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Throughout time, much has been discussed about the roles in which women and men have played. Men have always been seen as leaders and have held down positions of power throughout history, but there is also a saying “behind every man is a greater woman”. Although women had been restricted in gaining roles in which decisions were to be made, they had been able to use the influence of feminine charms and gentle persuasion. Through gently guiding their men folk into believing that the idea or the thought was there own. Men have been bought up with the notion to protect, whilst women had been bought up with the notion to nurture. John Steinbeck’s two narrative texts, Cannery Row and “The Chrysanthemums” both convey the values and attitudes of the 1930’s, which are revealed through class and gender. Through the use of class representation, Steinbeck has managed to comment on poverty, different levels of class in society and also how people are judged on their material possessions and on the amount of money they earn. Through the use of gender Steinbeck has commented on the stereotypes of gender, genders place in society and how certain genders try to overcome their stereotype. These values and attitudes are conveyed through the establishment of the characters in both texts. In the novel Cannery Row, John Steinbeck develops the structure within the society and demonstrates and creates characters that do whatever it takes to survive in life. Where as in the short story “The Chrysanthemum-s”, he writes about how life evolves. These meanings are produced through the use of Darwin’s Theory. “A man looking at reality brings his own limitations to the world, if he has strength and energy of mind the tide pool stretches both ways, digs back to electrons and leaps space into universe and fights out of the moment of non-conceptual time. Then ecology has a synonym which is ALL” Steinbeck relates life culture, values and class of Cannery Road to the structures of the tidal pools. The story is set in the after hours, when the Cannery has closed, when the workers have left and only the inhabitants of the street are left. As within the tidal pool, when the tide recedes and the ocean draws back, the tidal pools are still full of life, the remnants left behind. The different life structures of the tidal pool directly relate with the social structure of Cannery Row. The lowest status at the bottom of the pool (the mussels and limpets), above the starfish who feed on them, the eels who hide in crevices, only coming out to feed. Hermit crabs scampering on the bottom, always on the lookout for an empty shell, which might be bigger and better than the one, they have. All to be silenced when the tide comes back in, but to start all over again when it recedes and the ocean draws back. When the Cannery has closed the story revolves around the people left behind. Mack and the boys are at the bottom end of the social structure, the scavengers, who feed on everyone else.
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