John Steinbeck is perhaps most famous for writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath, but there are many other books that were written by John Steinbeck that also incorporate the American Dream into their themes. A summary of each book follows along with how they involve this dream in some regard. ” John Ernst Steinbeck Jr was born on February 27 in, 1902 Salinas, California to parents who were both immigrants from Germany.
John’s mother taught him to read when he was only three years old and throughout his life, John loved reading so much so that it seemed almost impossible for him to have a book out at any time during his life. John attended Stanford University where he joined a fraternity called Alpha Tau Omega before graduating in 1925. John was often short of money when he was in school and had to work many jobs in order to help pay for his tuition (The John Steinbeck Society).
John’s first major success came with the publishing of The Red Pony in 1937, which won John Steinbeck a second-place prize from the Story magazine contest. John went on to publish more books, winning him awards such as Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940 and Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 (John Ernst Steinbeck). John usually wrote about the struggles that people went through during his time period. This is evident through most of his novels but is especially true with Of Mice and Men.
When John graduated from high school, there were no job opportunities available in the post-recession economy, John was forced to go work in a canning factory with his family. John’s experiences in this factory helped John paint a better picture of what it was like for most people during that time, which is evident in Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck has been quoted saying how he wanted “to put a tag of shame” on the social system of America at the time.
It seems John attempts to do so through most of his novels (John Ernst Steinbeck Society). One book that makes reference to the American Dream is The Winter of Our Discontent. This novel takes place in New England where Ethan Allen Hawley is working for an old friend who runs a grocery store, but after receiving news that his wife is expecting a child, Ethan decides to tell his boss that he cannot work anymore.
Soon after, John Steinbeck’s main character finds himself in the same predicament as John Steinbeck himself. John had lived most of his life trying to do what was right but soon realized that he too would have to find another means of income. John worked on this book for quite some time until during one night out at a local bar John got into an argument with someone about how most books are written about “the average man”.
John retaliated by saying how most people are average and they need stories about them too not just those who were famous or rich (The John Steinbeck Society). The American Dream is often described as the idea that no matter who you are, what your background is, or where you come from that with hard work and determination anyone can succeed. John Steinbeck had many stories about average people who dream of bettering themselves but never seem to find the means in which they need to make it happen.
John often wrote his novels hoping to portray some injustices in American society during his time period, hoping to make a difference through his words ( John Ernst Steinbeck Society ). John’s novel The Grapes of Wrath won him not only critical acclaim but also criticism for his portrayal of the working class. John wrote this story while living on an avocado farm after being forced out of his home due to foreclosure. During this time John was also going through a divorce and had fallen into a deep depression.
John once said that he felt as though he was being attacked by those who criticized him for writing about people struggling during the Great Depression, John responded with anger stating how these critics never lived during this time period so they have nothing to base their opinions on ( John Ernst Steinbeck Society ). John’s own life experiences as well as his thoughts on the Great Depression helped shape much of John’s works including Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath . John was not only one of America’s greatest novelists but also one of America’s most important cultural and political commentators ( The John Steinbeck Society ).
In John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath, a man named Tom Joad is released from a four-year prison sentence and returns home to his family farm.
Tom struggles with the reality that he can no longer work on this land because of its state. He also discovers that the home he once knew is now dust and memories of his family. This causes him to share his thoughts with the reader by saying, “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there”. These powerful and goose bump inducing words demonstrate John Steinbeck’s view on the American dream: It is attainable for all who seek it, but is only possible if those in power are fighting for those below them instead of against them.
In John Steinbecks novel The Grapes of Wrath Tom is struggling with the fact that he cannot work on this land anymore because of its state which leads him to say “wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there”. John Steinbeck was stating that the American Dream is attainable for all who seek it but only if those in power are fighting for those below them instead of against them.
These powerful and goose bump inducing words demonstrate John Steinbecks view on the American dream: It is attainable for all who seek it, but is only possible if those in power are fighting for those below them instead of against them. John Steinbeck saw this as his duty to try by writing The Grapes of Wrath.
It could also be argued that John Steinbeck thought this because he grew up extremely poor (Sobre), so he was hoping to give poor Americans a voice through his work. John Steinbeck, unlike other novelists of the time, chose to tell this story from the point of view of poor American citizens and not just rich white society that was prevalent in most literature of the time period (Bryer).
The Grapes of Wrath’s success helped John Steinbeck become popular with readers around the world because he brought light to an important social issue at the time. John Steinbeck knew this would help others see his vision on how America should be working for all people not just those who were financially stable or had high power positions.
John Steinbeck knew what it was like to be oppressed so he wanted everyone else to know what it meant by saying “wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there.” John Steinbeck has passed and now we as Americans today need to do our part and continue John Steinbeck’s legacy and make the American Dream available for all those who seek it.
