Critiacl Lens on Cannery Row

REGINA MARTINEZ

“Cannery Row” by John Steinbeck

“The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway

“Bad Boy: A Memoir” by Walter Dean Myers

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I agree with this statement. People react to challenges, controversies, and hardships in different ways. Sometimes, it can bring the very best or the worst out of people. It is hard to see how people really are inside when they live an easy life without difficulties or hardships. However, when people are faced with challenges and difficult situations in their lives, the way that they handle these situations is the best way to see their true character and strengths. The way that the true character and strengths of people are revealed through challenges and hardships is depicted in three works of literature: “Cannery Row”, by John Steinbeck, “The Old Man and the Sea”, by Ernest Hemingway, and “Bad Boy: A Memoir”, by Walter Dean Myers.

In “Cannery Row”, the living and economic conditions during that time was making it very difficult for the people who lived there. Many of them did not have jobs and were living in poverty. It was so bad for one family that they moved into an old boiler and made it their home. The people living in Cannery Row dealt with these challenges and hardships in different ways. The way that they handled these challenges and hardships showed a lot about there nature, character, and strengths. It revealed the type of persons that they really were. Mack was one of the main characters in the book. It would have been very easy for him and his friends to turn to a life of crime. Even though he refuses to get a real job, he uses his charm, street smarts and skills to get things that he wants. He has also shown to be a bit selfish and self-centered. He appears to have a good heart, especially when he first...