42 pages 1 hour read

John Steinbeck

The Winter Of Our Discontent

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1961

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Essay Topics

1.

How is Shakespeare’s play, Richard III, significant to the novel? What are the similarities and differences between Ethan and Richard?

2.

What is the central conflict between Ethan and his wife Mary? How is this conflict resolved? What does this conflict reveal about relationships and people in general?

3.

How does Ethan’s first-person narrative guide the reader through Steinbeck’s exploration of philosophy and morality? Use three examples from the text to support your analysis.