The Leader Of The People By John Steinbeck Analysis

I recently read the short story “The Leader of The People” by John Steinbeck. It's about a little boy named Jody Tiflin and his grandfather is coming to visit however they didn't receive the letter about that until the day the grandfather was supposed to arrive. Jody was so excited because he loved to hear his grandfather's stories about the Indians but his father doesn't like them one morning at breakfast jody's father was going on about how the stories are old and repeated and no one wants to hear them anymore and the grandfather overhears him. The connection that this story has to everyday life is that our past is our past and we must not forget it. Everyone has their own past it is what makes them who they are. A lot of people say not to …show more content…
“Through the grandfather, Steinbeck explores the place and meaning that the nation’s pioneer heritage — the western movement — has for later generations” (Para, 6). What this means is that The idea of westering and the pioneer heritage is something that we can't forget. The westward expansion is what led to America. We bought all this land but people were so scared to move out here. What would things be like now if the first people never traveled out to the west? There would be so much open land that no one lived in and we would all be crammed living on the east …show more content…
Everyone gets annoyed with our relatives it's apart of the family aspect. However sometimes saying something is not the best option. Steinbeck uses this quote from jody’s father to explain that. “Well, how many times do I have to listen to the story of the iron plates, and the thirty--five horses? That time´s done. Why can't he forget it, now it's done.” (pg, 1054). Jody’s father didn't think that grandfather was around when he said this. This is a perfect example of you never know whos listening. Jody’s father said some hateful things about the grandfather that were heard by him and then couldn't take them back because what is said is said. The other side of it is what jody’s father had to say was not right to say. It's similar to telling a veteran that his war stories are no good and all made up. Jody’s grandfather was a part of the westward expansion and that was similar to a war itself with the things that he probably encountered. Jody’s father has no right to talk bad about grandfathers stories it's what led him to be the man that he