Junius Maltby Analysis

Brandy Wright Junius Maltby

Junius Maltby, a short story written by John Steinbeck, was published to the episodic novella The Red Pony in 1933. Out of the very small number of short stories I have read, Junius Maltby is unique and unlike any other. I say this because Junius Maltby is a story about how society affects the way people see and act towards others. We think we have the right to judge others for being who they are, but we don't, and that is the problem with today’s society.

As a writer, Steinbeck has come up with some of the most interesting characters for this short story. Junius Maltby, the main character for whom this story is based upon, is unlike most adults. He once was a very hardworking and educated man living in San Francisco, but due to health issues, is asked to move to the small valley of the Pastures of Heaven. Given lush land of which to farm upon, Junius does not take this opportunity at hand. Junius is flat out lazy, he does not care anymore. His children and wife die, and he reacts different than most people. Junius is selfish and very naïve. He acts like a child in the way that he doesn’t even know what other people think of him. Wearing ratty old clothes and going without shoes is normal for Junius, and even though the town talks about him and think he doesn’t fit in, Junius is oblivious to everything they say. He simply is a character who is lazy, naïve, and careless. His surviving son Robbie, like Junius, contains the exact same traits. Robbie, however, was not raised like most children, which he why he is such an interesting character. Junius is clearly not like most parents, therefore, he chose to raise he son differently, or not really raise him at all. Robbie is a young boy who was brought up as a man, and that affects the characteristics he possesses. Robbie is smart, but still naïve and oblivious to the way others see him. This story shows that if you are happy with yourself then don’t change just to fit in with society....