ice. The main driving force behind this character is the ranch. In the first few lines his character is introduced with by the words of his sons and ranch hand. Maybe you better ask your father before you do it' he suggested... Jody slumped against the fence post. 'l don't think he'd care. As Billy went back to work her said ominously you better ask anyway, you know how he is" (610). Another conversation revealing his working drive. "Carl Tiffin insisted upon giving permission for anything that was done on the ranch, weather it was important or not" (610). Carl is a hardworking man set on one thing and one thing only. One would quickly infer that he cares little about anything else and it even seems he places the farm above his family. But is this only because the farm is what is keeping him and his family alive and he shows his love to them through his work, rather than words.

Moreover, Steinbeck uses symbolism along with character to help show the thesis. In "The Leader of the People", many of the characters develop and mature throughout the story, which is something that everyone must do at one point in their lives. John Steinbeck uses symbolism

as a stronghold to support the theme, through meaning ND connections to the real world. One example in the story is when the narrator describes the, "small clouds like.... By the March wind (609). " The narrator goes into detail so the reader can picture spring; as it symbolizes the growth and blossoming into a composed and professional adult.

The wind described by the narrator is used as a catalyst in Jody life that drives away childish ambitions. Another great example that symbolizes Jody growth in the story is when he decides not to kill the mice (619). Throughout the story, Jody is ecstatic about trying to kill the mice, which is a hellish gesture. With his grandpa becoming depressed and not deciding to Join him, Jody realizes that there is more important and less foolish things that he could be doing, and his decision symbolizes the maturity that children make as their age progresses.

The mice that Jody wants to kill also symbolizes his grandfather's hunt for the Indians, as both the mice and the Native Americans were driven from their home and killed. This shows that life isn't easy, and that things do not always go as planned. Another symbol that presents a similar idea are the hills on page 613, which re placed in the story by Steinbeck to show the ups and downs that everyone will have to go through in their lives. All of the Jobs that the family had to do at the farm (cattle, hay, etc. ) collectively helped them make a living and provided them with basic materials.

This symbolizes two things; the first of which being

that a person needs to cooperate with others- and especially help and provide for their family. The other thing that this shows is that people can not get what they want by not doing anything about it. The effort and what is put in to life is what is getting from it, and is one of he most important lessons shown by Steinbeck in, "Leader of the People. " Time is only little boys like to hear about it (614). " He refers to how much time has changed, and how people need to adapt to their surroundings.

He also realizes at the end of the story that a person can't live in the past, as his son hints this towards his father rather rudely, but he was still able to realize it nonetheless. Symbolism is a tremendous element Steinbeck uses to display maturity, as this is part of his writing style and is essential in all of his stories and can also show forms of conflict. Conflict evolves the idea that everyone must learn to grow and build a stronger relationship with one another. Almost every character in, "The Leader of the People," has issues with other characters.

Jody and Grandfather, however, both learn to mature throughout the story. Like any other grandpa, Grandfather tells the same story over and over again. Hearing his Grandfather's stories, Jody gets a picture in his mind of his Grandfather, which contrasts with his father. Critic says, "Jody gets permission from his father to kill the mice the next day, then goes to bed and thinks of his Grandfather on a huge white horse... (Shaw). Getting ready to

tell a story, Jody stops Grandfather in his tracks to say he has heard the story, and Grandfather replies, "That's right.

I guess I must have told you that story'(Steinbeck 614). The stories Grandfather tells represent his life back in the day and Grandfather assumes that, "Boys always want to hear about Indians"(614). Jody seems to get more excited to hear one of Grandfather's stories as he grows. Back then when Grandfather was young, he seemed as if he was on top of the world because of everything he accomplished, and how much respect he gained from the people that knew him. The problem with Grandfather, though, is that he lives in the past. He has not really completed anything as meaningful in his life since his glory days.

Jody on the other hand, goes through changes in the story that causes conflicts with his father and Grandfather to change. He seems to mature as the story goes on. In the beginning, his father, Carl, gets a letter and Jody makes it everyone's news that his father has mail. Asking his father about the mail, Carl makes the comment, "He is getting to be a Big- Britches... "(610). This shows how he is still a little kid and gets into situations he shouldn't be getting in to. Jody listens to all of Grandfather's stories, and does not seem to mind them, but his father gets annoyed easily by them.