Provides background on the life of American author John Steinbeck and the influences that shaped his life and work, features critical essays that explore industrialism as portrayed in his novel "The Grapes of Wrath," and examines issues of industrialism in the twenty-first century.
Content Note
The background of John Steinbeck. The life of John Steinbeck / Richard Astro. Steinbeck's personal observations informed The grapes of wrath / Peter Lisca. Steinbeck was honored for sympathetic portrayals of the oppressed / Anders Österling -- The grapes of wrath and industrialism. Reverence for the common people / Joseph Warren Beach. Steinbeck was careful not to sentimentalize his characters / Louis Owens. White Okies were not the only victims of industrialism / Charles Cunningham. Personal morality is compromised by corporate values / Joseph Allegretti. Machines of industrialization are impersonal monsters / Robert J. Griffin and William A. Freedman. Biblical parallels emphasize the spiritual aspect of the Joads' journey / Joseph Fontenrose. Okies' transformation from personal to political struggle / Stephen Railton. Migrants were lured to California by an unattainable prize / Jessica B. Teisch. Steinbeck exaggerated the scale of the Okies' misfortune / Keith Windschuttle. Steinbeck helped to change perceptions of the homeless / Christina Sheehan Gold -- Contemporary perspectives on industrialism. Corporations and the government must protect farm workers' rights / Human Rights Watch et al. Corporations must adhere to a code of ethics in the post-Enron environment / David F. Jadwin. Industrialism is killing the family farm / Circle of Responsibility. Oil shortages will change the definition of industrialism / John Michael Greer. Home ownership offers security to immigrants / Sue Kirchhoff.