Survivor

John Steinbeck was a survivor in many ways!  Can you survive this project?

Objective:

Learn how the author’s experiences and attitude toward life influenced his writing.

Directions:

v  As we read the novel, complete each of the following activities in order. 

v  Turn in each activity the following day to stay in the Survivor competition.  If you fail to “survive”, you can still earn the points by completing all activities by the final due date, but you lose out on the Survivor award.   (Hint: Use the directions on the website to access hyperlinks below.)

Activities:

  1. Steinbeck was born in Salinas, CA.  Create a map of California and label Salinas.  Include driving directions (along with distance and travel time) from your hometown.

 

  1. Steinbeck dropped out of Stanford University to support his writing through manual labor work.   Create a list of “manual labor” jobs today.  Research at least one job opening in San Diego, include a description of the position and salary.

 

  1. Steinbeck’s experiences among the working classes in California gave him a REAL perspective into the lives of many, especially migrant workers.   What is a migrant worker?  Give a detailed paragraph describing a migrant worker and any current California laws that apply to them.

 

  1. There are many symbols in daily life.  $$ is a symbol for money.  ZZZZZZ is a symbol for sleeping.  A light bulb is a symbol for an idea.  Steinbeck uses a lot of symbols in his writing.  In the first few pages of The Pearl, we have a scorpion and a pearl.  Why does Steinbeck choose these specific items?   What should each represent to the reader?  Research and make note of their appearance, habitat or other characteristics to explain the symbolic meaning behind the scorpion and the pearl. 

 

  1. Critics have said that Steinbeck’s characters survive the “trials of hunger, death, and powerlessness as they [seek] a better life”.  In essence, he writes of the American Dream.  Winning the lottery is just one example of attaining the American Dream.  Read about the lives of some lottery winners and then explain your perspective on this so-called dream. 

 

  1. Steinbeck received the Nobel Laureate in Literature in 1962 for "…his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception." (The Nobel Foundation)  What is the Nobel Prize?  In Steinbeck’s acceptance speech, what did he feel is his responsibility as a writer?

 

  1. Steinbeck married and divorced three times, had two sons, and was said to have neglected his family for his writing.  Perhaps this is why he used his writing to teach lessons.  Reread the introduction of The Pearl.  Parables and folk tales are stories passed down through generations to teach some lesson.  What is the lesson behind this novel?   Research and find another parable or folk tale to share with your classmates.

 

  1. Using what you have learned about John Steinbeck, his writings, and his characters.  Explain how both he and Kino are survivors.

 

  1. Steinbeck said that human beings should try to understand each other, and that "if you understand each other you will be kind to each other."  Do you agree?  Give examples from your life and from the conclusion of our story which support what you say.

 

FINAL DUE DATE:  September 11, 2009

 

 (KKangas 2003 [revised 2007] – CA Language Art Standard 3.7)