Preview

Cannery Row Research Paper

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2066 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Cannery Row Research Paper
Julie Murray
Brunton
English 1110
8/8/2008

The Definition of Success: Cannery Row

by John Steinbeck

Many different types of people live in the seaside town that is Cannery Row. Each person 's lifestyle differences and backgrounds influence their ideas and versions of success. Steinbeck introduces a variety of main characters in this book and shows how hard they work to keep up with what they feel is a successful life, even though some characters are more prosperous than others. The one thing that connects all of the inhabitants of Cannery Row is their ability to depend on those around them. They have many neighbors willing to loan money, or to reach out in a tough situation.

The first man we meet in this book is Lee Chong. He is the owner and operator of the local grocery store. Chong is a stubborn man that cherishes the value of a dollar and a hard day 's work. He is …show more content…
Eddie works bartending at a place called, La Ida when the regular bartender is sick. When this rare occurrence happens, he will bring a jug in to work and fill it with all the booze he can. The boys would enjoy it for the next few days and commemmorate their achievements. This was what the boys lived for. Sure, it was illegal, and it wasn 't much to be proud of, but it made them happy. As long as they were alive and well, then that was good enough. If life brought them good fortune, they were very grateful. They didn 't feel like they deserved any more.

The one man Mack and the boys thought deserved more than anyone else was Doc. Doc is their everything. Not just to the boys, to the whole town. He fixed what needed fixing,gave food to the hungry, and helped with people 's health in any way that we could. Throughout Cannery Row, Mack is trying to find out how to pay back Doc for all he has done. The whole town admires Doc, so they support Mack in his
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Grapes of Wrath Rhetorical Strategies
    • 430 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Grapes of Wrath Rhetorical Strategies

    The Nobel Prize winner for literature, John Steinbeck, in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath, illustrates the hardships of the migrant farmers as they moved from their homes. Steinbeck’s purpose is to establish how much the Joads and other migrant farmer families struggled during their journey and to . Through the use of personification, allusions and symbols, Steinbeck successfully gets his message across to his readers.…

    • 430 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Plenty On Cannery Row Banded Together: A League Of Their Own
    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Plenty On Cannery Row Banded Together: A League Of Their Own

    The theme of community is prevavsive throughout the novel, as Steinbeck captures the genuine camaraderie among the inhabitants of Cannery Row.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Similarities Between Crooks And Curley's Wife
    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Similarities Between Crooks And Curley's Wife

    John Steinbeck’s novel, Of mice and Men, shows the lives of a Negro skinner who is excluded from all things and the boss’s son’s wife. They appear different because they come from different backgrounds of life, but in actuality they are alike in many fashions. Crooks and Curley’s wife lived simple lives on the ranch and their parents placed restrictions on them when they were younger.…

    • 486 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Religion In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath
    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Religion In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

    Through The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck conveys the importance of self exploration and individual spirituality. He weaves a tale through which the reader sees both the external hardships and the internal journeys of the book's casts. His success at delivering his message while keeping the book realistic and entertaining is what truly earns this book its place in…

    • 539 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Of Mice and Men Controlled Assessment Draft
    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Of Mice and Men Controlled Assessment Draft

    Of Mice and Men is an American novel written by John Steinbeck about two itinerant workers who move from place to place. One itinerant worker named George is a small, smart, caring worker. While on the contrary the other itinerant worker name Lennie is a huge, clumsy, naïve character. The story is set in a remote place a few miles south of Soledad. The south is usually the best place to live due to the climate of the area. Soledad is the Spanish word for loneliness and solitary. The two itinerant workers pursue their dream of getting their own farm. During their journey George and Lennie encounter many difficulties along the way. It was not uncommon for itinerant workers to suffer from loneliness, isolation and alienation. These three terms are the terms that will be explained in my essay.…

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Family In The Grapes Of Wrath
    • 987 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Theme Of Family In The Grapes Of Wrath

    Writer, John Steinbeck, in his historical fiction novel, The Grapes of Wrath, describes the hardships that the poor migrant farmers faced during the depression as they moved westward, searching for a better life. Steinbeck’s purpose is to inform about the difficulties poor farmers faced during the depression, as well as to entertain the reader by the story of the Joads. He adopts a somewhat depressing, yet quite detailed, tone in order to fully showcase the troubles that the Joads face, the same problems all the poor faced during the time of the depression. Steinbeck’s theme throughout the novel is the importance of family. Whether it’s the family values that help you succeed, or staying with family to keep you safe; Steinbeck exemplifies both through the story as he uses the Joads and their journey west to exemplify the importance of family.…

    • 987 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Both Curley’s Wife and Crooks Are Viewed as Outsiders Who Suffer from Loneliness as a Result of Their Marginalization in “Mice and Men�?. How Does Steinbeck Present These Characters as Outsiders and How Do You Think We Essay Example
    • 1643 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Both Curley’s Wife and Crooks Are Viewed as Outsiders Who Suffer from Loneliness as a Result of Their Marginalization in “Mice and Men�?. How Does Steinbeck Present These Characters as Outsiders and How Do You Think We Essay Example

    Steinbeck’s novel “Of Mice and Men” was set in the Great depression in 1930s America. The characters reflect the struggles and harsh times many working Americans faced in that era. Isolated, lonely, marginalised and mistrustful, people had to create new lives for themselves. In the novel Steinbeck describes several characters that are vulnerable due to the social context of that time; Crooks and Curley’s wife face particular hardship which result in them being outsiders in the place they consider home. Steinbeck implies early on in the novel the views other characters have of Crooks and Curley’s wife may differ from the modern reader. Though both women and black people had progressed in their rights by the time of the setting of the novel, old attitudes and mistreatment of black people and to an extent women were still present. Steinbeck immediately emphasises Crooks and Curley’s wife’s low status via their introduction. They are both introduced in such a way to highlight their low regard by others and how they are viewed by society.…

    • 1643 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does the Loneliness Affect the Friendships and Relationships of the Characters in the Novel “of Mice and Men”?
    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Does the Loneliness Affect the Friendships and Relationships of the Characters in the Novel “of Mice and Men”?

    Steinbeck's short novel raises the lives of the poor and dispossessed to a higher, symbolic level.…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Of Mice and Men Outline
    • 428 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Of Mice and Men Outline

    Thesis: John Steinbeck uses various characters such as Crooks, Lennie, and Curley’s wife to portray the theme of alienation and loneliness in his novel, Of Mice and Men.…

    • 428 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Cannery Row Analysis
    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Cannery Row Analysis

    Doc is a light hearted and kind resident of Cannery Row. Through setting priorities of hard work and helping others he has changed the lives of a countless amount of citizens in Monterey. Although Doc is a bright man this doesn't erase his internal dilemmas. When Doc is alone he is different. Suffering from depression and alcoholism Doc leads a lonely life of white lies and misfortune, triggered by the tragedy of a lost love. Dumping himself in work Doc tries to escape the pain, putting on a happy face for Cannery Row while living a life of sorrow.…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Role Of Isolation In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men
    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Role Of Isolation In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men

    The great depression was a time of strife for many people. This cannot be more true for the migrant workers of California who went around the state looking for work and never staying long in the same place. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck portrays this experience of migrating from job to job and living paycheck to paycheck, along with the loneliness that goes along with the experience, through George and Lennie’s experiences. George and Lennie are unique in that they travel together and as such are not affected by loneliness as much as some of the other characters are in the book. Of Mice and Men shows how loneliness and isolation affects the human experience in a positive and negative…

    • 1011 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Thematic Essay On Of Mice And Men
    • 633 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Thematic Essay On Of Mice And Men

    John Steinbeck’s novella Of Mice and Men chronicles the experiences of two unlikely friends Lennie and George, as they follow the path of life in pursuit of their own version of the American dream. Steinbeck incorporates thematic ideas that define dreams and what prevents them from being manifested, tensions concerning race and gender, and the significance of relationships within the story. Use of these thematic ideas amplify the strength of feeling throughout the story, and connects the reader with themes they can identify with.…

    • 633 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Of Mice and Men. Disadvantaged Characters!
    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Of Mice and Men. Disadvantaged Characters!

    John Steinbeck’s novel ‘of mice and men’, is set in California during the 1930s. At this point in time was the ‘great depression.’ Steinbeck got the name of the novel from a poem called ‘To a mouse on turning up her nest with a plough.’ There are many reasons why Steinbeck wrote this novel: one is that he was briefly a ranch hand, meaning he had a great comprehension of the difficulties and disadvantages of working on a ranch. Another reason is because Steinbeck writes about realism meaning there was a great interest in the lives of the poor rather than the rich people at this time. All of the characters are disadvantaged because most of them have no lasting friendships and have come from broken up families. The characters I will be presenting as the most disadvantaged are – Lennie, Crooks, Candy and Curley’s Wife.…

    • 1400 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    John Steinbeck 'of Mice and Men' Settings
    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages

    John Steinbeck 'of Mice and Men' Settings

    John Steinbeck wrote ‘Of Mice and Men’ to show how hard life was for migrant ranch workers during the time of the Great Depression and how they were often exploited by their employers. In showing how George and Lennie’s dream of owning their own piece of land did not come true, Steinbeck explores a wider theme, criticising the idea of the American Dream. The American Dream tells people that there is ‘opportunity for each... regardless of the fortuitous circumstance of birth and position. Steinbeck criticises this as these ranch workers were given few opportunities. Settings play a very important part in the novel as they pinpoint clear times and places giving a sense of realism to the story, but they are also used to create atmosphere.…

    • 912 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Of Mine and Men
    • 1955 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Of Mine and Men

    John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men deals with many different themes. Revolving these themes are characters overcoming issues and conflicts in their lives. One of the themes that have created the biggest impact on the characters in the novel is loneliness. Loneliness occurres in every character’s life, and impacts it drastically. Ronald Anthony says “When we truly realize that we are alone is when we need others the most.” This quotation means a person never fully realizes the importance of a friend and the impact they can set on a life, until they are gone. This quotation is illustrated in the novel various times by the characters, Lennie, Candy, Curly’s wife, and Crooks. Each of these characters come from a small town called “Soledad” which is South of California in the Salinas Valley. Soledad means “lonely,” so clearly Steinbeck has a way of introducing words to the novel to create a lonely and blue atmosphere. Furthermore, These characters all live a life of loneliness and despair. He makes it clear that all men that work on the ranch are lonely, with particular people who are lonelier then others. There are many situations when each character feels so alone in such an ominous world. Therefore, the purpose of this essay is to clearly show the many examples where each character needs someone by their side, so they are not alone. Evidence to support the validity of this thesis will be proven throughout the remaining of the essay.…

    • 1955 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics