In his books Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck captured the reality of the struggles that struck mankind in different forms and in various levels as he had observed during his lifetime. Steinbeck observed mainly Californians and migrants who had suffered from poverty and distress brought to them by the Depression and the Dust Bowl, the dust storm that brought drought to the Great Plains during 1932 to 1939. He began to write books to sympathize with and encourage the many downtrodden people whom he had watched. Steinbeck suggested a method of comfort and relief to those who were alone and suffering; he discussed the significance that an extended family has in providing its constituents the strength to cope with their economic insecurities and social problems.

Due to the Dust Bowl and the Depression that hit the United States in the thirties, many Oklahomans experienced a sudden abandonment from their landlords. Since most Oklahomans were farmers, many were left jobless once they were kicked off their land. For the sake of survival, this economic catastrophe resulted in two different cases of reactions: that of Muley Graves and that of the Joads.

"What's it set you back?" George asked.

She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters....

Furthermore, Steinbeck placed his Of Mice and Men characters in social dilemma quite different from the social recession that resulted due to economic depression in Grapes of Wrath. The social insecurities of the characters in Of Mice and Men were due to the characters' own traits and personalities. Crooks' loneliness and isolation was due to his non-socializing character. He felt intimidated by other peoples' accompany for he was the "Negro stable buck". Candy's loneliness was due to his old age, physical challenges, and lack of a family. Theses two characters were thrust into a conflict with the social structure and were discriminated for their misfit.

Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place... With us it ain't like that. We got future. We got somebody to talk to... that gives a damn about us...

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Approximate Word count = 2494
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page double spaced)