Thoughts on Steinbeck Film

Alright–as of today, my freshman should have finished the A&E Biography of John Steinbeck, so here’s a chance to comment. I realize that documentaries are by nature very different than movies you might be used to watching–no car chase scenes, no huge gun fights and violent deaths by the thousands–but Steinbeck did have a pretty unique life: Three wives, for one thing (some say he loved his women, but he loved his words even more), and he did like to write about gamblers, prostitutes, and the “scum of the earth.” So perhaps instead of going with your first inclination (“Mr. Locke, this film was boooorrrring, and I didn’t get it) try to give me some comments that are a little more insightful. For example, why do you think Steinbeck wrote about the things he wrote about? What or who influenced his life? Was his life similar to yours in any way? Let’s see what you’ve got…