English outside reading blog #5

In order to write about the life and literary works of John Steinbeck, I will first need to research his inspirations and motivations for the books that he wrote. The thematic ideas of John Steinbeck focuses much on the working class during the time of the Great Depression, a time when the country's economy and government were out of money and the people were living in starvation. Since he himself lived as an adult during the time of the Depression, he experienced the poverty and struggles of many working class residents during the time. It was this experience that possibly led Steinbeck to write his novels: The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, and Cannery Row, among many others. Steinbeck's works have also revolved around the events of World War II, and this leads me to believe he wrote only on the events that shrouded his life during his years as a writer. To do all this, I will need to research in depth about historical events during those periods of time, and learn about his correspondence with them and how they affected aspects of his life. Steinbeck's writing style is very unique among all the writers during his time, and I need to make sure and explain how that style stands out from his peers and fellow authors.