The paper before the rough draft.

 If you could give your own soul to save millions, would you?

-Ventresca (angels & demons). 

            Mac McLeod is the true protagonist in the novel In Dubious Battle.  Some might cast him as the mole in "the Party" (American Communist Party) or to go as far in calling him the antagonist. In actuality he is the fast-talking, quick thinking unsung hero of the crops picketing movement. Mac McLeod has the essentials in becoming a revolutionary activist.  He did what it took; he had the leadership, and did it for the cause. 

         John Steinbeck starts off by introducing Jim Nolan as the lost soul who was looking for meaning in his life. Jim had join the “ The Party” which already consists of Joy the firecracker, Dick Halsing the charmer, and Mac McLeod. From the first few chapter we find that’s Mac is the head honcho with this division. He is the one that barking order and everyone else would fall in line. “…..Tell George to try to get Joy to keep his mouth shut. And when you do that, Dick, you make the rounds and try to pickup some bail money---in case.” “Can’t I eat first?” Dick asked.  “Hell, no. Get George down there.  Here, give me ten of the twenty, Jim and I are going down to the Torgas Vakket tomorrow”(24).

          Mac McLeod is not going to win an award for the “most honest man in the world.”  But, he did whatever it took to get the job done.  It might have been undermined some people or he had stretch the truth from time to time.  However, Mac McLeod did what had to be done. “Do you ever go the Rosanna Fight Staduim?” Mac asked.  “Yeah, and what of it” the stranger replied.  “You’re a God-damn liar,” Mac said, “ If you went there, you’d know who I am, and you’d take better care of yourself”(29). A few pages later Jim would ask Mac.  “Are you really a prize-fighter, Mac”  “Hell no.  He was the easiest kind of a sucker”(31). He was no mother Teresa but Mac had made the strangers back off and leave without starting any trouble. 

         Mac also had played Doctor in order for him and Jim to get in good with the men.  After the birth of the Lisa's baby, Mac would wash down Lisa down.  “Now get all this out of here” he told London.  “ Burn all these rags” London asked, “Even the cloths you didn’t use?” “Yep. Burn it all.  It’s no good”(47). This action would raise eyes brown from Jim. Jim asked, “You didn’t need all that cloth, why did you tell London to burn it?” “ Look Jim, Don’t you see? Every man who gave part of his clothes felt that the work was his own. They all feel reasonable for the baby ” (49). This remarkably move would be the verge to where they became the talk of the town. Mac was really never a doctor but his thinking quickly on his feet made “the reds” a factor in the begging stage of the protesting. The trust bond between London and rest the men was achieved on that night. 

That same night is where Mac establishes he had leadership quality.  He was like a general command his men in a platoon.  “ Now you, and you and you get a big fire going. And you get a couple of big kettles.  There ough to be some five-gallon cans around, The rest of you gather up cloth; get anything, handkerchiefs, old shirts---anything, as long as its white.”  In situation like that, can you see Jim stepping up to the plate and knocking one out of the ballpark? Mac is the natural born leader.

There was a scene where London had to make a speech on behave of Joy funeral. But fail to make an impression on the mob of men. So, Mac took it on him self and went to stages and gave a monumental speech that motivated the men to keep on going.  “ That guy’s name was Joy.  He was a radical!  Get it? A radical. He wanted guys like you to have enough to eat and a place to sleep where you wouldn’t get wet, He didn’t want nothing for himself. He was a radical!” (177). But, you are think is that this is not his fist strike. However, he makes that speech on impulse.  And all those words are true to the last periods. Joy was more than his friends it was Mac’s family. 

Naturally specking, Joy and Mac have the same incentives as any other radical. They were neither in it of the money nor for any prized or praises.  They live for the   causes and only the cause.  One-man sacrifices can save a thousand men.  That is what Mac wants us to understand why he had used Joy death to rejuvenate the rage within the mobs. “He’s done the first real, useful thing in his life.  Poor Joy.  He’s done it.  He’d be so glad”(128). “Don’t feel sorry for Joy.  If he could know what he did he’d be cocky.  Joy always wanted to led people, and now he’s going to do it even if he’s in a box” (131).  Joy would of wanted to have his remained as the slingshot to raise the men to their feet and to keep the fight going. 

         Mac McLeod is the real McCoy and was overshadow by Jim Nolan one inspiring act of insanely.  Mac kept his cool and temper thought out this journey.  He used his resources around him to get what need to be accomplishes.   He also took the leadership role amongst  the men and he never ask for anything in return.  Those are the quality of the protagonist in any novel.  He was obi one Kenobi and Jim Nolan was Luke skywalker.  

Unfinished and need lots of work I know.  I don't like it at all.