Examine this statement through a comparison and contrast of the two texts you have studied in class

“Our “Our pe perc rcep epti tion ons s of weal wealth th and and cont conten entm tmen entt are are a prod produc uctt of the the environment in which we nd ourselves.”

Examine this statement through a comparison and contrast of the two texts you have studied in class. Varied perspectives on the balance between wealth and contentment arise for individuals in any society due to changed contexts. This is apparent in both John Steinbeck’s Steinbeck’s novel ‘f !ice and !en’ "#$%&' and Sean (enn’s (enn’s )lm ‘*nto the +ild’ ",--&' ",--&' as a shift shift in direct direction ion of the meric merican an /ream /ream is expos exposed. ed. Steinbeck Steinbeck reveals the nature of #$%-’s merica and its general pursuit of ‘the /ream’0 to be one of ac1uiring a basic level of )nancial security and independence. (enn’s )lm however0 however0 critic criticises ises the futilit futility y of materia materiall wealth wealth in society society and how it hinders the attainment of contentment. /espite both texts providing opposing viewpoints0 both ultimately expose the degree of in2uence that the environment around us has on our perceptions of wealth and contentment.  John Steinbeck’s novella0 ‘f !ice and !en’ set during the 3reat /epression0 examines a community of migrant workers struggling to accumulate basic wealth as ranch workers. *n an atmosphere where merely surviving was di4cult for many0 the desire to ful)l the ‘merican /ream’ and gain a level of self5su4ciency and independence was shared by many. The recurring motif of the 6couple of  acres7 an’ live o8 the fatta the lan9 represents the /ream for protagonists 3eorge and :ennie0 and their ultimate ;desire for wealth 6end of the month * could take my ?- bucks7 stay in a cathouse all night9 slow evolution into a foresh foreshado adowin wing g of himsel himselff after after :enni :ennie’s e’s death death delive delivers rs a sharp sharp revel revelati ation on to audiences about the hopelessness of their /ream0 with them being no closer to achieving it by the end of the novel. +hilst 3eorge and :ennie relentlessly aspire to own a farm0 other itinerant workers lack the motivation to achieve long5term goals and become consumed by short5term indulgences. @ontra @ontrasti stingl ngly0 y0 Sean Sean (enn’ (enn’s s biogra biographi phical cal movie> movie> ‘*nto ‘*nto the +ild’ +ild’ explor explores es an alte altern rnat ate e per percept ceptio ion n of weal wealth th.. @ent @entrred on the the =our =ourne ney y of @hri @hrist stop ophe herr !c@andless0 a young man that abandons his upper5middle class life to go into the wild0 audiences are presented with an immediate contrast regarding wealth and other materialistic ideas. @hristopher sees it as 6an invention of the ,- th centur century9 y9 that that he will will have have none none of0 as audien audiences ces are are shown shown that0 that0 exces excessiv sive e materialistic appreciation is not an integral part of human life and may in fact0 be a detr detrim imen ent. t. (enn enn us uses es the the resta estaur uran antt scen scene e as the the disc disclo losu surre of @hri @hris’ s’ passionate disdain of materialism0 6 new carA +hy would * want a new carA /atsun runs great.9 Bere0 (enn uses the /atsun as a representation of functional wealth> and through it0 reveals the di8erence in perceptions of wealth. s @hris challenges his parents> 6re you worried what the neighbours might thinkA9 he

exposes how a society may =udge individuals by their levels of wealth. The scene is followed by a 2ashback of his family surrounding a new car. The close5up alternating shot of his mother as she smiles and gestures with her hands to suggest a family with great wealth is immediately =uxtaposed with @hris’ evidently forced smile. Through the contrasting reactions (enn propositions his audience to consider if excessive wealth is interpreted by many in society as being vital in attaining contentment in life. (aralleling the duo’s =ourney to self5su4ciency0 Steinbeck also challenges the perception of contentment. *nitially0 readers can infer that once wealthy0 one will be content. Bowever0 through further examination0 it becomes evident that contentment can be derived from others0 evidenced by the fraternal bond between 3eorge and :ennie> 6Cut not usD n’ whyA Cecause7 because * got you to look after me0 and you got me to look after you0 and that’s why9. Steinbeck further emphasises this through the extended metaphor of 3eorge’s rants. Seemingly cold5hearted as he complains about the burden of caring for :ennie0 his true emotions are revealed when faced with his departure> 6Eo5lookD * was  =us’ foolin’0 :ennie. ‘@ause * want you to stay with me.9 The compassionate tone exempli)es the importance of their friendship in maintaining happiness in their itinerant lifestyles. Similarly0 the opposite can be said as individuals may also be corrupted by the environment0 notably @rooks who becomes hostile and temperamental after years of racial pre=udice0 shown through his conversation with :ennie> 6* ain’t wanted in the bunk house and you ain’t wanted in my room.9  The stark contrast between the two individuals reinforces the previous notions on the importance of positive environments and the bene)ts of close relationships in maintaining contentment. Similarly0 ‘*nto the +ild’ seeks to expose other sources of contentment and how its basis is central to the environment around oneself. (erhaps @hris’ central goal5to be free0 his =ourney evolves into the pursuit of happiness. @onveyed through the motif of birds0 (enn symbolises the ful)lment one can attain through the re=ection of societal norms. This is apparent in the panning shit of an eagle0 following @hris’ trek across vast open plains from overhead. The absence of any signs of civilisation and the 2ight of the eagle represent the purity of nature and freedom respectively. The motif of birds is again seen as he meets Jan and Fainey. (enn uses the mother5son relationship that is formed to explore how contentment may come from the relationships with others0 and how they may bridge the voids in our lives. Ginally0 (enn uses a montage of all the relationships @hris built on his =ourney as a build up to his )nal revelation> 6Bappiness on real when shared.9 The immediate swap to a close5up of @hris’ watering eyes conveys to audiences the magnitude of his realisation about the error of his beliefs. verall0 both Steinbeck and (enn explore opposing ideas of wealth and contentment through the protagonists 3eorge0 :ennie and @hris. Through the contrast in context0 re2ected in their di8ering views0 both composers show that perceptions are a product of the environment around us.