Voice of a Man

Oprah with Steinbeck

Oprah: Hello everyone, how are you all doing night?

Audience: Good.

Oprah: Good. Today I’d like to talk about an amazing book that I just read written by the legendary author John Steinbeck. I decided to pick his last and somewhat critized book, The Winter of Our Discontent. I’ve also decided to interview him about the book. So please welcome John Steinbeck to the stage.

The audience cheers as John Steinbeck comes to sit in the chair opposite of Oprah.

Oprah: Hello, Mr. Steinbeck, it’s good to see you.

Steinbeck: Good to see you too.

Oprah: So Mr. Steinbeck, I read your book The Winter of Our Discontent and I must say that I’m impressed with it. It’s a good element of fiction. I enjoyed reading it.

Steinbeck: Well I enjoyed writing it.

Oprah: That’s good to hear. I’m curious though. What gave you the idea to write the story using the Third person view and the First person view?

Steinbeck: Well, I felt that it’d fit the story best if you got to see the whole picture but also a specific part of it told by the main character of the story himself.

Oprah: I see. It worked out fabulously in the story has it gives us a good idea of Ethan himself, and the characters around him. But how would describe the voice of the story?

Steinbeck: Well, I’d say that the narrator’s voice is very varied and can switch from many contrasting ideas from time to time. He can be silly, while at other times he can be sermonic or passionate. There is also times when there is reflect back to the past. There are myriad puns that surround the daily diction of the narrator which shows that he is silly.

Oprah: Interesting. Any examples of this?

Steinbeck: Why of course. One example is: It is strange how a man believes he can think better in a special place. I have such a place, have always had it, but I know it isn't thinking I do there, but feeling and experiencing and remembering. It's a safety place -- everyone must have one, although I never heard a man tell of it. The narrator in this quote is showing his more reflective side, thinking about his special place and having a bit of passion for it. On the other hand, a quote like: All men are moral. Only their neighbors are not, is silly with the use of two contrasting ideas being juxtaposed together in a way that makes them cancel out each other.

Oprah: I see, very interesting. Well, that’s all for now. I hope you enjoyed this interview with Mr. Steinbeck.

The audience cheers and Steinbeck leaves.