Not by chance does the real Ocean View Avenue sound similar to the fictional Cannery Row. Further descriptions in the book describe Steinbeck’s understanding of the culture of Ocean View Avenue and how it inspired his characters and also is a sign of the times and even provides a look into some important 20th century stereotypes. A great example of this is in the character Lee Chong.
According to Yuko Kawai, common 20th century Asian stereotypes include Asians being grocery store owners, mysterious, traditional in their Taoist culture and having short, one-syllable first and last names. Lee Chong of Cannery Row could said to be all these. Many of Lee Chong’s actions are described as "Oriental" or "Chinese," like when he forgives Mac "all in an Oriental moment" or when he reacts to Horace’s death in “a calm and eternal Chinese sorrow (16)” (Kawaii, 110).
Whether Steinbeck purposefully wrote a character that was very stereotypically 20th century American-Chinese or simply used the Chinese Americans he saw in Ocean View Avenue for inspiration is unknown. Clearly, however, his description of Lee Chong gives further hints into the time period this …show more content…
Cannery Row was originally published in 1945, right after the war ended. After the war, the country, as well as Steinbeck, dealt with the horrors of death, destruction and the consequences of war (“John Steinbeck Biography”). The things Steinbeck experienced during his time as a war reporter undoubtedly influenced Cannery Row and how he saw those people in relation to the people he saw during the war. In fact, the way Steinbeck describes many of the people on Cannery Row is similar to the way he describes the soldiers in the paragraph above – going through life in a bit of an “apathetic shuffle” looking for something or maybe even, nothing at
According to Yuko Kawai, common 20th century Asian stereotypes include Asians being grocery store owners, mysterious, traditional in their Taoist culture and having short, one-syllable first and last names. Lee Chong of Cannery Row could said to be all these. Many of Lee Chong’s actions are described as "Oriental" or "Chinese," like when he forgives Mac "all in an Oriental moment" or when he reacts to Horace’s death in “a calm and eternal Chinese sorrow (16)” (Kawaii, 110).
Whether Steinbeck purposefully wrote a character that was very stereotypically 20th century American-Chinese or simply used the Chinese Americans he saw in Ocean View Avenue for inspiration is unknown. Clearly, however, his description of Lee Chong gives further hints into the time period this …show more content…
Cannery Row was originally published in 1945, right after the war ended. After the war, the country, as well as Steinbeck, dealt with the horrors of death, destruction and the consequences of war (“John Steinbeck Biography”). The things Steinbeck experienced during his time as a war reporter undoubtedly influenced Cannery Row and how he saw those people in relation to the people he saw during the war. In fact, the way Steinbeck describes many of the people on Cannery Row is similar to the way he describes the soldiers in the paragraph above – going through life in a bit of an “apathetic shuffle” looking for something or maybe even, nothing at