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JOHN STEINBECK

Explore the life and literary works of John Steinbeck, including his background, successful books, and writing style. Learn about the themes and characters in his masterpiece, "The Grapes of Wrath", set during the Great Depression.

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JOHN STEINBECK

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  1. JOHN STEINBECK OF MICE AND MEN BACKGROUND

  2. STEINBECK—HIS LIFE AND WORKS A.BORN IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA (1902) B. FIRST THREE BOOKS WERE FINANCIAL FAILURES C. FIRST SUCCESSFUL BOOK = TORTILLA FLAT (1935)

  3. STEINBECK’S LIFE CONTINUED D. MASTERPIECE = THE GRAPES OF WRATH ABOUT A FAMILY DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION WON A PULITZER PRIZE IN 1940. E. HE BEGAN WRITING BECAUSE HIS MOM, A TEACHER, READ CLASSICAL LITERATURE TO HIM. F. ATTENDED STANFORD UNIVERSITY; LEFT WITHOUT A DEGREE. HENRY FONDA IN THE GRAPES OF WRATH STANFORD UNIVERSITY

  4. STEINBECK’S LIFE CONTINUED G. LIVED IN MIGRANT CAMPS TO WORK AND ASSOCIATE WITH THE PEOPLE ABOUT WHOM HE WROTE. H. PERSONALITY—SHY, SHUNNED PUBLIC ATTENTION. MIGRANT CAMP IN CALIFORNIA IN 1930s

  5. STEINBECK’S WRITING A. HIS STORIES ARE BASED ON FACT. B. OFTEN SET IN CA AND FOCUS ON NATURE WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS. C. HE HUMANIZED THE WORKING CLASS OUTCAST OR “LOSER.”

  6. STEINBECK’S WRITING CONT. D. ALLEGORICAL WRITING: SYMBOLS, FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, etc. E. RAISING WARENESS OF ALL IN SOCIETY.

  7. The Roaring Twenties $ movie Gin

  8. THE NOVEL—OF MICE AND MEN A. PLACE SETTING: A SMALL RANCH NEAR THE SALINAS RIVER IN CALIFORNIA MIGRANT WORKERS DURING THE DEPRESSION

  9. Steinbeck’s America

  10. TIME SETTING—THE GREAT DEPRESSION (1930s) 1. TIME OF GREAT DESPAIR—PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS, HOMES, SECURITY, AND THEIR HOPE.

  11. “SHACK HOUSE” IN CALIFORNIA DURING THE 30S

  12. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS (a.) The Dust Bowl— dust storms in the Great Plains caused many to move from their homes to California. (b.) Vast droughts and flooding. CAR ESCAPING STORM DUST STORM IN S. DAKOTA

  13. EFFECTS OF A DUST STORM

  14. MORE PROBLEMS 3. ROOTLESSNESS AND POVERTY 4. FDR— THE NEW DEAL (INTRODUCED MINIMUM WAGE, WELFARE, SOCIAL SECURITY, WORK CARDS, AND JOB CREATION). PRESIDENT FDR AT HIS DESK

  15. THE NOVEL’S STYLE OR GENRE 1. GENRE—PLAY-NOVELLETE (CHARACTERS ARE DEVELOPED THROUGH SPEECH AND ACTION RATHER THAN THE AUTHOR TELLING YOU THEIR THOUGHTS.) 2. WRITING STYLE—CONCISE, REALISTIC LANGUAGE

  16. THEMES A. FRIENDSHIP B. LONELINESS C. LIFEWORTH/PURPOSE D. DISILLUSIONMENT WITH THE AMERICAN DREAM

  17. CHARACTERS

  18. George: • A migrant worker who travels from farm to farm for work during the Depression. • Cares for Lennie, his childhood friend who is mentally disabled • Lennie: • A large mentally disabled man. • Obsesses over touching soft things such as hair and fur • Dreams of having a farm with George and raisingrabbits Characters • Candy: • An old, crippled man who has lost his hand • Swamper at the ranch • Curley: • Son of ranch owner • Formidable pugilist

  19. Curley’s Wife: • Considered a tramp by most of the ranch men • Doesn’t have a name • Crooks: • Stable buck of the ranch • Only Black man • Carlson: • Large man who complains about Candy’s old dog • Offers to put the dog down Characters • Slim: • Ranch foreman • Wise man • Boss: • Suspects George and Lennie when they arrive late • Fair man

  20. Robert Burns http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse

  21. Analysis • Microcosm: The ranch is a microcosm of the world. The ranch and characters represent the world and people in general. • Lennie, Curley’s wife, Candy, and Crooks represent the lonely imperfect people in the world. • The boss represents the bosses and higher position people in the world. • Curley represents the spoiled pugilist type of people who think they can control by physical strength. • George and Slim represent the caretakers of the world. He is a hard worker who makes sure work gets done.

  22. SOURCES library.thinkquest.org/ TQ0312210/Dustbowl.html www.yankton.net/images/ 091499/DustBowl.jpg www.usatoday.com/weather/ resources/climate/20... www.perfecteconomy.com/ principal---federal-re... http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/afctshtml/tsme.html

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