Steinbeck's life - AO3 Context Flashcards
Where did Steinbeck live that most affected by the dustbowl migrated to?
Salinas Valley
What did Steinbeck’s neighbour see which would have also influenced him?
His neighbour - Dorothy Wallace - she saw many migrant families arrive in droves, living in cardboard boxes in camps.
What job did Steinbeck do that influenced him?
He was inspired by his journalism work for The San Fransisco News which commissioned him to cover migrant labour camps in the Salinas Valley.
What did the articles Steinbeck were commissioned for include?
It was a seven article series called ‘The Harvest Gypsies’.. It ran in October 1936 and detailed hunger, squalid living conditions and wage exploitation.
What book was Steinbeck given which massively influenced him?
Malory’s - Le Morte Darthur which detailed the life of King Arthur and individual stories about the Knights around the round table.
What did this book influence Steinbeck to focus on?
Steinbeck realised the power of historical fiction to highlight the power of good versus evil.
What first hand experience did Steinbeck have which helped him to relate to the migrants?
Experiences as a labourer working on ranches, in factories and as a member of a road building gang.
What did Steinbeck refuse showing him to be a man of the people?
An offer from Life Magazine to write about migrant workers as he felt it would be wrong to make money off of their misfortune.
