... in ourselves between good and evil." John Steinbeck explores these ideas in his book East of Eden. Written in 1952, the story itself is part fiction and part personal history. It asks if people are born good or evil, or can they choose what kind of people they are. The story spans ... who later came, followed by the American colonists, of whom he says they were "even greedier because there were more of them." Through most of chapter one, he continues to talk about his grandparents and their children, but only his grandfather ever really enters the story at any point. The story itself ....

• Word Count: 1364
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... inter-chapters" that don't focus mostly on the Joads, and rather the situation at hand for all "Okies" on their way to California. The opening chapter describes the lives of farm owners dealing with the drought in Oklahoma along with a dust storm. "Men stood by their fences and looked at the ruined ... future. After fixing the Wilson's car, Tom and Al suggest that the two families travel together; and so they press forward the next day. Inter-chapter fourteen displays the gradual recognition of the gathering migrants, which show that there is strength uniting together. It is this uniting...

• Word Count: 1730
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... has been difficult for me to read. It is not simply a long book; it is a powerful book. The first line ("To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth" [Steinbeck 3].) sets a tone for the ... that groun", right now. Mus" be. Nobody never washed it out. An" I put my han" on that groun" where my own Pa's blood is part of it" (Steinbeck 69). And when Grampa dies, Casy repeats three times on the same page that he died from separation from his land: "Grampa didn" ... it gives the impression that Steinbeck is u...

• Word Count: 1715
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... ). Then once the Joads got the job, they realized that it wasn't as good as it looked (this is the fading away to darkness). Entry for: Part 3, Chapter 23 "The migrant people, scuttling for work, scrabbling to live, looked always for pleasure, dug for pleasure, manufactured pleasure, and they were hungry for amusement" ... is fairly packed, but I still find time for fun, and if I can't sometimes I make my work that I am doing into fun. Entry for: Part 3, Chapter 25 "The spring is beautiful in California. Valleys in which the fruit blossoms are fragrant pink and white waters in a shallow...

• Word Count: 832
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... , laid carefully by Steinbeck, give the reader a personal insight to what life was like during the journey of the Joad family. In chapter 21, he refers to the migration as " the people moved like ants and searched for work, for food." In this intercalary ... chapter, he relates the movement of the Joads to ants. Steinbeck intermits every other chapter as an intercalary chapter to give the reader a break from the action of the book, but more importantly does ! so to give ... of how or why he was where he was and the characters acted the way they did. Instead, Steinbeck starts with an inte...

• Word Count: 610
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... one who is capable of seeing George's tragic loss when George is forced to kill Lennie to save him from the mob. George kills a part of himself, the part that was his dream. When George shoots Lennie, he is not destroying only the shared dream. He is also destroying the thing that makes him ... to express the inevitable defeat and futility of all men's plans. A dream of independence usually remains a dream, and when it becomes a real plan, the plan is defeated. Chapter one, "The Gift," introduces all the main characters: the ranch hand, Billy Buck; the little boy, Jody; Jody's father, Car...

• Word Count: 4593
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: High School

... to describe the small little town located in California. We are first told of the local Grocery, Lee Chong's Grocery, in which the chapter's events take place. Owned by Lee, the store is properly owned and ran on part trust with the locals, as most are in debt to Lee; however, Lee does not use this to take advantage of the locals ... meal for clearment of debt. Lee agreed to this trade, but at his surprise, after giving up the deed to the old place, Horace shot himself in the shack. The chapter is ended with the local roughnecks, Mack and his gang, forcefully offering their hospitality ...

• Word Count: 276
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: High School

... He even tries to explain this himself. He cant tell if he's dreamed something or not and he doesnt know how to behave around other guys. In chapter 4 Crooks gets the chance to be horrible to some one else. He turns on Lennie and starts to be really nasty to him suggesting George wont come ... Curley's wife was killed essentially by loneliness v/s it was that that made her talk to the farm workers and Lennie this lead to her death. Loneliness is a part of human nature whether we like it not, as with everything, there are winners and there are losers. John Steinbeck wrote Of Mice And Men'...

• Word Count: 2660
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School

The Red Pony The Red Pony is a short novel that consists of four chapters. It is episodic, meaning that each chapter could stand alone. They are intertwined, and each chapter plays its part in the overall message and themes of the novel. The setting is on a ranch in California in the closing days of the Great Depression. This novel serves as a window to ... the new generation of life. The juxtaposition of the cypress tree and tub of clean spring water represent that death is inevitable; everything in life will pass. In the final chapter, as Jody watches a flock of white pigeons sitting in th...

• Word Count: 749
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... Grapes of Wrath is such a book, in which a less known historic event that had a great impact on some people and was an important part of history was documented and preserved for the future to see. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinback speaks of the ongoing tirade hovering over the ... throughout the book, with the historical chapters extending in length from one to three chapters at a time, and the fictional chapters extending no longer than one chapter at a time. Steinback expressed the feelings of the different characters, the central theme, and the timeframe in such a way that the f...

• Word Count: 1327
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... like this because that is the only way George knows and all George's personality and characteristics have rubbed off on Lennie. This is shown in the first chapter when we first meet the characters. As George comes down the pathway into the clearing, Lennie follows in the same manner. Lennie wants to be just ... been together so long that they feel like they are related. As a friend, George provides the support a friend would bring, like secrecy. Secrecy plays a massive part in the book because without it Lennie would be in jail or would have been hung and George would be travelling aroun...

• Word Count: 5465
• Approx Pages: 22
• Grade Level: High School

... . The number of American workers covered by company health and pension plans have decreased. This happened because of the weakening effectiveness of labor unions, the emergence of part-time employment, the growth of employment in smaller firms, and the growth of low wage service jobs. The decline of workers covered by health care plans combined ... or need to poor people. They"re the only ones that"ll help-the only ones." (Steinbeck) We see many examples of this, and one is in chapter 15 at the truck station. You have three people who do not have much money, the truck driver, waitress, ...

• Word Count: 1597
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... . The number of American workers covered by company health and pension plans have decreased. This happened because of the weakening effectiveness of labor unions, the emergence of part-time employment, the growth of employment in smaller firms, and the growth of low wage service jobs. The decline of workers covered by health care plans combined ... or need to poor people. They"re the only ones that"ll help-the only ones." (Steinbeck) We see many examples of this, and one is in chapter 15 at the truck station. You have three people who do not have much money, the truck driver, waitress, ...

• Word Count: 1596
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... some big trouble and had to move out of the town. "You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get...His anger left him suddenly." This part of the second paragraph on page 11 of the book shows that George knows how troublesome Lennie is, but doesn't leave him alone like Lennie wants him to do. So ... George tries to show Lennie his wrongs and help him to try and correct them by not repeating them again as he shows later on in the first chapter on page 15 where George asks Lennie, "What you gonna say tomorrow when the boss asks you questions?" Lennie, of course, responds with an ag...

• Word Count: 842
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... life without him by his side, George boldly exclaims, "An' why? Because because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why."" (Chapter 1, page 14) Steinbeck describes another relationship of friendship. After the death of Old Candy, Candy urges for the companionship with Lennie and George, and attaches himself to the dream of ... say the hell with goin' to work, and we'll build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof - (Chapter 1, Page 14-15) George also dreams of a better place for Lennie, who has the bra...

• Word Count: 494
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... the novel, the three characters that were just mentioned find themselves in a situation. Carlson wants Candy's dog to be put down, but Candy is hesitant to part with his old companion. The situation culminates with Carlson shooting Candy's dog. Continuing from this point, the story as a whole concludes with George's decision to ... best herding dog Candy's every had. While the dog relies on Candy for food, water, and shelter, Lennie relies on George for support and permission. In chapter three, Lennie gets involved in a physical quarrel, however, he does not fight back. He looked to Georg...

• Word Count: 1330
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... has experienced a re-birth- a reconsideration of what the holy spirit is and what it means to be holy. Upon his return, Casy has decided that sin and virtue are all part of the same thing- the Emersonian concept of the Oversoul. This states that that the souls of all humans are only ... part of a larger soul that encompasses every one. This is in accordance with socialist belief, that all humans are a part of a whole. Steinbeck's strong transcendentalist inclination also stressed rugged individualism and self reliance as essential for human survival. In the book, Ma ... Joad exemplifie...

• Word Count: 1670
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

A critic once said that an important part of an excellent literary work is the ability of the piece to produce a mix of delight and uneasiness in the reader. John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath produces a healthy confusion ... quite a while until the Wilsons could no longer go on due to sickness in the family. In the government camp, and every camp the Joads called home, the family was part of a bigger family. In the boxcar camp, the Joads became close with the Wainwrights, who helped birth Rose of Sharon's baby. However, in addition to broken family relations, not all ... flushing toilets...

• Word Count: 787
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... the dream with is now gone and has left a thought of guilt in Georges head knowing that he has killed him and is now unaided without him. In the first chapter John Steinbeck tells us about George and Lennie thinking about the future and filling their minds with happiness. He goes deeper into it telling the details about the bit of ... for months and it is not so easy for him to find a job because a main attraction was Lennie who was very strong and very efficient in working. Lennie is a big part of Georges shared finances with Lennie because he more or less made about as much as George ...

• Word Count: 1521
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... that they are still lonely. George is a lonely man because Lennie always forgets everything he is told. In the first chapter of the book, it is shown that this also makes him angry. Ironically George says to Slim in a later part of the novel, that guys who travel alone get mean. Another scene where George directly talks about the problem of being ... ...

• Word Count: 2138
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... intercessory chapters Steinbeck tells specific stories which represent events going on in many peoples lives, and they give you either background information or symbolic knowledge to set up the next chapter. Steinbeck's techniques and great writing style are what made this story of such a traumatic time so terrific. By reading this novel I learned much about the era which it was about ... of a terrific author. It was the great talent of Steinbeck, which brought this novel to so many people, and gave a great gift of knowledge to me. I was glad to take part in reading such a masterpiece a...

• Word Count: 462
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... one who admits that he is extremely lonely. From the novel, he said, "'A guy needs somebody to be near him.' He whined, 'A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody.' (Chapter 4, page 12) From the above quote, Crooks reveals how easy it is to feel crazy when you are alone. Others treat Crooks unjust because he is different from others that ... Lennie ; to own and run their own ranch. This is one of Candy's desperate attempts to find a place in society and meaning in life. Candy offered his services to become a part of George and Lennie's friendship and dream. Candy was attempting to overcome...

• Word Count: 1349
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

I had study "Of mice and men" for my English GCSE course. I was not looking forward to it, as I like to choose the books I read myself. Although after reading the first chapter I was engrossed and couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed it and couldn't wait to see what would happen next. "Of mice and men" is a novella. This means it is not ... , others have a dream of their own, individual needs. Anger and violence are two more themes that run throughout the story. All of the characters are angry in at least one part in the book. They all deal with their anger in their own ways. Many resort to...

• Word Count: 525
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... the people; they must wait until it clears before they can go about their chores. Living is portrayed as simple and slow, but not easy. The people believe they are part of the land because they were born on it, worked on it, and died on it. They have become one with it, even if it doesn't serve them well. In ... the third chapter, the description of the turtle crossing the pavement is symbolic of the hardships that will follow for the Joads and the other farming families. The reactions of the drivers to ... ...

• Word Count: 659
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... most lonely character in the whole book. Crooks has no one to speak to, be with, and to keep him from going mad. Another reason he is lonely is in chapter four, Crooks gets the chance to be horrible to someone else. He turns on Lennie and starts to be really nasty to him suggesting George won't come back. All those ... about him. In other words, he feels unwanted in his life. So therefore, the character's; Curley's wife and Crooks, symbolize loneliness and the feeling of being not loved. Loneliness is a part of human nature whether we like it or not, as with everything, there are winner...

• Word Count: 464
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School