Jonelle Samai. Evelyn Cartright. Eng 210. John Steinbeck.

Jonelle Samai Evelyn Cartright Eng 210 John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was an American Nobel Prize winner whose work was viewed by many as controversial. Growing up in Salinas Valley California, Steinbeck enjoyed a comfortable life but opted to work with migrants on a farm. Here, his interest in the socio -economic aspects of life sparked, which later influenced his literary perspective. As an outspoken democrat and advocate of blue collared America, his critics often argue that his works are biased and reflect inaccurate depictions of white collar America. This paper will examine three of Steinbeck’s works and two criticisms of them to determine the extent of which his political and socio-economic experiences have influenced his writing.†¦show more content†¦This struggle also heavily influenced his writing perspective in novels like of mice and of men and Tortilla Flat. Steinbeck, with inspiration from marine biologist Ed Ricketts, dug himself out of the great depression rut and wrote his first recognizable piece, the Lo g from The Sea of Cortez. In 1962, Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize for literature for his realistic and imaginative writing, combining as it does sympathetic humor and keen social perception. The selection was heavily criticized for Steinbeck’s political stance with some even calling it a win by default. At the end of his career, the famed author returned to New York and died of heart disease in 1968. His work, however, lives on and even his memory in the California hall of fame. The first piece that I will be analyzing is the critically acclaimed, In Dubious Battle. In the story, we meet a young man named Jim Nolan whose family and dignity was ruined by the economic and social system. with the scars of brutality and starvation deeply embedded in his heart, Jim becomes a member of the Communist Party. As the story develops, Jim makes new friends who lack objectivity and encourage him to put party before his own needs, morals and even aspirations. Jim feels as though he belongs and becomes anxious to get into action with his new mentor, Mac, as they are instructed to carry out a tactical strategy to organize a workers’ strike against capitalist owners