Of Mice and Men Background Info
By: Christian Hangey and Thomas Geiger
The Great Depression
Republican Herbert Hoover believed that the government should not directly intervene with the economy, so he thought it wasn't his responsibility to create jobs and save the country from the economic breakdown. However, when the Depression was at its worst in 1933, Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt took over and started to build a strong foundation for the country again. His optimism started providing aid to the struggling nation. After a couple more dips, the country rose again in the 1940s. Perhaps the war did have at least one good side effect, since America rose economically again.
The American Dream
The American dream can be defined in two ways. Firstly, it is a set of morals and beliefs that promote life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Also, with hard work, anyone can become successful in the American dream world. The founding fathers of the United States had this set of morals and ideals, and they shaped a country out of it.
The American dream can also be defined as American Patriotism and Spirit. People who celebrate the ideas of The United States are described with having “The American Dream”. The American Dream is the essence of the United States. It is a belief set based on the country’s spirit, as well as patriotism and love for the U.S.A.
John Steinbeck
"Tortilla Flat" was the first book that sold well and showed his abilities as an author. His first truly grim work was "In Dubious Battle". The next year, "Of Mice and Men" came out and received even more acclaim. "The Grapes of Wrath" dealt with the Dust Bowl and the hard economics of the Great Depression. Books like "Cannery Row", "The Pearl", and "The Bus" came out after World War 2. These weren't as rough as his earlier works, but the Depression was over and the rise in attitude was apparent through his novels. He did write more books in the future, but none of his later works were as talked about as "East of Eden". His works from the 1930s were his most famous for its relationships and the the hard work necessary for characters to survive, as well as the horrific economy of the time.