One of America 's greatest writers, John Steinbeck reverberates among the millions of readers who each year digest landmark novels such as The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, The Moon is Moon, and other works that explore the struggles of people of lower classes. As recounted in Jay Parini 's John Steinbeck: A Biography, Steinbeck was a complex figure that shaped the literary landscape of the 1930s. Steinbeck used his novels as a tool to develop and explain his philosophies on nature and humanity 's place n the grand scheme of things. While his novel The Grapes of Wrath explored the suffering that the Great Depression had inflicted on the communities of both Oklahoma and California, The Moon is Down inspired resistance fighters in Nazi-occupied
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Ricketts. Ricketts, a marine scientist who worked for Pacific iological Laboratories in Monterey, California alongside Steinbeck, spent “a great deal of time reading about and discussing scientific subjects and doing field research along the Monterey coast” (Parini xvi-xvii). Unique among the writers of his time, Steinbeck 's work considers the ecological ramifications of the actions of his characters, as well as how his characters interacted with one another to form a greater whole (Parini 37). Clearly, Steinbeck 's friendship with Ricketts led him to have a greater appreciation for the natural world. In particular, the idea that all living things were connected to one another was an idea that Steinbeck would garner from his experience discussing the science of ecology with Ricketts after working alongside Ricketts in their joint business venture (Parini 107). The importance of ecology in a more human form, the ecology of cultures and ideas, is a theme that Steinbeck visits in his novels time and time again (Shillinglaw). Ricketts 's philosophical views on ecology and the interdependence of life would provide the basis of the ideological claims Steinbeck used his novels to make. Beyond philosophical contributions, Ricketts was Steinbeck 's best friend, and he was a stabilizing influence on Steinbeck during the tumults of Steinbeck 's personal life (Parini …show more content…
In order to create the book, Steinbeck “would take extensive notes for his novels … interviewing as many migrant workers as he could” (Parini 194). The first-hand accounts that Steinbeck collected would expose the terrible conditions and discrimination that refugees from Oklahoma face once they arrived in California, igniting major controversy almost immediately after its productivity (Parini 235). Critics attacked the novel for being, in the words of Congressman Lyle Boren, “ 'a lie, a black, infernal creation of a twisted distorted mind '”, leading to the banning of the book in several schools across the nation (qtd. in Parini 236). In particular, the characterization of the Joad family, the novel 's Oklahoman protagonists, as uneducated and uncouth drew fire from Oklahoman refugee themselves, who felt misrepresented by Steinbeck 's work (Parini 19). Regardless of the varied critical response, The Grapes of Wrath became a instant classic whose theme of strength in the face of suffering and unity among all people resonated with a national audience, and Steinbeck 's ideological stances in his magnum opus would prove to be far more lasting than his portrayal of the Dust Bowl. The Grapes of Wrath “is about the human quest for self-realization, as a group and as separate individuals”, and
Ricketts. Ricketts, a marine scientist who worked for Pacific iological Laboratories in Monterey, California alongside Steinbeck, spent “a great deal of time reading about and discussing scientific subjects and doing field research along the Monterey coast” (Parini xvi-xvii). Unique among the writers of his time, Steinbeck 's work considers the ecological ramifications of the actions of his characters, as well as how his characters interacted with one another to form a greater whole (Parini 37). Clearly, Steinbeck 's friendship with Ricketts led him to have a greater appreciation for the natural world. In particular, the idea that all living things were connected to one another was an idea that Steinbeck would garner from his experience discussing the science of ecology with Ricketts after working alongside Ricketts in their joint business venture (Parini 107). The importance of ecology in a more human form, the ecology of cultures and ideas, is a theme that Steinbeck visits in his novels time and time again (Shillinglaw). Ricketts 's philosophical views on ecology and the interdependence of life would provide the basis of the ideological claims Steinbeck used his novels to make. Beyond philosophical contributions, Ricketts was Steinbeck 's best friend, and he was a stabilizing influence on Steinbeck during the tumults of Steinbeck 's personal life (Parini …show more content…
In order to create the book, Steinbeck “would take extensive notes for his novels … interviewing as many migrant workers as he could” (Parini 194). The first-hand accounts that Steinbeck collected would expose the terrible conditions and discrimination that refugees from Oklahoma face once they arrived in California, igniting major controversy almost immediately after its productivity (Parini 235). Critics attacked the novel for being, in the words of Congressman Lyle Boren, “ 'a lie, a black, infernal creation of a twisted distorted mind '”, leading to the banning of the book in several schools across the nation (qtd. in Parini 236). In particular, the characterization of the Joad family, the novel 's Oklahoman protagonists, as uneducated and uncouth drew fire from Oklahoman refugee themselves, who felt misrepresented by Steinbeck 's work (Parini 19). Regardless of the varied critical response, The Grapes of Wrath became a instant classic whose theme of strength in the face of suffering and unity among all people resonated with a national audience, and Steinbeck 's ideological stances in his magnum opus would prove to be far more lasting than his portrayal of the Dust Bowl. The Grapes of Wrath “is about the human quest for self-realization, as a group and as separate individuals”, and