Sallie!

__Steinbeck's Mixed Feelings on Change__

As a classic American author, John Steinbeck has opinions that are listened to and respected, although not always clear.Steinbeck’s writing style is very tangential and jumbled, often hitting many irrelevant topics.However, through both of the Steinbeck novels I read (//Of Mice and Men// and //Travels with Charley//) a theme that he kept hitting upon was change, more specifically, recent changes in our society.However, it seems that as Steinbeck’s age increased, his views on change were altered drastically. Throughout his books, Steinbeck appears to be rather mystifying with his views on progress. On one hand, he seems to love it, and he takes great pride in the actions of the human race.He states, “Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments.” (Williams) Steinbeck is admiring our innovative qualities, and marveling at all we have achieved.He delights in the fact that we are better as people for all the progress we make in the world.One thing that is important to note about this quote is that it was written in 1939 (Wiki Quote).This means Steinbeck would have been 37 years old when he was writing it.He would have been entering middle age, just coming out of the era of his life when change was frequent and even ordinary. Although that last quote seems like he has decided his opinion on the matter of advancements, it seems as if he changed his mind in the following 25 years.In 1962, he states: “I wonder why progress looks so much destruction.” (Wiki Quote) He obviously mourns the old way of life, how it used to be, yet in his earlier quote, he praised the progressiveness of humans.At the same time, he admits in this quote that it is indeed, progress. It seems that Steinbeck, as he was getting older, was becoming a bit nostalgic.He remembered the old days, lamented them, and was bitter towards those changing them. Although so far we have seen Steinbeck’s joy at progress and his later contradiction of himself, there is more to come.When Steinbeck and Charley's route across America comes to Seattle, where he had been many years earlier, he is absolutely appalled at the disaster that progress has created there. He starts with a portrayal of the old Seattle, a picturesque town. He then rages into a description of the new Seattle, depicting it as a place with “traffic rushing with murderous intensity” and where “the yellow smoke of progress hung over all.”(Steinbeck, Travels). Even though this took place not long after his last quote in 1962, the event of seeing this town turned city made him turn against change with a vengeance. So it appears that as Steinbeck grew in age, his opinion on change was indeed, changed.As a young man, he relished it and loved the human race for it.In his later years, he saw it destroying what he knew and loved, and he began to resent change and anyone that caused it.As much as he eventually hated change, one must wonder if he realized that it was taking place within himself as well.

WORKS CITED "The John Steinbeck Timeline - Time Line." //Explore Monterey County - Complete Guide to Everything Monterey County//. Web. 07 June 2010. . "John Steinbeck." //Wikiquote//. 11 May 2010. Web. 02 June 2010. . Steinbeck, John. //Travels with Charley: in Search of America//. New York: Viking, 1962. Print. Williams, B. T. "Humans." //Quotations to Live By: the Wisdom and Wit of the Ages for Today!// Tallahassee, FL, USA: Quotation World Publications, 2005. 138. Print.