John-Steinbeck约翰斯坦贝克

JohnSteinbeckLifeExperiencesBorn:February27,1902;132CentralAvenue,Salinas,CA

(whatisnowthereceptionroomoftheSteinbeckHouse)GraduatedfromSalinasHighSchool--June1919AttendedStanfordUniversity--1919-1925.DiedinNewYorkbecauseofheartattackinDecember20,1968

PoliticalViewsHiswifewasaMarxistHedidattendatleastonecommunistpartymeeting,buthewasnotapartymemberOnSocialism:"socialismisjustanotherformofreligion,andthusdelusional."Later,SocialistsandMarxistscriticizedhimfornotbeingcommittedenough.MajorWorksCupofGold,1929(firstnovel)《金杯》ThePasturesofHeaven,1932(secondnovel)《天堂牧场》ToaGodunknown,1933(thirdnovel)《大地的象征》TortillaFlat,1935《煎饼坪》

第一部大获成功的作品InDubiousBattle,1936《胜负未决的战斗》OfMiceandMen,1937《人鼠之间》TheRedPony,1937《小红马》TheGrapesofWrath,1939《愤怒的葡萄》CanneryRow,1945《罐头工厂街》ThePearl,1947《珍珠》EastofEden,1951《伊甸园以东》TravelswithCharley,1961《同查理的旅行》OfMiceandMen故事情节简单，涵盖的时间不超过三天，地点是一个美国加州的一个牧场。描写两个相互扶持的好朋友（George曾骗老板他们是表兄弟）——一位是精明的乔治（George），一位是轻度智障儿雷尼（Lennie）。雷尼因为社会适应较差，老是犯错，搞的两人无奈地到处换工作。在富人奥谢（TylerRanch）的牧场里，他们努力工作编织梦想，乔治答应雷尼如果他听话不要闯祸，将来就可以为自己照顾一窝的兔子，眼看着梦想就要成真。有一次雷尼失手勒死了奥谢儿子柯利的太太梅，铸成大错，为了躲避的农场伙计们的追打，雷尼逃跑了。当伙计们争先恐后地追杀雷尼时，乔治为了不让雷尼被农场伙计们杀死并受到侮辱，抢先找到雷尼。他举起枪来，把枪口挨近雷尼的后脑杓，将他射杀。这部小说用来讽刺社会对弱者的歧视，反而不如雷尼对老鼠的疼惜，《人鼠之间》曾因“语言亵渎，带攻击性，并有种族主义倾向”被视为禁书。OfMiceandMenHewontheNewYorkDramaCritics’CircleAwardin1938.HewontheNobelPrizeinLiteraturein1962.“forhisrealisticandimaginativewritings,combiningastheydosympathetichumorandkeensocialperception”被誉为”触及了真正扎根于美国生活的主题。“这部小说使斯坦贝克的名字在美国家喻户晓。

TheGrapesofWrath

小说主人公约德刑满被释回家，发现家乡一片荒芜，只得携家乘坐一辆破旧的汽车到西部谋生，在那里的一个农场做工。一家人拼命干活，只能勉强糊口，农场主还不断地压低工资。农工们奋起反抗，举行罢工，警察前来镇压，牧师凯绥同情农工，被武装流氓打死。约德将凶手击毙，只得再次背井离乡。这部作品，反映了广大人民群众对现存社会的日益不满和叛逆精神，具有鲜明的时代特征。ThemesofTheGrapesofWrath1classconflict2IndividualVs.Society3Commitment4

Man’sInhumanitytoManSteinbeck’snovelsHisnovelsdealwiththestrugglesofordinarypeople.Hisworkwascontroversialbecauseofhissupportfortheunderprivileged(下层社会的人).Inthe1930’s,tensionbetweenstateagribusiness（农业综合企业）andtheunderpaid,overworkedlaborerwashigh.Steinbeck’snovelsBetween1935and1940morethan350,000peoplelefttheDustBowl（干旱尘暴区）forCalifornia.TheWestwasviewedasthepromisedland,aplacetostartanewlife.Steinbeck’strilogy(三部曲）,InDubiousBattle,OfMiceandMenandGrapesofWrathdealswithagriculturallabor.

MajorThemesandHistoricalPerspectives1HalfofSteinbeck'swritingspresentcharacterswhoseidentityisincrisisbecauseoftheconflictbetweencultures.

2Hischaracterscannotescapepastinfluences:biological,cultural,religious,orthecollectiveactivities