John Steinbeck

Of Mice and Men follows George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers travelling through California during the Great Depression in search of employment. George is intelligent and practical, while Lennie is physically powerful but has an intellectual disability that makes it difficult for him to understand the consequences of his actions. Despite their differences, the two men share a dream of owning a small farm where they can live independently and escape the insecurity of migrant labour. When they find work on a ranch, their hopes appear briefly within reach, but tensions among the workers and Lennie’s inability to control his strength create mounting danger. Steinbeck explores friendship, loneliness, poverty, and the fragility of the American dream. The novella portrays how economic hardship and social isolation can undermine the hopes of people seeking dignity and security.

The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family, tenant farmers driven from their Oklahoma home during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Hoping to find work and a better future, they travel west to California, joining thousands of other migrants searching for survival. Instead of prosperity, they encounter exploitation, overcrowded camps, low wages, and hostility from landowners who fear the growing number of desperate workers. As the family’s circumstances deteriorate, Tom Joad and his mother struggle to preserve their dignity and solidarity in the face of injustice. Steinbeck portrays the human cost of economic collapse, revealing how powerful institutions can profit from the vulnerability of ordinary people. The novel explores poverty, migration, collective resistance, and the importance of community, arguing that human survival depends not only on individual determination but also on mutual responsibility and social justice.

Set in California’s Salinas Valley, East of Eden follows the intertwined lives of the Trask and Hamilton families across several generations. At its heart is a conflict between two brothers, Cal and Aron Trask, whose relationship echoes the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Their struggles with jealousy, parental expectations, love, and belonging raise questions about whether people are destined to repeat the mistakes of their ancestors. Exploring the tension between good and evil, Steinbeck’s epic suggests that individuals are not entirely defined by their past or their nature. They retain the power to make choices that shape their own lives and the lives of those around them.