John Steinbeck Essays (Examples)

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John Steinbeck's book ast of den gathers under the pages of a beautifully written literary work the deep concerns of a troubled mind. Steinbeck appears to be haunted by those eternal questions human being must have asked himself or herself ever since any form of religion even existed. The conflict between good and evil and the meaning of the "truth" as well as the theme of the original sin and that of the atonement are main themes that Steinbeck borrows from Christianity to create his story and its characters.
The big question, the question that makes all the myriad of related questions arise from, is the one questioning God's existence. As St. Anselm of Canterbury explains in his Proslogion, God's existence cannot be questioned since God is the greatest thing for those who believe in Him as well as for those who deny his existence. Steinbeck creates Cathy as something essentially….

Grapes of rath
John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of rath," described the economic divide that existed in America during the Great Depression of the 1930's and the tragedies that occurred as a result. A native Californian, Steinbeck used his home state as the backdrop for a story of a family of migrant farm workers; derisively called "Okies" for their area of origin: Oklahoma. Devastated by a natural disaster commonly referred to as the "Dust Bowl," in the 1930's Oklahoma faced the worst drought in recent history and it's economy was all but destroyed. Like the protagonists in the story, hundreds of thousands of real families who faced eviction and ruin were forced to gather up their meager possessions and head off to somewhere else; hoping to find a better life. Many of these people traveled to California where rumors promised paradise and work, but unfortunately those who made the arduous journey….

East of Eden by John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" is a story patterned after the Biblical stories of the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and the sibling story of Cain and Abel. The primary theme of the story focuses on the struggle of good against evil. In the first Biblical story, the Garden of Eden is shown as a place where purity, happiness, and all the beauty of the world can be found, and Adam and Eve, the first man and woman of the world, resides in this 'paradise.' Similarly, Steinbeck shows his own version of the Garden of Eden, which can be found in Salinas Valley in California. Meanwhile, the story of Cain and Abel is illustrated twice in the story: the first being the story of Adam and Charles Trask, and the second one with Aron and Caleb, Adam's sons from….

Red Pony by John Steinbeck
PAGES 6 WORDS 2035

Tiflin; and as a result, he tried to make it a point that Jody grows up responsible and independent (SparkNotes).
Strengths & Weaknesses:

The strength of this book is that three of the four stories in this book were published as separate short stories. The elements in common that hold these stories together so that they can be considered a book are characters, setting, and themes (SparkNotes).

All four short stories are not very much connected tightly as the chapters in a book. Firstly, they stand on their own, where each section completing a thought. Secondly, the connections between all the sections are much rather loose, with no explanation of anything that has been left unsettled in the previous part of the story (SparkNotes). For instance, when illy brought the pony in the third section of the story, the author did not say anything about Jody's reaction or the care of the….

“The Chrysanthemums” and “The Lady with the Pet Dog” Both Steinbeck and Chekhov offer realistic depictions of love and unhappiness in their respective stories. Chekhov paints a vivid picture of two unhappy people, each married to someone neither loves. They meet at a resort away from home and casually fall in love with one another. However, the reason they are able to fall in love so easily on this resort is that it is a vacation—it is not real life. It is not the day to day or the simple fact of the matter. They are on holiday: they feel free to be charming, to be witty, to laugh, to be themselves, and to not care about anything at all. Chekhov would say, perhaps, that they are not quite living in reality and that when they do attempt to carry on their love affair into reality, they quickly realize the difficulty:….

John Steinbeck's Morose Preoccupation
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a somewhat strange, surprising read. The author selects a very unlikely setting, a farm populated predominantly by hired hands, for a tale that is largely predicated on the conception of friendship and its myriad interpretations -- and applications. However, there is a definite undercurrent that some readers might find disturbing that is present in some of the most poignant notions of this tale. That undercurrent is one of death, the virtue that Western civilization seemingly extols above most other ones. An analysis of some of the more pivotal moments in this novel reveal that ultimately it is a morbid one in which death is seen as the ultimate expression of friendship: which is more than a little morose, to say the least.

Thematically, it is difficult to distinguish the motifs of friendship and death that are tightly intertwined in this particular….

S. History, 2011).
Only after aggressive government intervention did the Dust Bowl conditions improve. The government, even before the drought was broken in 1939, was able to reduce soil erosion by 65% through the actions of the Civilian Conservation Corps, which planted 200 million trees to "break the wind, hold water in the soil, and hold the soil itself in place" ("Disasters: The 1930s," U.S. History, 2011). Farmers received instruction by the government on "soil conservation and anti-erosion techniques, including crop rotation, strip farming, contour plowing, terracing and other beneficial farming practices" ("Disasters: The 1930s," U.S. History, 2011). For the first time, the government took an interest not simply in preserving some of its land from development in the form of national parks, but gave counsel to farmers how to use the land.

The gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots,' already wide even before the Great Depression, grew into a chasm….

I. Introduction A. Elisa Allen is the protagonist of John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums.” Louise Mallard is the protagonist of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of An Hour.”
B. Both Elisa and Louise are products of their social and historical contexts, particularly when it comes to gender norms.
C. Elisa and Louise are passive protagonists, because patriarchy has stripped them of political agency.
Thesis: By creating passive protagonists in their respective short stories, Steinbeck and Chopin make powerful social commentary about the role of women in their private and public lives.
II. Body
A. Topic Sentence: Both Elisa and Louise feel stuck in their marriage, but perceive liberation as impossible within the confines of their culture.
1. First concrete detail: Nature symbolizes wasted potential.
a. Elisa is capable of so much more than gardening: “The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy,” (Steinbeck)
b. Louise receives her epiphany through nature: “She felt it, creeping out of….

Elisa Allen is the protagonist of John Steinbeck's short story “The Chrysanthemums,” and Louise Mallard is the protagonist of Kate Chopin's “The Story of An Hour.” Both Elisa and Louise are products of their social and historical contexts, particularly when it comes to gender norms. Elisa and Louise are passive protagonists, because patriarchy has stripped them of political agency. By creating passive protagonists in their respective short stories, Steinbeck and Chopin make powerful social commentary about the role of women in their private and public lives.
Both Elisa and Louise feel stuck in their marriage, but perceive liberation as impossible within the confines of their culture. In both short stories, nature symbolizes wasted potential. For example, Elisa is capable of so much more than gardening: "The chrysanthemum stems seemed too small and easy for her energy," (Steinbeck). Similarly, Louise realizes that she has wasted her life when she sees nature through….

The Man Turned to Mouse
PAGES 5 WORDS 1526

John Steinbeck's Morose Preoccupation
John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a somewhat strange, surprising read. The author selects a very unlikely setting, a farm populated predominantly by hired hands, for a tale that is largely predicated on the conception of friendship and its myriad interpretations -- and applications. However, there is a definite undercurrent that some readers might find disturbing that is present in some of the most poignant notions of this tale. That undercurrent is one of death, the virtue that Western civilization seemingly extols above most other ones. An analysis of some of the more pivotal moments in this novel reveal that ultimately it is a morbid one in which death is seen as the ultimate expression of friendship: which is more than a little morose, to say the least.

Thematically, it is difficult to distinguish the motifs of friendship and death that are tightly intertwined in this particular….

Imagery & Symbolism in the
PAGES 6 WORDS 2160

"She relaxed limply in the seat. "Oh, no. No. I don't want to go. I'm sure I don't." Her face was turned away from him. "It will be enough if we can have wine. It will be plenty." She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly -- like an old woman" (Steinbeck).
There are a number of fairly eminent points to be made about this quotation -- the first of which is that Allen's husband has taken her away from her source of power -- her garden. Away from that source, she is described by imagery that is rather enervating and in opposition to the vivacity she previously personified. The imagery of her sitting "limply" and weeping "weakly" is strongly contrasted with the images of her cutting through plants and powerfully gripping handfuls of earth -- which symbolizes the source of her….

East of Eden
PAGES 2 WORDS 535

East of Eden
John Steinbeck's story centers on two generations of the Hamilton and Trask families. "East of Eden" is essentially a modern-day 'Cain and Abel' tale corresponding the Biblical conflict to two generations of two sets of brothers, Charles and Adam Trask, and Adam's sons Aron and Caleb Trask. "The Trasks were his 'symbol people,'" Steinbeck insisted, "and their story was one about how one lives with human suffering" (Summary pg).

Cyrus, the Trask patriarch, favored Adam over his other son Charles, which led to lifelong conflict and an adulterous affair between Charles and Adam's bride, Cathy, who represents Eve in Steinbeck's 'Cain and Abel' tale. The Biblical correlation continues into the next generation of Trasks with Adam's treatment of his twin sons Aron and Caleb, favoring Aron over Cal and creating great suffering for Cal and drama for the entire family (Steinbeck 2003).

hether good or evil, the women in Steinbeck's….

Progress and Technology
PAGES 4 WORDS 1464

Philosophical and Literary epresentation of Capitalism
Progress & Technology in Capitalism

John Steinbeck wrote the social The Grapes of Wrath during the interwar years, just after the Great Depression harrowingly illustrated the power of unchecked capitalism. His novel takes the position that revolutionary change is needed, is inevitable, and that a just and non-exploitive society can only come about when capitalism is eliminated. Steinbeck is reported to have made clear his intentions as he prepared to write The Grapes of Wrath. In his words, "I want to put a tag of shame on the greedy bastards who are responsible for this" [the Great Depression and its widely destructive effects]." Steinbeck's collectivist-leaning voice at the time of his writing The Grapes of Wrath would become so altered over the course of three decades that it hardly seemed to belong to this writer who created on the very edge of moral fervor. Marxism acquired….

Both Elisa Allen and Goodman Brown suggest that sexual tension might be at the root of their conflict.
Allen arguably deals with her pain more constructively than Brown does. Brown becomes bitter as a result of the conflict he perceives in his heart. Moreover, Brown fails to ground himself in reality. Questioning whether or not the forest vision was real, Brown neglects to contemplate its value even as a dream. Learning that he does have longings to break free from the social conventions tying him down to the rigid and conformist Puritan society would have helped Brown come to terms with the Faith he does genuinely seek. Elisa cries but deep down knows that a simple dinner out with her husband is as much freedom as she can have while still savoring the joy of….

Environmental Themes
PAGES 20 WORDS 5447

Environmental Themes in Grapes of rath
This essay reviews environmental themes from the following five books: Dust Bowl by Donald orster, The Grapes of rath by John Steinbeck, Everglades: River of Grass by Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Killing Mr. atson by Peter Matthiessen, and River of Lakes by Bill Belleville. This paper discusses the role that culture has played in environmental issues during the past century. Five sources used. MLA format.

Environmental Themes

Humans from the very beginning of their existence have had an impact, for better or worse, on the environment. Man has for the most part tried to control the environment to suit his needs or tastes of the era. Over-grazing, over hunting, ignoring the importance crop rotations, dam building, and toxic dumping, are but a few of the ways man tries to control. Few societies have ever considered any of the above when it comes to the environment. There are a….

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2 Pages
Essay

Mythology - Religion

John Steinbeck's Book East of Eden Gathers

Words: 664
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

John Steinbeck's book ast of den gathers under the pages of a beautifully written literary work the deep concerns of a troubled mind. Steinbeck appears to be haunted by…

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6 Pages
Essay

Family and Marriage

Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck's Novel The

Words: 1898
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

Grapes of rath John Steinbeck's novel, "The Grapes of rath," described the economic divide that existed in America during the Great Depression of the 1930's and the tragedies that occurred…

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2 Pages
Essay

Literature

East of Eden by John Steinbeck John

Words: 681
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

East of Eden by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck's "East of Eden" is a story patterned after the Biblical stories of the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden…

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6 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

Red Pony by John Steinbeck

Words: 2035
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Tiflin; and as a result, he tried to make it a point that Jody grows up responsible and independent (SparkNotes). Strengths & Weaknesses: The strength of this book is that…

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6 Pages
Essay

Literature

Love in Chekhov and Steinbeck

Words: 1825
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Essay

“The Chrysanthemums” and “The Lady with the Pet Dog” Both Steinbeck and Chekhov offer realistic depictions of love and unhappiness in their respective stories. Chekhov paints a vivid picture of…

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2 Pages
Essay

Communication - Language

John Steinbeck's Morose Preoccupation

Words: 1526
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

John Steinbeck's Morose Preoccupation John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a somewhat strange, surprising read. The author selects a very unlikely setting, a farm populated predominantly by hired hands,…

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4 Pages
Research Paper

Economics

John Snow Father Epidemiology Pioneering

Words: 1416
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Research Paper

S. History, 2011). Only after aggressive government intervention did the Dust Bowl conditions improve. The government, even before the drought was broken in 1939, was able to reduce soil erosion…

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2 Pages
Essay

Literature

Steinbeck vs kate chopin outline

Words: 642
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

I. Introduction A. Elisa Allen is the protagonist of John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums.” Louise Mallard is the protagonist of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of An Hour.” B. Both Elisa…

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2 Pages
Essay

Literature

comparing the protagonists in chopin and'steinbeck

Words: 710
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Essay

Elisa Allen is the protagonist of John Steinbeck's short story “The Chrysanthemums,” and Louise Mallard is the protagonist of Kate Chopin's “The Story of An Hour.” Both Elisa and…

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5 Pages
Essay

Plays

The Man Turned to Mouse

Words: 1526
Length: 5 Pages
Type: Essay

John Steinbeck's Morose Preoccupation John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is a somewhat strange, surprising read. The author selects a very unlikely setting, a farm populated predominantly by hired hands,…

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6 Pages
Term Paper

Biology

Imagery & Symbolism in the

Words: 2160
Length: 6 Pages
Type: Term Paper

"She relaxed limply in the seat. "Oh, no. No. I don't want to go. I'm sure I don't." Her face was turned away from him. "It will be…

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2 Pages
Term Paper

Sports - Women

East of Eden

Words: 535
Length: 2 Pages
Type: Term Paper

East of Eden John Steinbeck's story centers on two generations of the Hamilton and Trask families. "East of Eden" is essentially a modern-day 'Cain and Abel' tale corresponding the Biblical…

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4 Pages
Essay

Economics

Progress and Technology

Words: 1464
Length: 4 Pages
Type: Essay

Philosophical and Literary epresentation of Capitalism Progress & Technology in Capitalism John Steinbeck wrote the social The Grapes of Wrath during the interwar years, just after the Great Depression harrowingly illustrated…

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1 Pages
Term Paper

Literature

Goodman Brown of Hawthorne's Young

Words: 312
Length: 1 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Both Elisa Allen and Goodman Brown suggest that sexual tension might be at the root of their conflict. Allen arguably deals with her pain more constructively than Brown does.…

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20 Pages
Term Paper

Animals

Environmental Themes

Words: 5447
Length: 20 Pages
Type: Term Paper

Environmental Themes in Grapes of rath This essay reviews environmental themes from the following five books: Dust Bowl by Donald orster, The Grapes of rath by John Steinbeck, Everglades: River…

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