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John Steinbeck

Explore the life and works of Nobel Prize-winning American writer John Steinbeck. From his humble beginnings in Salinas, California, to the global recognition of his novels reflecting American society. Discover how he captured the essence of human struggles during the Great Depression and beyond. Special attention to "Of Mice and Men" and "The Grapes of Wrath." Witness his impactful journey through insightful travels across the US in "Travels with Charley." Uncover the timeless themes of compassion, resilience, and the pursuit of the American Dream in Steinbeck's acclaimed literature.

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John Steinbeck

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  1. John Steinbeck A Great American Writer

  2. Biography • Born 1902 Salinas, California • Died 1968 NYC • Mother - teacher • Went to Stanford no degree • Married 3 times...son Tom (1944) John IV son (1946) • Awarded 1962 Nobel Prize • Awarded US Medal of Freedom by President Johnson 1964 • Issued…1979 stamp

  3. Biography Continued… • 1st 3 books financial failures...took on odd jobs...found out feelings of working people • 1935 Tortilla Flat brought him recognition • 1937 Of Mice and Men...best seller...book of the month...respected author • 1939 The Grapes of Wrath...Pulitzer

  4. His Works • Show compassion for the lonely • Probe and question American values • Discuss human capacity to overcome evil

  5. Travels with Charlie subtitle In Search of America • Published in 1962 • Lost touch with his country and its people • Decided to reestablish ties by driving west • Travelled Maine to California along northern route. ..return along the southern route

  6. List of All Novels • Cup of Gold (1929) • To A God Unknown (1933) • Tortilla Flat (1935) • In Dubious Battle (1936) • Of Mice and Men (1937) • Red Pony, the (1937) • Grapes of Wrath, the (1939) • Moon Is Down, the (1942) • Cannery Row (1945) • Wayward Bus, the (1947) • Pearl, the (1948) • Burning Bright (1950) • East of Eden (1952) • Sweet Thursday (1954) • Short Reign of Pippin IV, the (1957) • Winter of Our Discontent, the (1961) • Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, the (1976)

  7. List of Movies • 1939—Of Mice and • 1940—The Grapes of • 1941—The Forgotten • 1942—Tortilla • 1943—The Moon is Down • 1944—A Medal for • 1947—La Perla (The Pearl, Mexico) • 1949—The Red • 1952—Viva Zapata • 1955—East of Eden • 1956—The Wayward Bus • 1961—Flight • 1962—Ikimize bir dünya (Of Mice and Men, Turkey) • 1972—Topoli (Of Mice and Men, Iran) • 1982—Cannery Row • 1992—Of Mice and Men—directed by Gary Sinise and starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinise

  8. The Great DepressionCauses • Farm failures…producing large numbers…prices fell 40%...forced off land because loan payments • Bank failures…more than 550 banks closed because loss of farm jobs and lower prices • Lower wages…factory workers…competition of people moving north…cut in personnel • Stock market boom to crash…buying stocks on margin (people borrowed money to buy stocks hoping to sell at profit) • Black Thursday (Oct. 24) followed by Black Tuesday (Oct.29)…stocks became worthless

  9. The Great DepressionEffects • Savings lost • Unemployment...13 million could not find jobs…25% of workforce…some accepted salary cuts • Homelessness • Starvation • Hopelessness…riding the rails…many young males left the home and rode freight trains to other areas to hopefully find work…wandering (hoboes) • Hoovervilles (neighborhoods of broken down shacks)…people lost homes…people moved in w/relatives • Bread lines…churches and charities set up soup kitchens

  10. The Great DepressionEffects • Schools different…taxes…hired fewer teachers…some classes 50 kids…no textbooks or supplies…no nurses even though kids sick b/c of conditions • Kids could not afford to go to school…either care for kids at home or work • Time frame changed…shorter year • New Deal • CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp.) WPA (Works Progress Administration), FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, bank holidays, SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission)

  11. History of the Migrant Worker • Economical and ecological forces brought rural and poor migrant worker from Great Plains to California • After WWI recession led to drop in the market price of farm crops • So people had to produce more • To meet demand farmers brought more land and invested in equipment but that led to debt • Stock market crashed in 1929, and banks foreclosed on mortgages

  12. History of the Migrant Worker • Farmers lost property and forced to find other work • Increase in farming caused soil to erode • Erosion and drought was bad for 17 years (1931 started)…. led to the dust bowl • Left and went to California…The Promised land • Migrant workers called Oakies…20 % from Oklahoma • Farming was truly a tough life

  13. The Dust Bowl • Great Plains • 1931-1937…brutal drought…virtually no rain • Insect invasion…swarms of grasshoppers eating everything in their path • Winds…black blizzards…dust seeped into every crack…doors and windows…breathing difficult…wind stripped away top soil…blew all the way to the Atlantic…ships covered w/it…had to shovel it • Moved to other areas…jalopies…camped along the way • California…promise land

  14. The Dust Bowl

  15. The Dust Bowl

  16. Of Mice and Men • Published • Original title… Something that Happened • Made into movies…1939 and 1992

  17. Characters • George • Lennie • Curley • Curley’s Wife • Slim • Candy • Crooks • Carlson • The Boss

  18. Setting • Salinas Valley Area in California (thought to be the Garden of Eden) • Soledad…loneliness • Grips of the Depression…1930’s • Ranch…is a microcosm of a world of uneducated lower class people who are trying with little success to change their lives

  19. Title Reference • It is an allusion to Robert Burns’ poem, “To a Mouse” • 1785 poem written • “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft a’ gley” • The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray

  20. Symbols • Names…Small, Candy, Crooks, Soledad • Rabbits • What they are striving for • Hopes

  21. Form and Structure • Allegory…story with an underlying message…the good life is impossible • Realistic….slice of life • Naturalistic…environment of the time • Circular • 3 days • 3 days of suffering

  22. Exhibits at National Steinbeck Center

  23. Culture of 1930’s • People • Amelia Earhart…1st woman to fly solo across Atlantic • Jessie Owens…African American athlete...4 gold medals in track and field 1936…Olympics Berlin • Art • Mt. Rushmore completed by Gutzon Borglum • Jason Pollock artist • Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center • Education • School terms shortened because depression led to short money supply-taxes • Dick and Jane books

  24. Culture continued… • Fashion and Fads • Hobby…stamp collecting • Monopoly…20, 000 sets sold in a week in 1935 • Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio • Zipper used in clothes • Literature • Writers • F. Scott Fitzgerald • Hemingway • Steinbeck • Wilder • Music • Duke Ellington • Benny Goodman • Glenn Miller • 1931 Star Spangled Banner

  25. Culture continued… • Radio • 80% people owned one by 1939 • Jack Benny Show…Lone Ranger…soap operas…The Shadow • Science/Technology • NY World’s Fair 1939 World of Tomorrow • Einstein immigrated to US in 1933 professor at Princeton • Better refrigeration • Nylon made • 1938 photocopying started • Theater and Film • Hollywood flourished • Clark Gable…Bette Davis…Shirley Temple • Gone with the Wind

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