Communism In John Steinbeck's Cannery Row

Subsequently, as nearly one of four workers were jobless and millions displaced at the height of the Depression, families like the Abbevilles struggled to survive. Black Tuesday saw the loss of over $14 billion on the New York Stock Exchange, throwing the America and the world into financial chaos. The GDP fell by 18%; and, “at its peak in 1933, unemployment stood at more than 12.6 million without jobs, although some estimates placed unemployment as high as 16 million” (“Great Depression”). During the economic collapse, in the traditional patriarchal family, the father often felt guilty for being unable to keep his children fed and clothed. For instance, in Cannery Row, Horace Abbeville approaches Lee Chong about his outstanding debt, which

Moreover, the broken plot, poetic language, theme of solitude, and cynicism present in Cannery Row define it as a classic piece of Modernist literature, while its verisimilitude and humor develop its Realistic attributes. Overall, the Great Depression played the largest role in shaping Cannery Row. With the economy in shambles, many Americans, like those of Monterey, turned to their community for support. Nevertheless, those like Mrs. Malloy and the old Chinaman had difficulty finding aid in a bigoted society. As stores replaced Inquire Within signs with No Jobs, Keep Out, people like Mary Talbot tried to cope with the psychological and economic issues through various methods. However, due to the Depression and other major events of the time, solemnity became engraved into Modernism. Although Steinbeck wrote Cannery Row during the Modernist literary period, it does contain Realistic aspects. After examining Cannery Row and the suffering faced by Depression-era America, one is reminded that it is the most challenging hardships which truly deepen the intimacy of a community and a