Comparative Study of Characterization and Theme in Missing Slouch and The Grapes of Wrath

Economical predicaments have always been a suitable basis for social changes and transformations. Literary authors who have not recognized themselves apart from people and society‟s progress for change have tried to record the social events and serve their duty as a social writer. The important point in studying the relationship between literature and society is similarities in which different authors from different cultures have  responded  the  same  reaction  to  the  similar  social  upheavals. White Revolution in Iran, for example, and its unsuccessful results has been depicted by Mahmud Dollatabadi, famous Iranian novelist. He shows a realistic literary account of this social-economical change to reflect its unsuccessful consequences in his novel Missing Slouch. On the other hand, John Steinbeck, well-known American novelist and literature noble prize winner, has written a novel in a very critical period of American history called The Great Depression. His novel is one the best literary record of this social-economical process. Social, economical and political similarities of these two events, White Revolution  and  The  Great  Depression,  prove  the  similar  way  of thinking and approaching among writers to mirror the hidden realities of their society. Also, it proves the collective unconscious of human beings  in  dealing  with  ups  and  downs.  This  paper  aims  at,  first, studying the common social and political origins of above mentioned events. Second, the common themes and characterization in Missing Slouch and The Grapes of Wrath are studied from Marxist point of view to prove the similarities found in two novels resulted from the common  viewpoint  and  collective  unconscious  of  the  writers.  The paper focuses on appreciating common themes, similarities in creating and developing the characters, changes in traditional structure of social unions to show the role of literature in recording and illustrating social processes.