Travels With Charley By John Steinbeck Analysis

Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck John Steinbeck is a writer. He dreamed about travelling in the big world since he was young. At the age of 58, he prepared to travel around the United States after 25 years because he felt that he was writing of something he didn’t know about and he felt that as a writer, it’s a criminal. He traveled with his dog, Charley, and a truck named Rocinante. It’s very comfortable truck with a lot of tools for camping for Steinbeck such as double bed, heater, stove, toilet, etc. He planned to leave New York after Labor Day but because of Hurricane Donna hit Long Island where he lived, he must delay his trip. He began his trip from Long Island to Connecticut by ferry. When he was on a ferry, he talks to the sailor
about the future. After that he passed Hartford and Providence, he meets a friendly farmer who allows him to park on his property.
They talked about politics. Steinbeck seems to learn more about local people from the morning radio. Next he went to visit Maine. He noticed that most of the summer stores are all closed in winter. He stopped at a small restaurant and learnt that other people’s attitudes can affect your own attitude. After that he go to Deer Isle and he traveled around several towns throughout the state. He can feel the change in American culture such as in the hotel, he felt less homely and welcome and also when he was lost on the way to Deer Isle, he felt that people were become less trusted I the people they didn’t know because they didn’t answer when he ask for the direction. When he went to Northern Maine he met one family of workers who harvest the potatoes. They are very friendly to him and he felt like this family became really sociable. Next, he traveled to Niagara Falls, which is one of the largest water falls in North America and also be the borderline between New York and Canada. He was angry because he can’t get into Canada until he go get Charley vaccinated. He discovered that technology in America moved so quickly to give America people comfortable and convenience. The vending machine made Steinbeck so impressed. After
that, he traveled to the Midwest states. He noticed the change in the growth of cities in the Midwest VS the last time he went. And also the way people greet the newcomer differently from New England. Here he talked to the families who own the mobile home. They discuss like the good points of mobile home such as it can be move everywhere. Next he went to Wisconsin and North Dakota. He went to St. Paul and Minneapolis which he get lost their.