Should Steinbeck be Studied?

John Steinbeck, the author of such American classics as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, is no doubt an icon in American literature, and most people are in agreement that to teach an American literature course and pass over Steinbeck is quite a blunder. However, when deciding exactly which of his novels to include in a class's curriculum, there certainly are multiple viewpoints. I will herein consider Steinbeck's classic novel Cannery Row and his work of nonfiction Log from the Sea of Cortez.

Cannery Row is a novel set in an early 20th century Monterey, California, that details the lives of those who live on its namesake street, Cannery Row, at the heart of the canning district. It takes us through the ins and outs of living among the impoverished yet rambunctious populace, chronicling the friendliness with which a young marine biologist is received by the vastly different natives. In it, Steinbeck uses multiple literary devices including a vivid setting, very real and vibrant characters, and multiple symbols, such as a gopher representing the Doc, to express his message of hopefulness, making the best of one’s situation, and being understanding and forgiving towards those in different circumstances than one’s own. Because of this, Cannery Row is a perfect novel to use to teach about the many facets of American literature, and would fit very well in any class’s curriculum.

Log from the Sea of Cortez is an autobiographical account of Steinbeck’s own journey to the Gulf of California with his friend, Ed Ricketts, on whom Doc from Cannery Row is modeled, in order to document specimens of marine life. Throughout the book, Steinbeck makes commentary on human nature, relating it to the plants and animals he observes, or the cultures of the native people he meets. However, while Log has many insightful messages and content, it does not have any one focused theme, and it does not repeat itself hardly at all. Because of this, it exists as a very useful comparison to Cannery Row because of the many points of similarity and contrast, but it would not make a good book to use to teach American literature by itself, and would feel out of place in a class’s curriculum.