Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Menby John Steinbeckby John SteinbeckIntroduction

John SteinbeckJohn SteinbeckBorn February 27, 1902 – Salinas,

CA (Died 1968)◦Grandson of German and Irish

immigrants◦Father and Grandfather – independent

businessmen (flour mill)◦Mother was the daughter of a CA

rancher She was a schoolteacher

Family was well-cultured◦Books were prized possessions

Early YearsEarly YearsJohn always wanted to be a writer

Made all “B”s in school◦Went to Stanford University

Dropped out after 5 years – didn’t graduate

Moved to NY when he was 23◦Unsuccessful – moved back to CA

Married Carol Henning in 1930◦Divorced in 1942

Success!Success!Tortilla Flats – 1935

◦ Wife Carol supported them both while he wrote

Of Mice and Men – 1937◦ Financial and critical success◦ Produced on Broadway

Drama Critics’ Circle Award

The Grapes of Wrath – 1939◦ Pulitzer Prize Winner

Nobel Prize for Literature - 1962

Historical ContextHistorical ContextThe Great Depression (1929)

◦ Labor struggles in California (farming)◦ Mechanical combines replaced workers

Migrant workers partially unemployed – climate of farming◦ Max earnings $400/year – average

$300/year◦ 1910 – foreign low wage workers

“Bindle-stiffs”◦ Single, white men – follow the harvest◦ No unions◦ WWII

ThemesThemesIdealism vs. RealityAlienation and Loneliness

◦Race and RacismClass Conflict

◦Unfeeling, modern, materialistic society

Mental Disability◦Separation, rejection

FriendshipLoyalty

StyleStylePoint of View

◦Objective◦3rd person - impersonal

Setting◦California’s Salinas Valley – Agriculture◦The Great Depression

Symbolism◦Safety = riverbank, rabbits, dreams

Foreshadowing