1. JOHN STEINBECK

2. BIOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND
- synopsis

3. Nobel Prize in Literature 1962
What do you know about Alfred Nobel, or why he established the Nobel Prizes?
What are some of the different Nobel Prizes?
What do you know about the political climate of 1962, also known as the Cold War era?

4. Steinbeck’s Acceptance Speech
Examine the introductory information to gain background and possible information regarding the speaker’s purpose.
Listen to the speech: Here is the audio of Steinbeck’s speech, keeping in mind the limitations of technology.
Consider this a first read, to appreciate his voice, tone, and overall message.
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5. Independent Reading & Analysis:
Spend minutes re-reading the transcript up through the marked spot on page two. Be prepared to discuss your thoughts and questions about the speech.
Look up unfamiliar terms, briefly defining in the margin if necessary.
Identify at least three key points that you feel Steinbeck was trying to make up through about the first half of the text.
The key point should be a summary or comment annotated in the margin.
Students should clearly mark passages that align with the three key points.

7. Literary Technique and Philosophies
An Introduction to
Romanticism, Realism, and Naturalism

8. Romanticism— “Idealized Life”
NOT referring to sexual or “romantic” feelings
Presents life as one wishes it would/could be
More adventurous, heroic, more perfect
Idealized characters, settings, plots— especially the resolutions
Idealized representation of humanity

9. Realism Literary Technique
Accurate imitation of life
Authors tended to be deliberately selective, preferring the average, commonplace, everyday experiences
Middle class, occasionally working class
Lives “touched” by beauty, joy, success, even moments of heroism
BUT still what could happen to ordinary people in ordinary circumstances

10. Naturalism Philosophical Approach
Claimed to be more “real” than realism
Presents a more “scientific” or objective study of humanity
3rd Person Limited or Omniscient POV is very common
Depictions frequently were of lower class, ill- educated characters
Settings prove to be very important

11. Lives Governed by Nature: Internal and External
Human Behavior is affected by:
Instinct
Passions
Heredity
AND
Environment

12. Free Will… Typically believed it existed and could be exercised BUT
Often hampered or limited by forces beyond our control.

13. Forces that overpower free will:
Environment—drought, floods, blizzards
Social Conditions—Poverty, segregation, discrimination
Chance/Fate—illness, accident, heredity
Internal/Innate Passions—anger, greed, pleasure other passions that overcome rational behavior

14. Creative Application: A Wild, Wild West Narrative
This is a narrative limited to about 20 minutes once you start writing. Spend a few minutes brainstorming a plot and conflict, if you want.
Write a ROMANTICIZED story typical of the wild west, focusing on a hero not afraid to get his hands dirty as he saves the day.
This is hand-written in your journal, and meant to be a creative exercise. Just do your best!! Perfectionists may need to take a deep breath!
Choose from a suggested topic or go wild with your own, school- appropriate topic. These are listed on the next slide.

15. Possible topics:
A family is traveling West on the Oregon trail and encounters a problem along the way.
A young widow in a frontier town just had her only cow stolen by some cattle rustlers.
Two gold miners head out to California to strike it rich but encounter a problem with a double-crossing prospector.
A young teacher leaves home in the East to find an adventure in a Wild West frontier town, but she encounters trouble getting settled in an unfamiliar place.
Choose your own Western-themed, school-appropriate topic. =)

16. Due Date:
These should be in your journal at the beginning of class tomorrow. I will be looking these over in the library (and being entertained!) while you are participating in library orientation.
Points will be awarded based on effort/completion.
You will have a follow-up journal entry assigned at the end of library that will be due at the beginning of class on Wednesday.