The Winter Of Our Discontent Analysis

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The Loss of Moral Integrity in The Winter of Our Discontent
Right and wrong are not easily defined as black or white, but fall along a greyscale. John Steinbeck’s last novel The Winter of Our Discontent tells the story of an honest man confronted with his own morality. Ethan Hawley begins the novel with a strong, unshakable integrity, but faces constant pressure from his family and friends to regain his wealth and place in society. This pressure causes him to change his internal principles, resulting in attempted bank robbery, marital unfaithfulness, assisted murder, and an almost suicide. Ethan Hawley shows that despair is the result of moral corruption and the only hope left is ensuring that others do not fall into the same trap.
The first publication of the …show more content…
The corrupt mindset of New Baytown pervades everyone from the town drunkard to the grocery store owner and bank manager. Ethan’s boss, Marullo, describes his business philosophy as “money got no friends but more money” (Steinbeck 21). Marullo runs his grocery store with the perspective that money is more important than the customer. When seeking investment advice, the best guidance Ethan hears is “money gets money” and that all actions should stem from this philosophy (Steinbeck 64). Analyst Stephen Tanner comments on the money obsessed town, writing that “plot, characterization, and even setting, are determined by money.” Continuing, he remarks how the overwhelming presence of “ bribes, kickbacks, malfeasance, rigged quiz shows, loss leaders, graft, shady real estate deals, and sharp dealing” in the small New England town exhibit the theme of unethical money (89). Tanner’s observation shows the enormous pressure Ethan Hawley is under as he tries to maintain his moral framework. His desire to maintain a strong social standing is the final push that starts him down the road of moral

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