Discussion starters:
- Steinbeck was interested in the difference between individual behavior and group behavior. From this story, what do you gather is his philosophy on that?
- Hughes claims: "Images of light and darkness . . . echo Mike's feelings" (78). How does Steinbeck manage this?
- Court says: "One would expect the world of the lynch mob to be the unreal, dreamlike world -- but for Mike this is not the case" (54). How do reality and dream intermingle and what do they indicate about Mike and society?
Critical Sources
:
Court, Franklin E. "A Vigilante's Fantasy." Hayashi 53-56.
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.