Discussion starters:
- Timmerman points out in his introduction that this is one of two stories where Steinbeck chose a first-person narrator. How does that viewpoint impact the story?
- What is the focal point of this story? Hughes suggests the Hawkins' sisters (81); Hughes tells us that Edmund Wilson focused on Johnny Bear himself (82); French suggests the barroom group (57); some might turn to Alex Hartnell as the central concern.
- How does the symbol of dredging brought in by the narrator's occupation enhance the theme of the story itself?
- What role does Fat Carl serve in the story?
Critical Sources
:
French, Warren. "'Johnny Bear' -- Steinbeck's 'Yellow Peril' Story." Hayashi 57-64.
Hayashi, Tetsumaro, ed. A Study Guide to Steinbeck's The Long Valley. Ann Arbor, MI: Pierian, 1976.
Hughes, R. S. Beyond the Red Pony: A Reader’s Companion to Steinbeck’s Complete Short Stories. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1987.
Timmerman, John H. The Dramatic Landscape of Steinbeck’s Short Stories. Norman, OK: U of Oklahoma P, 1990.
---. Introduction. The Long Valley. John Steinbeck. New York: Penguin, 1995. vii-xxvii.