Rough Rough Draft

This needs a lot more proof, probably a better explanation of Zimbardo's experiment, and some quotes, but here's the rough rough draft so far \(> o<)/:


In our life time we will play many different roles, the role of a parent, a sibling, a child. We may play big roles, like a leader or a small but important one, a follower, we may even play both. We are students and we are bosses and in each one we may have to act a certain way. In Steinbeck’s novel, In Dubious Battle, we see the characters play some of these roles, but also evolve into others. In the 1970’s there was a Stanford study done on a few men by psychologist Zimbardo. He found that people, no matter what kind of personality they had, could easily slip into a role that would change their attitudes greatly. In Steinbeck we see how a role can shape ones actions and behavior in each one of his characters and how everyone has the capacity to do good and evil things. Throughout the novel Mac has the most significance of good and bad things, he can be Jim’s good friend, but when he dies is quick to use him. London also transforms to being the man the pickers look up to a leader. Jim takes many different roles throughout the novel too and some of the more minor characters also show how role can affect ones behavior.
When Jim first meets Mac it is obvious that he has some sort of leadership role in the house. He makes sure everyone is doing what he needs to do and is also gives them assignments. Mac quickly falls into the role as Jim’s friend and mentor. He coaches Jim throughout the novel and gives Jim the confidence he desperately needs. In the first chapters Mac gets to know Jim, Jim tells him about his past and his unheard beliefs and hopes for the future. Mac is good at understanding ones character and decides to take Jim on his first strike of the season. On the way to the small town Mac is still playing the role of a friend and is able to carry on easy conversations. Jim trust Mac and follows him loyally. When the two get to London’s camp, Jim see’s London transform, He is able to think on his feet and pulls off the role of a doctor, he knows how to get peoples trust and is able to play each role needed easily. His personality also changes easily, he could be the nice guy with Jim or he could be a man of persuasion with London. He also was able to turn nasty when it came to people such as Mister Bolter. When Joy and Jim die Mac doesn’t even take a second to morn their deaths, he uses them for the cause he believes in. He lets the role of being a leader completely take over him; he loses his attachment to his friends and focuses on his task. Though this seems extremely cold, Zimbardo would argue that Mac was just playing his role, if he had just been a part of the strike he probably would have acted differently, but since he was a sort of leader he couldn’t let something like his friends death get in the way of a greater cause.
When London is first introduced he is just a well liked picker that the other pickers look up to. As soon as the strikes are ready to begin Mac quickly transforms London into the leader. London is always a bit unsure of his role, in private around his friends and family he is able to be his normal ordinary man, but as soon as it comes time he is able to fill the role of leader. London turns from being a little unsure to a strong leader who is able to convince people of what’s right and wrong. If London had not been chosen by Mac to be leader he probably wouldn’t have participated in the strike, but since he was he took up the role.
The main character Jim also has a great transformation. We begin with Jim who has little self esteem, he joins The Party because he has nowhere else to turn to and hopes to find something through working for them. Mac quickly sees that Jim has a lot of potential and begins to teach him things and gives him praise. Through the novel Jim is praised for little things that he does well and starts to build a foundation in himself that may have been able to support himself and become a leader. Jim is killed too soon to see anything like this, but at one point he does start to take action. Jim normally plays the role of a nice guy who is learning much about the world, but as soon as he gets into that short role of power, he goes a bit crazy with it.
In conclusion power and leadership can change the way one acts, powerlessness and being an underdog can also do this. With Mac leadership made him lose compassion when it was appropriate, London had to become strong even though he was sometimes unsure of himself, and power made Jim crazy. After Zimbardo’s theory Zimbardo believed that everyone was capable of good and evil and it was the role that shaped us, not us who shaped the role.