The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck. Short summary

5 seconds

Ethan Hawley is having a hard time. To feed his family, he decides to rob a bank. Then an inheritance falls on him. But the clouds thicken again. Hawley comes close to suicide, but does not commit it.

1 minute

Ethan Hawley works as a salesman at the Sicilian Marullo’s shop. An acquaintance of a bank clerk blurts out to him how to rob a bank and not get caught.

A friend of Ethan’s wife reads the cards for her and it turns out that the family will soon be rich. Mary tells her husband this.

Ethan learns that the authorities want to build an airport and are looking for a site. He suspects that the shopkeeper is in the United States illegally. Ethan also meets childhood friend Danny Taylor. He has become a drunk, but retains his meadow by the estate.

Ethan gives all of his savings to Taylor for treatment for alcoholism, although he realizes that the money will go to booze. He receives a will — in the event of his friend’s death, the meadow goes to him.

Eaton calls the immigration office. Marullo is deported. Ethan decides to rob a bank, but fails. Taylor is found dead.

Ethan whistles the song «Winter’s Worries Have Passed.» But then it turns out that he is tortured by his conscience. Ethan is ready to kill himself, but he finds the talisman his daughter planted on him and changes his mind.