In the 1930’s John Steinbeck became a popular writer in this era and one of his most famous novels were Of Mice and Men. John Steinbeck became a write after graduating from Salinas High School, although he didn’t graduated from Stanford University but he worked his way up for his career.
            John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902 of German and Irish ancestry. After he graduated from Salinas High School in 1919, he attended Stanford University. He didn’t finish up University. He went to New York and left Stanford permanently. In New York he pursued his career. His writing was not successful and none of his writings were not being published so he returned to California. His first novel was Cup pf Gold, it was published in 1929 but did not attract much attention. The following year he married his first wife, Carol Henning in 1930. He continued writing, and a novel of his The Grapes of Wrath 1939, won the Pulitzer Prize. During World War II, Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962, of realistic and imaginative writings, by his implied sympathetic humor. Steinbeck died in December 20, 1968, in New York City of age 66 and had one son, Thomas.
            One of his most famous novels was Of Mice and Men. This novel was about two friends, George Milton and Lennie Small sticking together finding a job in the Central Valley of California “A few miles south of Soledad.” George was small and smart and Lennie was big, strong and mentally handicapped and low self- esteem. They had to find another job elsewhere because Lennie was into some trouble in the last place they were so they had to search for another job in California. They traveled through a highway and then came up on a place were people bunking. They eventually they were hired for the job. On a Friday morning they returned to the bulk house and began to work. Later that day Silm and George discussed Lennie and George told everyone that they were both cousins but really they were just friends. The next day, Saturday night they were given their room near the bulk house. The next day, Sunday afternoon, Lennie sits in the barn by himself and starts thinking of his puppy that he killed by accident. One day Curley’s wife was wearing a nice soft red dress and Lennie wanted to pet it like a puppy. She tells him to back of and to nit touch her but Lennie doesn’t listen he grabs her and tried to shut her up but he accidentally cracked her neck and killed her. Everyone was hunting for him George finds him hiding in the barn hiding and tried to calm him down and when Lennie was calmed down George Killed him.
            This story relates to the great depression because both, George and Lennie were going through depression looking for a job. But it was more depressing for George because he had to look out for Lennie because he was somehow mentally special ed. And didn’t think right about things so he needed George to look out for him. George needed to take care of him through the whole way, Lennie couldn’t control himself. One day Lennie wanted to feel Curley’s wife’s dress because he thought it was soft like a rabbit, so he touched the dress and the lady started screaming and Lennie grabbed her because he wanted to quiet her down, he was scared that if people heard her scream Lennie would of get into trouble because he did something wrong, but he accidentally cracked her neck and killed her. People wanted to blame George because he was the one that always looked out for him and that he should have been responsible for this murder. Everyone hunted for Lennie because of Curley’s wife’s death. George found Lennie hiding in a small room in the village. Lennie already knew that everyone was looking for him, he was caring Curley’s gun. George told Lennie to calm down and put the gun down and to get on his knees looking out the window. George tried to calm Lennie down by telling the story about them both saving up money and getting their own farm with animals and rabbits so he could pet them. Lennie always liked George when he told them their story about getting their farm. Lennie was calmed down and happy from hearing the story. George grabs the gun Lennie had, and he aims at Lennies head and pulls the trigger. George killed Lennie because he was the one that looked out for Lennie and everyone knew that George was responsible for Lennie. He didn’t want to take the blame for Lennie’s actions so he killed Lennie so everyone would not put the blame on George and think that George had their side.
            The novel Of Mice and Men became popular in this era because the two main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small were going through depression traveling looking for a job. It was difficult for then to find a job because George always got into trouble and they wouldn’t succeed very well because of Lenni’s actions. But the person that went through the most depression was George Milton because he had to take responsibility for himself and Lennie and find a way to survive and that was a lot of work for him.

Bibliography

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio.html

http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html

I also read the Novel, Of Mice and Men.for information.