Web Quest - Historical and Cultural Factors

Directions: Create a two column chart which compares John Steinbeck and Charles Dickens.  Use the internet and your favorite search engine to answer each of the questions for each author. Each complete response for each author is worth 5 points.

What was happening politically during the time this author was writing?                               

Where was the author located?  What nationality was the author?                          

When was the author born?  And, when did he die?                      

What kinds of social problems would each author have observed?  Name and explain three.                      

What novels, short stories or articles did the author write which reflected those problems?  List a minimum of two for each author.                

Did the author earn his living through writing alone or did he earn an additional income doing something else?  What was the alternative employment if any?                       

Web Quest - Historical and Cultural Factors

You can see that knowing the historical context for a piece of literature can be vital to understanding it. There are significant differences between the world of Charles Dickens and the world of another author, John Steinbeck. Please use discovery questions to guide your online research. You will create a two column chart which responds to each of the questions. Make sure to follow all directions for this assignment.

This assignment is designed to help you determine the historical contexts and the cultural factors which influenced each author. This is a valuable exercise when you are reading an author who is new to you. It is a way of getting acquainted with the author.

When you are finished with the web quest and have answered all questions, please submit this assignment. Be sure to document your sources.