E.O.E Part 1 

Steinbeck presents storytelling as a major part of the lives of the people in the Salinas Valley. Storytelling is what brings the people of the community and family members together. It also presents a common pastime within families. Samuel Hamilton and Cyrus Trask are the two big storytellers in the Valley. A though they are both good storytellers the effects and the purpose of their stories are different. While Samuel tells stories for entertainment and joy Cyrus tells stories to make himself look good (Pg. 10). Cyrus is the type of person that makes people want to present themselves in a more positive light and that is what his stories do as well. Cyrus's stories on the other hand misleads people into thinking that he is a great war hero and that he has done many amazing things in his career as a military man (Pg.17). Steinbeck is a fictional storyteller. He tells stories of happenings in his life and things he has observed around him. His stories demonstrate these things but in such an order that it seems fictional.