In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy,
Growing heavy for the vintage. ~John Steinbeck
The John Steinbeck Center is located in Salinas, CA.
Steinbeck left Salinas after the publication of The Grapes
Of Wrath. He did not return permanently until his death.
THE EPIC STORY OF THE JOAD FAMILY'S
MIGRATION FROM THE
OKLAHOMA DUST BOWL TO
THE PROMISED LAND OF CALIFORNIA
Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.
They got no family. They don't belong no place…. With us it ain't like
that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn
about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' in our jack jus'
because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail
they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.
~George Milton
Pathways to information about the historical background of the
novel Of Mice and Men.
Online Sources
John Steinbeck
Literary Traveler - explores Steinbeck's life
Center for Steinbeck Study - biography
Dust Bowl
The Drought - PBS
Mass Exodus from the Plains - PBS
Surviving the Dust Bowl - an eyewitness account
Dust Bowl
The Great Depression
The Great Depression - main causes
The Great Depression - This web page is for the purpose
of comparing and contrasting cohorts involving their
views of the Great Depression and the effects of it on their
growing experience.
American Memory The Great Depression; great for photos
The Great Depression - PBS
The Great Depression
California Gold Rush
Sutter's Account of the Discovery of Gold
About the Gold Rush - excellent site from PBS
The Women - excerpts of diaries
And this I believe: that the free exploring mind of the indvidual
human Is the most valuable thing in all the world. And this
I would Fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction
it wishes, Undirected. And this I must fight against: any
idea, religion, or Government which limits or destroys the
individual.
~ John Steinbeck from:East of Eden