Criticism Of John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

John Steinbeck once wrote, “Strength and success; they are above morality, above criticism. It seems then, that it is not what you do, but how you do it and what you call it.” John Steinbeck seems to view criticism as a little bump in the road. He stands by his work no matter what other say and he encourages other writers to do so. Steinbeck’s themes frequently involve good vs. evil, connection to the land, family, integrity, corruption, and more. Through these themes his writing also reveals struggles of the less fortunate. Some struggles can be seen through Lenny in Of Mice and Men and the migrant workers in The Grapes of Wrath. Within his works, Steinbeck brings attention to social, political, environmental, moral, and cultural issues. This amazing author did not want to paint a pretty picture, rather reveal the ugly truth of actual “lives being lived” as he would call it. John Steinbeck has suffered a numerous amount of criticism yet his works remain as some …show more content…
Like many of Steinbeck’s works, these stories follow the less fortunate and include the themes of friendship, injustice, good vs. evil, family, and dreams/hopes/plans. Through these themes his short stories serve amazing life lessons. For example, The Pearl displays how money and wealth may negatively impact family and one’s actions. Then, Of Mice and Men uncovers truth about innocence and loneliness. This story also has readers think of why we exist and what is the purpose of our lives. Additionally, one might surpass these important life lessons while examining some of his short stories. As stated, “even in the short novels… there may be more depth and sophistication of technique than has generally been acknowledged” (Benson 2). This proves many readers do not take away what Steinbeck has meant to be the moral of the story. Overall, John Steinbeck’s short stories are just as powerful and entertaining as his