John Steinbeck's novels cover the grim decade from 1937 to 1947 which oversaw a second world war, the ascendance of fascism and communism, the inadequacies of capitalism and a global Great Depression. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck's most controversial work, he challenges big business and dehumanizing social institutions whereas raising questions regarding human capability to manage natural disasters, systems which deny humans sustenance, and dignity. As you consider how Steinbeck's novel speaks to his generation, reflect on whether your generation significantly distinct from that of your parents or grandparents. How is our present moment of a great recession defining our generation?