Essay on John Steinbeck’s The Leader of the People

â€Å"The Leader of the People† In John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Leader of the People,† a theme that is portrayed throughout the story is that of the contrast between dream and reality. In the story, Grandfather cannot come to grasp that his dreams of the West and moving across the plains are over and that reality has set in. Another story that contrasts dream and reality is Ambrose Pierce’s â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.† In this story, Farquhar cannot tell the difference between dream and reality until the very last second, when he is hanged. The plot in each of the stories is completely different, but both add to the theme of the contrast between dream and reality. In â€Å"The Leader of the People,† Grandfather returns to his†¦show more content†¦They live on a farm with plenty of food and comfort in the place they live in. They trust the land and have lost the excitement of the West. The setting of â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† is that o f a southern farm during the Civil War. Farquhar believes he can trust the soldier in gray, though he is misled by his setting. Steinbeck’s tone in the story is critical of those living their lives in the past. Grandfather only speaks of the times he had while crossing the plains, fighting with the Indians, and leading the people. He is also critical of people who believed that being a hero and leader was being able to fight the Indians, but Grandfather comes to the realization that he was a real leader when the people he was with trusted him. Pierce’s tone in the story was a very serious one in which he championed the fight shown by the South and there struggle to fight for what they believed in, only to be taken down by the Union. These tones both add to the theme because the attitude taken by the author to the story they are writing tells what they are trying to portray. Both Steinbeck and Pierce were writing about the contrast between dreams and realities in their modern worlds. Grandfather wishes for when he was on top of the world and Farquhar wishes to be back at home, safe and sound with his family. Both men are brought back into reality by the characters around them. TheyShow MoreRelatedThe Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck1189 Words   |  5 PagesSteinbeck’s uses of Socialist Ideas in â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath† Shortly after being released John Steinbeck’s book â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath† was banned because many critics viewed the novel as promoting communist propaganda, or socialist ideas. 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