Remembering John Steinbeck Essay

John Steinbeck, and his writings served not just an instrument but an inspiration of courage, strength and determination. He is a warrior and he fought for the right of the people. He is one of America’s best writers and is best known for his novels. He started by experimenting with characters and thematic unity in his writings. He focused on materialistic values and social exploitation. He is known for his compassion for the poor and the politically oppressed. His works reflects social issues, thus his works were subjected to criticisms. But despite all that, his works gained popularity because of his realistic yet sensitive portrayal of ordinary people. In the beginning of his career in literature, his works were not recognized but even after a few unsuccessful published works, nothing stopped him from writing. His work, Tortilla Flat in 1935 was the one which made a turning point in his literary career. It was only then that his works we’re recognized and given credit. He believed that as a writer he has a responsibility to the readers, and so through his works he was able to serve the people by creating social awareness. Through his works, he became the voice of the people, especially those who are oppressed. Despite a lot of criticisms, he proved himself worthy and used literature as an instrument to fight for what he believed is right. â€Å"Literature is as old as speech. It grew out of human need for it and it has not changed except to become more needed. The skalds, the bards, the writers are not separate and exclusive. From the beginning, their functions, their duties, their responsibilities have been decreed by our species†¦ the writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man’s proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit – for gallantry in defeat, for courage, compassion and love. In the endless war against weakness and despair, these are the bright rally flags of hope and of emulation. I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man has no dedication nor any membership in literature. † (Steinbeck) John Steinbeck’s works created impact despite criticisms. He was able to portray in his works the life of the people, which created social consciousness. His writings are based on experiences, and is a mirror of the many different lives of people. This is why I believe, the reason why he gained popularity in his works. He had this connection with the readers, he was able to make each reader relate to the characters in his works, and made them feel that someone was brave enough to stand up and tell the world what the people are going through. He was concerned with the welfare of the people. Through his writings, he became their voice, their inspiration, their salvation. Steinbeck endures because he does not permit readers to complacently dig in, like the hermit crab. He embraces the fullness of life. With compassion, tolerance, and humility, he surveys landscapes: of place, of spirit, of a nation. (Shillinglaw) According to an author review by Amber Garret: John Steinbeck’s ability to mix realistic social conditions with characters of depth and vitality are what make his literature paramount. In order to support his desire to write, Steinbeck worked in various different jobs, many of which were among the working class laborers in California. It was this direct experience with the working class community that gives his writing an element of authenticity and richness. He created novels and stories that did not only address the social issues of his time, but also represent California’s history. Each novel has characters that will stick with the reader long after the book is finished, revealing his obvious unsurpassed talent as a writer. John Steinbeck’s writing style evolved from a period of realist naturalism as seen in The Grapes of Wrath, to more sentimental tone portrayed through novels like East of Eden. He evokes both the good and bad of mankind in his stories through the use of symbolism and nature. John Steinbeck’s writing was not just a product of the imagination, but also a reflection of his friendships and other life experiences. Although he is widely recognized by critics for his early years of writing, in my opinion, it is his later years that show his greatest achievement as a writer. His ability to transform with time and allow his writing to grow and develop into other stages and styles are what make him a true pioneer of American literature. (Garrett) Steinbeck, despite of a few unsuccessful attempts proves that all man’s efforts will be paid of if only he would strive hard, work with passion and dedication and never gives up. Like what he depicted in his novel, â€Å"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up in the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. † (From The Grapes of Wrath). Up to this day, John Steinbeck’s works are still wildly read and appreciated. He died in 1968 but he dedicated his life observing and reflecting the human condition through his works. He dealt with the economic problems of the rural labor. He showed his sympathy and concern to the oppressed, to the little people being empowered by the rich and in power. He immortalized strength and courage in the human spirit. His life and his writings remain an inspiration to a lot of people. Whatever his experiment in fiction or journalistic prose, he wrote with empathy, clarity, perspicuity: In every bit of honest writing in the world, he noted in a 1938 journal entry, there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. (qtd. Shillinglaw) Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men is one of the best examples of how Steinbeck described the social condition of the people in his hometown Salinas, California. Steinbeck dedicated a part oh his life writing about the people of his place. In the novel of mice and men, he reflected the lives and problems of the working people. Most of the characters he used in this book are immigrants from Mexico and from other places in America who came to California with such hope of finding a better life. The novel was set in Salinas Valley, where he was born. A place he dedicated a part of his life to. A place he knew so well. A place he knew all his life. The place described in the book was very similar to the place he grew up in. The novel is about two migrant workers and is set during the Great Depression in 1930’s. Main characters George Milton and Lennie Small, portrayed two migrant agricultural workers on a ranch in California who both dreams of having their own ranch. But their dreams were hindered by the harsh reality of materialism and greed. This novel present how dreams of the innocent can be broken but this also proves how a friendship can mend someone’s broken dreams. They held on to each other with such hope that someday their dreams will be fulfilled but then some dreams are meant to remain a dream. Steinbeck was able to relay important lessons in life, through his writings. And his works were written based on his own experiences and observation on the people around him and the environment he lives in. Steinbeck received a lot of negative criticism on his works but his works also touched the lives of many people. People continue to read and appreciate his works up to this day. Despite all the criticisms, a lot of people believed in his writings. In an article on why read John Steinbeck written by Dr. Susan Shillinglaw, she said: Steinbeck reaches out a fictional hand. Emotional bonds are forged between book and reader. Solace and laughter and commitment are what many readers discover in Steinbeck’s work. â€Å"In every bit of honest writing in the world,† he wrote in the late 1930s, â€Å"there is a base theme. Try to understand men. † And Steinbeck’s ghostly voice of understanding and solace endures, inspires. In his album â€Å"The Ghost of Tom Joad,† Bruce Springsteen pays tribute to the power of those interior landscapes – characters whose lives are often desolate, besieged, unacknowledged. â€Å"I’ll be ever ‘where,† promises Tom Joad, â€Å"I’ll be in the way guys yell when they’re mad†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Other reasons, equally compelling, insure that John Steinbeck’s voice will not diminish. A distinguished scholar of American literature, John Seelye, repeatedly intones: â€Å"Steinbeck is a great read. † Stories are readily understood. Characters engage, inspire, enrage. My students love East of Eden best of all his novels; ‘It’s like a soap opera,† one said this spring. â€Å"Cathy’s a kick. † Good and evil face off in this book and others. They live. Recently, a class spent 50 minutes discussing whether George needed Lennie as much as Lennie needed George. Readers return to books that are, like close friends, reliable, accessible. entertaining, and – let Steinbeck never again be pilloried by the old complaint that he’s a writer only for adolescent readers – challenging and perplexing. The Japanese have a vigorous Steinbeck Society, over 150 strong. Why are his books so popular there? For many international readers, Steinbeck’s work captures the elusive American psyche: bonds to land, the need for a place. Many of Steinbeck’s stories are archetypal – restless migrants moving west to begin anew. Steinbeck endures because he does not permit readers to complacently dig in, like the hermit crab. He embraces the fullness of life. With compassion, tolerance, and humility, he surveys landscapes: of place, of spirit, of a nation. Today, Steinbeck’s life and works is remembered and is given tribute through the National Steinbeck Center, located in Salinas California. It aims to continue to help enrich the community and the lives of the people through his works. The center is dedicated to inspire audiences to learn about human nature, literature, history, agriculture, and the arts. Works Cited Dirks, Tim the grapes of wrath http://www. filmsite. org/grap. html Garret, Amber. â€Å"John Steinbeck† http://eprentice. sdsu. edu/F044/agarrett/Steinbeck. html National Steinbeck Center http://www. steinbeck. org/MainFrame. html Shillinglaw, Dr. Susan. The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies â€Å"Why Read John Steinbeck? † http://www. steinbeck. sjsu. edu/works/ORWhy. jsp Steinbeck, John. The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies â€Å"John Steinbeck’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech† http://www. steinbeck. sjsu. edu/works/NobleSpeech. jsp