John Steinbeck- An American Novelist
Students will include an exhibit detailing information about the author and his life.
John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902 to John and Olive Steinbeck. His father John was an accountant and his mother Olive was a school teacher. Early in life, Steinbeck grew ardent towards language and words. At fourteen years of age, Steinbeck formally decided to become a writer. Steinbeck stated, “I can never remember a time when I didn’t write." Steinbeck also shared a passion for gardening, impressively tending to one regardless of residence.
Steinbeck enjoyed fantastical stories and those of make-believe. Some of his favorite authors included Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas, Sir Walter Scott, and Sir Thomas Malory. One of the writings that greatly influenced Steinbeck and his writings was Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur from 1485. John Steinbeck graduated from high school in 1919, then attended Stanford University sporadically for the next six years. The courses Steinbeck took were those that he believed to assist him in writing. However, he never achieved a college degree by the time he desisted in course work in 1925.
While not attending school at Stanford, Steinbeck worked as a rancher and a harvester, along with working on a dredging crew. After leaving Stanford, he worked as a caretaker and a handyman in a lodge near Lake Tahoe. His work at the lodge was seasonal, leaving ample time for Steinbeck to pursue his writing. He also was employed as a construction worker and a cub reporter.
Steinbeck's writing was first published by a Stanford literary magazine. His first published article that he was compensated for was published under a pseudonym titled as “The Gifts of Iban.” In 1930 his first novel, Cup of Gold, was published. Closely following its publication was the release of other books such as Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown. The publication of Tortilla Flat in 1935 made Steinbeck famous and financially stable. Following Tortilla Flat came the publications of In Dubious Battle in 1936, Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Grapes of Wrath in 1939. He later wrote East of Eden, The Wayward Bus, Burning Bright, Sweet Thursday, and Travels with Charley.
John Steinbeck married Carol Henning in 1930. Carol Henning fully supported John Steinbeck’s writings monetarily and also provided moral support. In fact, the title of The Grapes of Wrath stemmed from Carol's suggestion to base it off a lyric from the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Despite her influence on his writing, their marriage was not to last. Steinbeck met Gwen Conger in 1939 and fell in love with her while still married to Carol. Instead of taking the blame for the conflict, he told the two women, “I want you two gals to talk this out, and the one who feels she really wants me the most, gets me.” Gwen Conger ended up marrying him after his subsequent divorce with Carol. Steinbeck had two sons in his second marriage: Thom and John IV. Ironically, Steinbeck and Gwen divorced in 1948 and he re-married to Elaine Scott, who was his last wife.
His book, The Grapes of Wrath, won Steinbeck the Pulitzer Prize. Steinbeck also won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1962, receiving the award in Stockholm. On December 20, 1968 in New York City, New York, John Steinbeck died from a heart attack. Steinbeck was cremated and his ashes were laid to rest in his hometown.