Steinbeck is an important successor to modern American realism, represented by Dreiser and so on. In his early stage of exploration, he had also written a romantic and mysterious work. But from 1935 released his first real success of the "pancake" Ping began, he firmly along with exquisite style faithfully reflect the life, depicting the characters of the road, with the Department of works has increasingly aroused the concern of readers, he is good at describing the society in the lower peoples lives continue to improve solid reputation.

The hero of the novel, Ethan harey, is the owner of a secular for-profit unsuccessful family. He served in the war. After retiring, he tried all kinds of careers, but he did not succeed. Finally, in a winter, he lived in the ancestral town of England, he became a merchant of Italy Ma lunuo grocery employees. He was honest, no complaints, though often tempted, but also see to material success must use various means, but these calculating means others will make him become ruthless, he risked danger will make the split personality. All day he between the shelves and counters, the contradiction on the material profit and abide by their own personality, spent a hopeless winter, and thus fall into trouble, lose self-control. That thrifty wife and young children against him. All this makes him more restless. So he began to sell his conscience to the immigration informant to him such as father and son horse lunuo, led Maruno to be deported; and the banker Beck forced act tough and talk soft for their own services, mean to get a piece of land; also planned to rob a bank. After the end of the goal, he felt extremely empty and fell into self condemnation. In search of relief, he had to throw himself into the sea on a rainy night.