Problems of Steinbeck’s Poetics: Polyphony, Harmony, and Dissonance in The Pastures of Heaven

This article highlights Steinbeck’s early experiments with form, style, and characterization and explores possible interpretations of his work as modernist. By using Mikhail Bakhtin’s concept of polyphony to determine structural and thematic dimensions in The Pastures of Heaven, this study analyzes the ways in which Steinbeck developed the genre of short-story novel or cycle, expanded the range of depiction of personality types, advocated contemporary changes in moral norms, and brought to light historical conflicts.