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John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck. 1902-1968. Background. Salinas, California = small town of 3,000 Father : Manager of a flour plant Mother : teacher Community roots Began writing at 14 1919: Stanford classical and British literature, writing courses, and a smattering of science

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John Steinbeck

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  1. John Steinbeck 1902-1968

  2. Background • Salinas, California = small town of 3,000 • Father: Manager of a flour plant • Mother: teacher • Community roots • Began writing at 14 • 1919: Stanford • classical and British literature, writing courses, and a smattering of science • "had no other interests or talents that I could make out. He was a writer, but he was that and nothing else" (Benson 69).

  3. Works • Tortilla Flat – First novel • Of Mice and Men : play-novelette • Lennie and George • The Grapes of Wrath: focuses on the Depression/migrant workers • East of Eden • 16 novels • a collection of short stories • four screenplays, • a sheaf of journalistic essays • three travel narratives • two published journals (more remain unpublished) • Three "play-novelettes" ran on Broadway: • Of Mice and Men, The Moon Is Down, and Burning Bright, as did the musical Pipe

  4. Impact • Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962 • Nearly thirty Academy Award nominations and four Academy Awards were given for adaptations of John Steinbeck stories. • 4 different awards given in his honor • Died: arteriosclerosis in New York City

  5. Of Mice and Men • 1930s: struggles and hardships of many Americans during the great depression and the dust bowl • George and Lennie (mental disability) – migrant workers • Themes • Fraternity and the Idealized Male Friendship • The Impossibility of the American Dream • Loneliness and Companionship • Innocence • Freedom and Confinement

  6. Of Mice and Men • Style: play/novelette • 3rd person objective point of view (dramatic) • Novel characterization: speech & action only • Very little description & no internal thought • Each chapter begins new setting (think plays) • Setting remains the same in the entire chapter • Dialogue is slang, profanity & uneducated pronunciations (story of the common man) • Takes places in 3 days

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