Abstract: John Steinbeck, the most influential American novelist of the 20th century, has a good knowledge of working people at the bottom of the society, and most of the characters in his works are their mirror images, revealing their goodness and simplicity, creating “the Steinbeck hero”. After surviving two world wars, the American Society was in a turbulent time, facing the challenge of the big gap between the rich and the poor, accompanied by the mechanical reproduction of the industrial civilization posing damage and threat to original nature and human nature. The central motif in his novel The Pearl, published in 1947, abstractly, could be encapsulated as a battle of human nature between good and evil. Hence, this paper explores the formation of Steinbeck’s view of good and evil, then analyzes his view of good and evil embodied in the theme and characters, and discusses the situation of good and evil in American society at that time and its reference value to modern society. 

  Keywords: John Steinbeck; The Pearl; Steinbeck’s view of good and evil; American society

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction -1

  1.1 John Steinbeck’s Life and Literary Career-1

  1.2 The Pearl-3

2. The Formation of Steinbeck’s View of Good and Evil-5

  2.1 The Sources from Western Morality-5

  2.2 Steinbeck’s View of Good and Evil-11

3. Steinbeck’s View of Good and Evil Embodied in The Pearl-12

  3.1 In the Theme-13

  3.2 In the Characters-16

4. Conclusion-19

References-21