The Grapes Of Wrath: A Short Story

In reaction to the tragedy, which he had to bear witness to, Conrad built up a defensive shield to block off any release of emotion or of feelings. Consequently, this led Conrad to further discourses, including both, internal and external, conflicts.

To explain, in one instance, prior to coming in for a therapy session with his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger, Conrad was feeling panicked and says “ I can’t get through this! It’s all hanging over my head!” (Guest 223) illustrating that he is in a state of distress. If someone tried to deal with the stress on their own, the stress would have strained and exhausted their brain. However, confiding in another person proved to give them another perspective on how to think, thus calming them down; as seen when Dr. Berger's wise words: “punishment doesn’t do a damn thing for the guilt, does it? It doesn’t make it go away. And it doesn’t earn you any forgiveness” (Guest 228). By confiding in others, people can get advice that they otherwise, would not have thought of: and lowering their stress levels as a

Explanation; By describing his father, “who lumbered … with deliberation,” as “full bodied” and “an inch or two above six feet” (Wolff 301), Wolff paints a picture of his appearance for the reader. When he mentions that his father “was lavish with money, with others’ money” and that “people were hurt by him” (Wolff 304), he shows readers about the dark and manipulative nature of his father. Therefore, the essay serves as a descriptive piece of his father.

He is definitely feels guilty for the accident even though he couldn't do anything to try and prevent his brother’s death. He definitely went through the bargain stage before everything and is now going through it once again. Conrad is really hard on himself. He punishes himself because he thinks that if he is punished enough, he won't feel bad. Conrad feels guilty and responsible for the death of his brother even though, there is nothing he could have done better to save him. He is similar to his father in that he feels responsible and

The emotional agony that Conrad experienced following the death of his brother almost led to his end. The conflict inside of Conrad is only the beginning of his suffering. The emotions that engulf one's mind can swallow them up and eat them from the inside out. They demand to be felt, but the management of the emotional conflict has been just as important. For example, when the Jannett family is together to take family photos, including the grandparents, the disconnect between Conrad and his mother are clearly visible to the naked eye. After being asked to take a picture with her son, Beth hesitates, violently insisting a different photo to be taken in order to avoid accepting and showing the increasing disconnect between her and her son. Siting and watching, Conrad struggles internally to decode the intentions of the scene depicted in front of him before he burst into an outrage. Initially, Conrad practiced silence in the form of withdrawal. Thus, he situated himself in the isolated window chair. The actions of his mother spoke to him in the sense that she hated him, wishing to have nothing to do with him. The silence remained silent until he burst with rage, projecting the instructions of his father for the camera to be given to his emotionally silent mother. Conrad rested on the assumptions he formed based not only on his mother’s current action, but passed actions as well, to reveal what he

In chapter 13 Conrad gets into an argument with his mother. Beth hears from Lazenby’s mother that Conrad quit the swim team. Beth is mad because he quit and didn’t tell them about it. Conrad says that he just spends his time at the library, Conrad is getting angry and says that he would have told them if he thought they cared. Then Conrad ends up telling Beth to go to hell. I can relate to Conrad in this chapter because of him getting in arguments with his parents because I seem to do it every now and then.

The stages of grief are demonstrated in Conrad’s relationships with his family and friends. Conrad has experienced depression and a suicide attempt in response to his brother’s death. At the beginning of the book, Conrad is going through the first stage of grief, which is shock and denial. Conrad’s father, Cal, worries about Conrad’s mental health and gives him the name of a therapist. However, Conrad does not call him. Cal believes that Conrad, “ ought to stick with the plan --’” (13) However, Conrad “can’t [because he] is swimming every night…[He doesn’t] need to see anybody. [He] feels fine’ (13). Conrad is uncomfortable talking about the death, and seeing a therapist would require him to talk. Conrad is afraid to feel his emotions. He thinks if he just avoids thinking about his brother’s death, he will be okay. The second

When people react to unexplained events, disaster follows such as with Conrad’s untimely death. Conrad the son of Manfred is killed by the fallen statue head in the courtyard of the castle. He was killed on impact. “Conrad, the son was three years younger, a homely youth, sickly, and of no promising disposition.”4 After learning of this unexplainable event Manfred does not believe what he saw. “Miraculous helmet one exactly that on the figure, in the black marble?”5 Manfred’s attitude and thoughts change drastically from fearful to anger after seeing that the prophecy was indeed completed after all. This event affects the entire kingdom and each of the people that live in it as well. As written by Paupard from his review. “Manfred, prince of Otranto, had only one son, a youth about fifteen years of age, who on the day appointed for his marriage was `dashed

Berger, "She loved my brother, too.  It's just me"(120).  He concluded that Beth could not love him because there was something wrong with him.  After the big fight that Conrad had with his parents, he revealed to his father his opinion of Beth's feelings for him. Conrad tells him, "All right, then.  She hates me"(114).  Because Conrad felt that there was something wrong with him, he did not know how to react to situations nor did he know when to express his feelings.  For his Christmas present, Conrad's parents and grandparents bought him a car.  His response to this extravagant present was, "Yeah, okay… Thank you both, it's beautiful really.  It's terrific"(126).  He was not overly excited, as one should be, on receiving such an extraordinary gift.  He was not quite sure how to act, so he repressed all of his feelings.  In an early conversation with Berger, Conrad said, "What I'm doing here is that I had to come"(41).  This proves that Conrad was in denial of his psychological state and foreshadows Conrad's severe state of depression.  Conrad repressed all of his feelings and emotions.  He told Berger, "I don't feel anything"(98). Later on in the conversation, Berger told Conrad that the "Only way you're ever gonna get to know him [the guy in the closet] is to let him out now and then."(100)  This alludes to the fact that Conrad repressed his feelings and was extremely depressed.  All of these factors led to

In conclusion, I don’t think that the debate, or the argue over this story will

When Conrad first comes home, he has an awkward relationship with both of his parents. He believes that his father is watching his every move checking for signals. While it is true that both parents love Conrad, they both have different ways of showing

Chalk-faced, hair-hacked Conrad seems hell bent on continuing the family myth that all is well in the world. Their initial sessions together frustrate Dr. Berger because of Conrad's inability to express his feelings.

Berger also helped reduce Conrad’s feelings of remorse. Conrad felt a lot of guilt for attempting suicide because he felt his mother, Beth would never forgive him. They had a very rocky relationship due

Since his wife’s death a month earlier, Uther woke in his bedchamber each night at the same time, trembling, short of breath, and his heart hammering against his ribs. A nauseating mixture of terror and loss coursed through him, and it was as if Ygraine was dying all over again. He would never recuperate from her passing. His only solace was that she had given him a son moments before she slipped from this world.

      "I looked at him, lost in astonishment his very existence was improbable, inexplicable, and all together bewildering." (Conrad 90)