6.04 John Steinbeck

Have you ever heard the expression "when pigs fly" to describe an almost impossible event? John Steinbeck took the concept of the flying pig, Pigasus, to heart and used it to describe his attempts at greatness. Taking its name from Pegasus, the winged horse of Greek mythology, the Pigasus represents "a lumbering soul" as earthbound as a pig vainly attempting to fly. Steinbeck viewed himself as Pigasus and used the image of the flying pig as a symbol for himself.

Did you know that much of the English language we use today is dervied from Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes, and roots? View these commonly used Latin and Greek prefixes, suffixes, and roots and see if you can determine where some of the words that we use originated.

Recall your investigations in Module 5 into Realism, Naturalism, and Regionalism. Steinbeck's work draws from each of these movements in American Literature. He chose to create characters representing average Americans, while focusing on specific regions and cultures. Many of his characters could also be represented by Pigasus with "not enough wingspread but plenty of intention."

The events depicted within his stories often showed mankind at the mercy of nature, powerless to overcome its fury. The Grapes of Wrath, one of his most highly acclaimed novels, is a mixture of each of these elements. The main characters, the Joad family, are forced to flee their farm and seek jobs in California by the horrific conditions of the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Steinbeck's writing style is also noteworthy. The plots of his stories often involve events which seem unrelated, as random as life itself. However, he is able to link each event seamlessly until the events arrive at an unusual climax.

In this part of the lesson, you will:

• Read "The Chrysanthemums," a short story written by John Steinbeck;

• Open and print the following "Guided Reading Questions" to help you understand the story as you read;

• Complete the online assessment.

Now that you have investigated one of John Steinbeck's short stories and the background behind Pigasus, it is time to get your creative juices flowing.

• Complete this task:

Create a new mythological creature to represent your outlook on life, similar to Steinbeck's connection to Pigasus. You may base your creature on an ancient Greek or Roman mythological creature, or use your own creative idea.

The creature you create must be a mix of at least two animals (as Pigasus is). You may draw the creature or use a collage to mix images.

Once you have created your new creature, write a detailed paragraph explaining the creature's link to your own life. Your paragraph should explain how the actions of the creature are a metaphor for actions you take in your own life. You will submit your creature and paragraph.