What do we learn about life in Americas in the 1930s from John Essay

What do we learn about life in Americas in the 1930's from John Steinbeck's novel, Of Mice and Men? John Steinbeck was born and raised in Salinas, in 1902. Steinbeck was of German and Irish ancestry. His father was the county treasurer and his mother was a teacher. Steinbeck attended Salinas High School and went on to study Marine Biology at Stanford University, but failed to finish his course. He travelled to New York and worked as a reporter, unfortunately he was fired. After he took on many different jobs and became an apprentice, a painter, a caretaker, a surveyor and a fruit picker. He married three times in 1930, in 1943 and in 1950. During the World War Two, Steinbeck became a War correspondent. In 1960 he toured 40 states of America and was awarded with a Noble Prize in the same year. Steinbeck later died in 1968, at the age of 64. In the 1920s share prices in the USA rapidly increased year after year. Many Americans believed that by investing money in the stocks they could make quick and easy money. The selling and buying of shares almost became uncontrollable, many people brought shares without realising that they could easily loose it. Some companies were totally false and others lied to their customers in order to take advantage of the money hungry people of the USA. On the 24th and 29th of October 1922, share prices on Wall Street fell dramatically. This fall became known as the Wall Street Crash. This crash became the main cause of the nationwide depression. The depression hit America first then spread to other countries around the world. People began to lose their confidence in the stock markets and embarked on saving as opposed to buying stock. Many banks collapsed as people withdrew th... ...or information on the 1930's. It helps us to understand what was happening in the 1930's. It gives us a clear idea of white people's attitude to black people and everyone's attitude towards The Great Depression. This story is a very good reference of oppression in the 1930's. Candy describes the bosses' behaviour to George and says; I guess the boss'll be out here in a minute. He was sure burned when you wasn't here this morning. Come right in when we was eatin' breakfast and says, 'Where the hell's them new men?' An' he give the stable buck hell, too." This shows how even though Crooks' work was good and that even though he was much liked around the ranch he did not seem to be much appreciated. The 1930's were a very hard period for black people and women of all colours. I think that "Of Mice and Men" is an excellent source for information on the 1930's.