""OF MICE AND MEN While the powerlessness of the working class appears frequently in Steinbeck's writing from the late 1930s, he focused more intently on two men in his 1937 novel """"Of Mice and Men,"""" painting an intimate portrait of them as they navigate a world characterised by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. Although the focus is limited, the theme-a friendship and a common dream that gives life meaning-is universal. The Pulitzer Prize-winning epic The Grapes of Wrath, which was shocking and controversial when it was originally published in 1939, remains Steinbeck's unchallenged masterpiece. It chronicles the story of Tom Joad and his family, who, like thousands of others, are compelled to go west in quest of the promised land, set against the backdrop of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life. Their story is one of mistaken aspirations, unfulfilled wants, and broken dreams, but Steinbeck crafted a play that is very human, yet grand in scope and moral vision, out of their pain. The Grapes of Wrath is an impassioned ode to the human spirit's resilience and dignity, adapted into a classic film directed by John Ford and starring Henry Fonda. ""