The Great Depression and Its Impact

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The Great Depression (1929-1939)

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Triggered by the Wall Street Crash of October 29th, 1929, leading to widespread unemployment, poverty, and social dislocation. One-third of Americans were unemployed, intensifying competition for jobs.

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The Dust Bowl (1930s)

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Severe droughts and dust storms devastated agricultural communities in the Great Plains, causing a mass exodus of families to California in search of work.

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Impact of Migration

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Migration increased competition for jobs and intensified hardships for migrant workers like George and Lennie.

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Migrant and Itinerant Workers

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Characters' itinerant status reflects the reality of migrant laborers during the Depression, marked by exploitative conditions, unsteady wages, and scarce job security.

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Isolationism (US Policy in 1930s)

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Following the Wall Street Crash, the US focused on domestic production, allowing wealthier Americans to grow their estates at the expense of migrant workers.

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Disability and Age: Lennie's portrayal

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Steinbeck highlighted his sympathy for the disabled, drawing attention to their struggles during the 1930s.

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Elderly hardships during the Great Depression

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The elderly faced significant challenges, with no elderly relief before 1935.

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Eugenics Movement in California

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Between 1909 and 1963, California sterilized about 20,000 people, targeting marginalized groups.

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Leo Stanley's role in eugenics

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Leo Stanley conducted over 600 testicular surgeries on prisoners to cultivate "socially fit" individuals.

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Steinbeck's social advocacy

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Used his writing to highlight the plight of the downtrodden and critique capitalism.