...property. Having lived through this time period, John Steinbeck, the author of the novel The Grapes of Wrath is no stranger to the conditions these people lived in. Traveling with migrant farm workers for a few years in Salinas California, John adopted a very specific philosophical theory from the many influences around him. John Steinbeck’s philosophical theory, including transcendentalism and the concept of the oversoul, humanism, earthy democracy, and pragmatism, all play an important role in the development of his characters in The Grapes of Wrath. To begin, one of the most important characters in the novel, Jim Casy, “the preacher”, single-handedly interprets and embodies the philosophy of the author John Steinbeck and the novel itself. Tom Joad and Jim Casy cross paths while Tom was on his way home to find his family after just being released from prison. The two men, having been long time friends, decide to walk together and catch up. Jim vents to Tom, and tells him about not preaching anymore. “I was a preacher,” the man [Jim Casy] said seriously, “but not no more” (Steinbeck 41). Casy had struggled with being a minister because he viewed himself as wildly unorthodox. He rarely practiced what he preached, and that was a problem for him. A series of events very similar to Casy’s was that of Ralph Waldo Emerson, who gave up his ministry because of his own unorthodoxy. Emerson, being one of Steinbeck’s idols, made Steinbeck a firm believer in...
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...November 2012 John Steinbeck: A Champion for the Common Man Born with the hand of a writer, John Steinbeck’s career sparked great political controversy, and greatly influenced the writings of his time. Widely considered one of America’s greatest novelists, his books are still frequently studied in school. Among his many accomplishments is the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. With notable works such as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, he expressed his dissatisfaction with capitalism and his sympathy for the struggle of the common worker in a way that captured the world’s attention – which resulted in some of his work even being banned. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck explores the pervasive theme of loneliness and illustrates the fallacy of the American Dream. Widely considered his masterpiece, however, is The Grapes of Wrath which depicts the struggle of a family of Oklahoman farmers who are forced into a migratory existence due to the drought and dust storms following the Great Depression. When considering both The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, it is clear Steinbeck drew from his own personal experiences as a laborer when writing each of these novels. On February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California, John and Olive Steinbeck welcomed their third child and only son, John Ernst Steinbeck. John Ernst Steinbeck, Sr. was a county treasurer and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck was a schoolteacher. By all accounts, Steinbeck enjoyed a happy...
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...John Steinbeck was a famous man whom made great additions to literature. Writing classics such as “Of Mice and Men,” “Once There Was a War,” and others. All of his stories were quick to talk about human nature of some sort. Then in 1962 when he received the Nobel Prize, he openly expressed his opinion on what a writer should be making its readers feel. Mankind can either win or lose the battle internally as well as externally. Humans can conquer anything when we rule out fear, even though from time to time many all get lonely needing something to remind us of our homes. Steinbeck’s ideas were that a writer should be able to show the reality of life; to show that life is a war for every single person. In every single story mentioned from Steinbeck, he has shown that the real war is internal. Internal of course being inside of us, he showed that fear and any sort of emotion can make something so much harder to decide the next step. In that book the only person who seemed to understand the internal stirring was Slim. Who clearly said “You hadda, George. I swear you hadda.” Also, the understanding was very clear in the movie as well. As the men rode to look for Lennie, Slim looked at George and they both nodded at each other in a very knowing manner. George was trying to figure out how to protect Lennie while retaining the safety of the others around him. In Of Mice and Men at the very end of the book George had to make a serious decision that would affect him for the rest of...
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...success, he was awarded the nobel peace prize Married the singer Gwyndolyn Conger In 1944, his first son Thom was born He divorced his second wife in 1948 and married his third wife in 1950 In 1963 he travelled to Europe on a United states Information Agency cultural tour He died on December 20, 1969 and was buried in the garden of memories cemetery, Salinas. 2. Philosophy in his acceptance speech. In steinbeck’s acceptance speech, he stresses the importance of literature in the plight of mankind. His philosophy is that humans need literature in their lives to express all that is great about living. He also expresses that it is the responsibility of the writer to express the the perfectibility of man. 3. what influenced Steinbeck. Steinbeck wrote of mice and men to depict what the migrant workers and farm labourers went through. His experience as a farmer influenced him to write this story because he witnessed first-hand what they endured. He also lived in the time of the great depression. 4. other major works. The Grapes of Wrath written in 1939 and won the Pulitzer prize. East of Eden Written in 1952...
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...“The Red Pony” by John Steinbeck – Critical Analysis John Steinbeck an American writer was born in the year 1902 and died in the year 1968.During his time, Steinbeck was one of the most accomplished writers and his literary works received massive popularity. Most of his novels and short stories were performed as plays on stage and that is one reason why he was among the best sellers during his era. One of his great accomplishments for his involvement in literature was the Literature Nobel Prize he won in 1962. Steinbeck wrote a total of twenty seven books and some of his most common books include; “The grapes of Wrath” written in 1939, the 1952 “East of Eden, The 1937 short novel “Mice and men” (John, pg 23). John Steinbeck spent much of his early life in a rural part of America and worked on various ranches with migrants ‘on spreckler ranch and other nearby ranches during his summers. He attended Salinas high school and later joined Stanford University, although he never graduated. He did various odd jobs before beginning his career as a writer. Steinbeck wrote his first novel Cup of Gold which was published in 1929.Other books he wrote were; the pastures of heaven (1932), The Red Pony (1933), Tortilla Flat (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), and many others. During his career, Stein beck was involved in various issues and correspondence. Most of his literary works revolved around his life as well as the issues that affected people then (John, pg 56). One of the issues he wrote...
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...Monterey County John Ernst Jr. Steinbeck is one of the most respected and honored American writers among our society today. In many classrooms around the world, his books are still mandated as reading requirements and there are many museums and centers dedicated to this esteemed author. John Steinbeck has won numerous awards for his books, most notably the Pulitzer Prize for his fictional novel, The Grapes of Wrath in 1940, and the Nobel Prize in literature in 1962 based on his entire body of work. Steinbeck’s other awards, which are typically less known are included in the following chart: WORK | YEAR | AWARD | MEDIUM | “The Murder” | 1934 | O. Henry Award | Print | Tortilla Flat | 1935 | Commonwealth Club of California Gold Medal for Best Novel by a Californian | Print | In Dubious Battle | 1936 | Ibid | Print | Of Mice and Men | 1938 | N.Y Drama Critic’s Circle Award | Play | “The Promise” | 1938 | O. Henry Award | Print | Of Mice and Men | 1939 | American Bookseller’s Award | Print | LifeBoat | 1944 | Academy Award nominee for Best Story | Print | A Medal for Benny | 1945 | Ibid | Print | The Moon is Down | 1946 | King Haakon Liberty Cross | Print | Viva Zapata! | 1952 | Academy Award nominee for Best Original Screenplay | Play | N/A | 1963 | Honorary Consultant in American Literature to the Library of Congress | N/A | N/A | 1964 | U.S Medal of Freedom; Press Medal of Freedom | N/A | Based on this list of awards Steinbeck earned throughout his literary...
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...John Steinbeck John Steinbeck’s career as a writer led, led him to becoming a great American Novelist. When Steinbeck started his literary after dropping out of college, he was going nowhere. His work showed his inexperience, and it would be years before his writing would mature. Once he gained the experience he needed, his books were becoming top sellers and he became a distinguished author. The focus of his works was to reveal conditions in American work life. He particularly helped express what the conditions for farm hands were like. What made John Steinbeck a great American author is how he tried to help improve American’s life with his writing throughout his life. It is this focus is what makes him a true American author. “John Steinbeck was born February 17, 1902 in Salinas, California” (Gale). He was raised in a large family, “He was the only son and the third of four children of Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a school teacher and John Ernst Steinbeck, manager and eventually owner of the Sperry Flour Mill, later treasurer of Monterey County” (Bernhard). His family was wealthy and down to earth allowing young Steinbeck an easy childhood, leaving a lasting impression in his literature. “The Salinas Valley, the rugged hills surrounding it, and the coastal flats bordering Monterey Bay … later became the backdrop for much of his fiction” (Bernhard). Both of Steinbeck’s parents actively stimulated his literature, but “Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck … fostered Steinbeck’s love of...
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...The destruction of society Steinbeck explores the cause of greed in the society of La Paz as the result of colonial capitalism , thus through the destruction of society Steinbeck is cautioning the consequences of societal structures fundamentally based around the procurement of personal desires and therefore greed. In The Pearl, Steinbeck creates a microcosm of human interactions; these interactions form the basis of society in both the native and Spanish community, thus Steinbeck’s dysfunctional portrayal of the relationships within society is ultimately a reflection of the problematic nature of capitalism. Moreover, Steinbeck’s view of capitalism is also highlighted by how easily the society of La Paz deteriorates when the character’s...
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...The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a great book that depicts how greed can corrupt a man. The Pearl is best known for its surplus of imagery and symbolism. One example of symbolism Steinbeck incorporated in the book is Kino’s boat. Kino’s boat can be seen as a symbol for family. His family was all pearl divers and the boat had been passed down from generation to generation. The songs that Kino hears are also symbols. They symbolize what is going around him. For example, when Kino first sees the pearl in its shell, he hears the Song of the Pearl That Might Be, also, when the doctor enters Kino’s home, he hears the Song of Evil. Another example of symbolism Steinbeck included is the pearl itself. When Kino first finds the pearl, it is seen as...
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...Salinas, California, John Steinbeck was born. The setting of most of his fiction work was from his life in Monterey County. Between 1920 and 1926, he attended Stanford University. He ended up not graduating from Stanford. He instead chose to take up manual labor, later on creating the real life experiences for the main characters in some of his most famous novels. The first novel Steinbeck published was Cup of Gold in 1929. He then released The Pastures of Heaven and then To a God Unknown, which was in 1933. These three works of Steinbeck were considered unsuccessful. In 1935, Steinbeck finally had his first hit, called Tortilla Flat. In 1936 he released the novel In Dubious Battle. This was his first novel to enclose the impactful social commentary that defines his best work. He received more praise for writing the novella Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck won a Pulitzer Prize for writing The Grapes of Wrath. This is considered one of his greatest works, and maybe even one of the greatest works of all time. It also won him a National Book Award. There was later on a movie made for it. Later on he went and collected marine life in Mexico with an independent biologist named Edward Ricketts. The two worked together to write Sea of Cortez in 1941. During World War II, Steinbeck served as a war correspondent. When World War II ended, he published Cannery Row, The Pearl, and The Bus. These works were more sentimental and softened than his previous works. In 1930, Steinbeck married a woman named...
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...achieve the great American dream. In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows loneliness and the need for companionship through characters, conflict, and setting. Steinbeck depicts the effects of loneliness through characters in Of Mice and Men. Curley’s wife is possibly the loneliest character demonstrated in the book Of Mice and Men. She says, “I never get to talk to nobody.” (Steinbeck 86) This quote suggests it isn’t just Lennie and George who distance themselves from Curley’s wife; it is...
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...Author John Steinbeck, who is considered one of the greatest American Authors of his time, wrote during the Modernism period. Particularly, in his work titled The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939. We can see evidence of the characteristics, themes and style identified with the Modernist movement which was extant in American letters between the late nineteenth century and the mid twentieth century. As a representative of such a movement, John Steinbeck then remains one of the most identifiable and iconic writers of his era. Born in California, John Steinbeck came from a family of moderate means. He worked his way through college at Stanford University but never graduated. In 1925 he went to New York, where he tried for a few years to establish himself as a freelance writer, but he failed to do so and returned to California. After publishing some novels and short stories, Steinbeck first became widely known with Tortilla Flat (1935), a series of humorous stories about Monterey's paisanos. Steinbeck’s novels can all be categorized as social novels, dealing with the economic difficulties of rural labor, though there is a streak of worship of the genuinity in his books, which does not always agree with his approach. After the rough and...
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...The Pearl Literary Analysis In 1947 John Steinbeck wrote a novel, “The Pearl”, about exposing social injustices practiced on a poor indigenous community of pearl divers in La paz Mexico. John used the pearl as multiple motifs to make the theme during the book. The indigenous pearl divers of La Paz would never break out of poverty, even when they find a big beautiful pearl.The reason is that the people who live in the town would never allow it by stealing, tracking, and even killing. This book is exposing it secretly with the pearl representing something different throughout the book. In the beginning of the book the pearl represents hope and opportunity. The quote is “On the surface of the great pearl he could see dreams from” (19). The quote means that with the pearl they could do things that they only thought of in their dreams. The pearl represents something else, which is evil. Everything that the family thought would be so good went downhill very fast. “He felt cloth, struck at it with his knife and missed, and struck again and felt his knife go through cloth” (37). Kino, the main character, is attacking someone trying to steal the pearl in the middle of the night....
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...Explore the way in which Steinbeck uses language and attitudes to represent the harsh discrimination of those times. Steinbeck has consciously crafted language in order to depict the harsh discrimination in that specific era. Racism and gender divide is a prominent problem, and this is displayed through the use of his characters; Crooks, a segregated, crippled African- American and Curleys wife, a faceless female objectified by many a man. The readership can visualise the extent of this problem due to the apparent language, which is used to illuminate the less obvious emotions, hidden away by the hard exterior of each character. Curley’s wife is initially introduced as a ‘girl’. The authorship used this de-grading word show highlight that during that era women were not valued in society. They were seen as weak, as well as naïve. The readership can sense the sensitivity in the marginalisation. Even before she has entered a room, negative de-valuing thoughts are passed around, such as “rat trap” and “jail bait”. Which influences other judgements. George and Lennie are told to stay away from her before they have even become acquainted. Curleys wife, knows she is not respected, she realises that she is small and insignificant. However she wishes to overcome the metaphorical chains that bound her self-worth to Curley’s belief that she belongs to him. Hence ‘Curley’s Wife’. This is apparent when we are presented with a “…heavily made up” woman. The word ‘heavily’ suggests that she...
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...What delusions, disguised as opportunities, ruin the lives of decent men? The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, explores in simple language the At first, the pearl symbolizes a way out of Kino’s poverty status, but by the end of the novel, the pearl embodies Kino’s soul. As a poor pearl fisher, Kino belongs to the bottom of society, dwelling in a “brush house in the tuna clump”, but this changes when he produces a lucky find (1). “...of the great pearl he could see dream forms. He picked the pearl from the dying flesh and... saw that its curve was perfect” (19). Kino’s gift stems from the death of the oyster, and since he expects the full benefits of a gift forcefully taken from life, he obtains Steinbeck’s mockery- ‘dream forms’, wishes beyond...
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