... farms and had also replaced the "lovable existential mule with the malevole! nt tractor" (Folsom 2276). This system of production and finance involves innumerable instances of cruel hardship and injustice (Beach 5). In addition, the depiction of environment and nature in Steinbeck's stories also help to illustrate his characters as those who are being forcefully controlled. In The Red Pony, nature plays a very ... important role. The main character Jody learns more of nature's ambiguous promises when his father has one of his ... mares put to stud to give the boy another colt. The birth...

• Word Count: 1220
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate