Travels with Charley, a book of exploration and self-discovery, does not follow the usual Steinbeck manner of writing. Steinbeck, at the age of fifty-eight, living in the 1960s, decides that he wants to take a three-month trip around America to try to connect and re-discover the vast country that he often writes about. John also suggests that another motive for the trip is to prove himself an able man, free of his wife’s spoiling …showed first 75 words of 827 total…

…showed last 75 words of 827 total…turbulent days of the 60’s. This ending section is what differentiates Travels with Charley from a charming travelogue into a social commentary. In essence, Travels with Charley, is a delightful tale of the wanderings of a renowned author, who describes the beautiful landscapes and quaint town as enchanting, yet underneath the beauty and wonder of the nation, Steinbeck imparts a sense of disgust and disenchantment with a nation that has developed into racist, consumer-driven country.