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Learn about John Steinbeck, his famous novels like "Of Mice and Men," the impact of the Great Depression, and civil rights struggles relevant to his era. Discover the significant events that shaped Steinbeck's writing and the societal challenges he addressed.
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John Steinbeck • Born in Salinas, California, in 1902. • Most famous novels include Tortilla Flat, Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, and The Grapes of Wrath. • Awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1939. • Awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962. • Died in 1968.
Of Mice and Men • Published in 1937. • Set during the Great Depression in Salinas, California. • About two migrant farm workers, George and Lennie, who are chasing the American Dream. • Lennie is mentally handicapped.
The Great Depression • The stock market crashed on October 24, 1929, now called “Black Thursday”. • An estimated $30 billion in stock values were lost by mid-November. • Millions of people lost their jobs, businesses, and homes. • Although Franklin Roosevelt instituted the New Deal in 1933, unemployment was still high. • In 1941, America became involved in World War 2, which created many jobs for Americans.
Rights for the Mentally Ill • In the 1900s, there was much prejudice against the mentally ill. • Procedures intended to “fix” mental retardation: • Hypnotism • Electrotherapy • Lobotomy • In 1946, the National Mental Health Act was signed and allowed for more research. • Deinstitutionalization occurred in the mid-1960s.
Civil Rights • 13th amendment ended slavery. • 14th amendment granted African Americans citizenship. • 15th amendment gave African Americans the right to vote. • Racial tension and membership in the Ku Klux Klan was high in the 1920s. • Until 1965, Jim Crow laws created second-class status to African Americans.
