In America and Americans, John Steinbeck writes: “We have failed sometimes, taken wrong paths, paused for renewal, filled our bellies and licked our wounds; but we have never slipped back—never.”

What would he say now? Have we finally crossed the line and “slipped back” as a nation? 1/3

February 20, 2025 - 15:33 UTC

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Steinbeck was wrong. Abolitionists outnumbered slavers as signatories of the 1835 Texas declaration of independence (you can count them), but 20 years later, as a state, TX had become a vast slave camp. That's backsliding IMHO.
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All of “Reconstruction” was a pretty big backslide IMO. Also, he died before he could publicly express his private criticisms of the Vietnam War and a new-found disillusion with war in general. I suspect were he
alive today, he would revise this opinion.
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Most people, even English teachers, aren't aware of the two comedies by Steinbeck "Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday", upon which the movie "Cannery Row", starring Nick Nolte & Debra WInger are based. It's overly sentimental but wonderfully nostalgic and optimistic.

youtu.be/VAO5Y2xi4TY?si=1uvxH7OaNhO--BRQ
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I wish it had been more faithful to the text. Sure even John Ford’s Grapes of Wrath softens the ending to the point of changing the meaning. Hitchcock’s Lifeboat reduces Joe Spencer. But Ed as a washed up baseball player? Nah dawg. That said, Steinbeck was cool with adaptions.(Not Lifeboat, though.)
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It sure can feel like the lessons, inspiration, and courage that only comes from deep understanding of our humanity are dampened. The trick is breathing new life into ideals that are eternal and universal. It’s hard work, which makes it feel futile, but it’s our only hope. So, we press on. 2/3
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It’s hard work because it’s deep work, and often hidden work. In “The Winter of our Discontent,” Steinbeck implores us to “inspect [our] own communities and search [our] own hearts,” something we’re bad at. At the Steinbeck Center, we’re working to encourage and enable such introspection. 3/3
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Steinbeck and Edward Abbey are two authors who I have read all their books. Some of them several times.
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