Book Description
Ethan Allen Hawley, the protagonist of Steinbeck's last novel, works as a clerk in a grocery store that his family once owned. With Ethan no longer a member of Long Island's aristocratic class, his wife is restless, and his teenage children are hungry for the tantalizing material comforts he cannot provide. Then one day, in a moment of moral crisis, Ethan decides to take a holiday from his own scrupulous standards. Set in Steinbeck's contemporary 1960 America, the novel explores the tenuous line between private and public honesty, and today ranks alongside his most acclaimed works of penetrating insight into the American condition.
My Review
This may not be Steinbeck's best novel, but it surely is one in which we can identify with the main character of Ethan Allen Hawley and his personal struggle of morality between what is right and wrong. It is a relevant story for the 50's but speaks also to the lack of moral integrity of today's corrupt standards. Ethan's character seemed more developed than the others which may be intentional and the plot had many twists and turns. The novel is a quick read but very thought provoking. The ending had an impact which is sadly understandable. I have read Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden but this novel is so different and won Steinbeck a Nobel Peace Prize for Literature which I believe was an award for his lifetime contribution. I do look forward to reading more of his books in the near future. I would highly recommend this book to those who like stories with life lessons.
Ethan Allen Hawley, the protagonist of Steinbeck's last novel, works as a clerk in a grocery store that his family once owned. With Ethan no longer a member of Long Island's aristocratic class, his wife is restless, and his teenage children are hungry for the tantalizing material comforts he cannot provide. Then one day, in a moment of moral crisis, Ethan decides to take a holiday from his own scrupulous standards. Set in Steinbeck's contemporary 1960 America, the novel explores the tenuous line between private and public honesty, and today ranks alongside his most acclaimed works of penetrating insight into the American condition.
My Review
This may not be Steinbeck's best novel, but it surely is one in which we can identify with the main character of Ethan Allen Hawley and his personal struggle of morality between what is right and wrong. It is a relevant story for the 50's but speaks also to the lack of moral integrity of today's corrupt standards. Ethan's character seemed more developed than the others which may be intentional and the plot had many twists and turns. The novel is a quick read but very thought provoking. The ending had an impact which is sadly understandable. I have read Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden but this novel is so different and won Steinbeck a Nobel Peace Prize for Literature which I believe was an award for his lifetime contribution. I do look forward to reading more of his books in the near future. I would highly recommend this book to those who like stories with life lessons.
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