Of Mice and Men
By Jacob Self
The Great Depression
The Great Depression started in the early 1930's, and it lasted mostly through the late 30's, but in some cases it lasted as late as through the mid 1940's. The Great Depression was an example of how far the world's economy can fall. It was the result of falling stock prices. Cities that were dependent primarily on heavy industry were hit the hardest.
Woman with Children During the Depression
People Line up for Food
People asleep on the Floor
John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck was born in 1902 , which means he was a young adult for the duration of the Great Depression. He was born in Salinas, California, to a family of English, Irish, and German heritage. He attended Stanford University for five years, however, he left without a degree. He then moved back to his home state, to Tahoe City to work in a fish hatchery. It was then that he met Carol Henning, his future wife. Steinbeck took up writing, and he wrote several short novels. His first true success was Tortilla Flat, which was published in 1935.
Of Mice and Men
In the novel, Of Mice and Men, two ranch workers travel from place to place in order to find work. This book takes place during the Great Depression. The two protagonists of the book are George Milton and Lennie Small.
Works Cited
Rosenberg, Jennifer. "The Great Depression." About.com 20th Century History. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. <http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/p/greatdepression.htm>.
MLA style: "John Steinbeck - Biographical". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 18 Feb 2014. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio.html>
Clements, Matthew. "Of Mice and Men and Migrant Farm Workers of the Great Depression." The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2014. <http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/great-depression/resources/mice-and-men-and-migrant-farm-workers-great-depression>.