Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed September 24, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 48-50)

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 1997. / Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, Department of History. Also available online.

The primary aim of this project is to examine selected works by John Steinbeck, a significant American writer. Through a close contextual and textual analysis of Steinbeck’s Dustbowl Trilogy, which consists of the novels In Dubious Battle, Of Mice and Men, and The Grapes of Wrath, this project will interrogate Steinbeck’s contribution to the silencing of women and their inferior placement in their society and determine the extent to which Steinbeck promotes patriarchal ideology through his literature. A close examination of the modernist era in which these novels were written will provide the method of interrogating Steinbeck’s portrayal of women’s situation during the Depression and determine whether it is a reflection of the reality of women’s situation at that time given the political and environmental factors of the 1930s. The theories of various feminist critics, including Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, Gayle Rubin, Luce Irigaray, Sherry Ortner, and Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar will be explored in order to elucidate the author’s treatment of the female characters and determine the extent to which patriarchal ideology is embedded in his writing. A brief examination of some of his contemporaries, namely F. Scott Fitzgerald, William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway, will reveal the general treatment of women in male authored modernist literature and determine the extent to which Steinbeck’s female subjugation is representative.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of English at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 1998. / At the centre of this dissertation is the paradox to be found in the fact that although John Steinbeck was the recipient of some of the highest accolades ever to be bestowed upon a writer during this century, his work - and even his person - have, over the years, been subjected to severe attacks from sometimes impercipient critics. !n the thirties, he was branded as a California regionalist of some distinction, but the general consensus among the critics seemed to be that he was unlikely to achieve greatness due to major artistic flaws that were perceived to be present in his work. These flaws included his purported indecency, vulgarity, sexual licence and demagoguery. Reverse reasoning, by which his 'weaker, later works' (especially post World War 11) are compared unfavourably with 'the better earlier ones' of the thirties, is also dealt with. Other aspects that receive attention are his world-view (which is often misunderstood and compared unfavourably with that of other authors) and the fact that his deceptively lucid works are easy to read and therefore often underrated by critics as well as careless readers. Although criticism which centres upon ethical, sociological and political issues instead of artistic merit, is briefly dealt with, emphasis is placed on three elements that are intrinsic to Steinbeck's fiction and their role in the acceptance of his work. These elements, namely allegory/myth, non-teleological thinking and his approach to religion, are dealt with in general terms but also with particular reference to his novel To a God Unknown. To a God Unknown was specifically chosen as a focus for this study because it is believed that it reveals many of the 'flaws' that Steinbeck has been criticised for. It is also considered to be of seminal importance in his canon and therefore a harbinger of later works. As such it reveals a great deal about the author's outlook on life, early influences on his work, theoretical and practical approaches to his writing, and the various techniques employed to achieve his goals. The novel is also a typical example of one of Steinbeck's works of fiction that enjoys a wide and continued readership in spite of the adverse criticism that attended its appearance. This anomaly is central to the study. Virtually all of the works in Steinbeck's canon as well as the reviews and criticisms of internationally recognised Steinbeck scholars and critics collectively served as a 'pool of reference' in the compilation of this dissertation. Other sources included works on American and world literature and history; philosophy; psychology; biography; mythology; theology, and other aspects that have a bearing upon the subject matter. Extensive use was made of the excellent facilities and services provided by the university library as well as by various institutions and individuals on the Internet. The conclusion is reached that it is essential to take cognisance of the Oriental aspect of the Transcendentalist influence on Steinbeck's world-view in order to understand the confluence of apparently irreconcilable philosophical and mythological anomalies in Steinbeck's fiction.

This study analyzes the mythic significance of John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent, its purpose being to further the work begun by such critics as Joseph Fontenrose, Donna Gerstenberger, Lester Marks, Clifford Lewis, Peter Lisca, Tetsumaro Hayashi, Robert De Mott, Donal Stone, and Douglas Verdier -- particularly on the basis of Jungian literary theory.Chapter One describes the development off historical positions which become more discerning and positive in the late 1960's. Chapter Two establishes Steinbeck's interest in myth and archetype by referring to his letters and journals, marry of which are still unpublished. Chapter Three reviews the influences of Sir James George Frazer, T. S. Eliot and interpreters of the Tarot on the novel. Chapter Four considers The Winter on the basis of the monomyth described by Joseph Campbell in his The Hero with a Thousand Faces and on Jung's process of individuation, showing how these two are related.According to these established models of the quest, Ethan Allen Hawley is indeed a quester, and, as such, is not an entirely realistic character. Steinbeck, in The Winter, is writing a modern-day romance. Steinbeck's overt didacticism and ubiquitous allusions, perhaps consequences of his analogical approach, tend at times to be clumsy. In spite of these stylistic weaknesses, Steinbeck's use of monomyth creates complexities of character and theme in The Winter of Our Discontent.

John Steinbeck's three novels Tortilla Flat, Cannr Row and Sweet Thursday are significant in the Steinbeck canon. Although having many elements typical of Steinbeck's fiction in general, these novels, which are referred to as the Monterey Trilogy, are unified by common elements that are either unique or handled in an unusual manner. These common elements are setting, tone, themes, structure, and characters. The novels are complementary and form a unified whole. Just as the setting reflects the evolution of Monterey over a period of almost thirty years, so do the other elements reveal a shift in emphasis or attitude indicative of Steinbeck's own changing attitudes. The concluding chapter discusses the particular significance of the Monterey Trilogy as a measure of Steinbeck's ability as artist and craftsman.

No description available.

Thesis (M.A.)--Villanova University, 2008. / English Dept. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-49). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-49). Also available on the Internet.