john steinbeck background and beliefs. john ernst steinbeck

John SteinbeckJohn SteinbeckBackground and Beliefs

John Ernst SteinbeckJohn Ernst Steinbeck

1902-1968Born in Salinas, CAMajor Works: The Grapes of Wrath (1939)

Of Mice and Men (1937)Long friendship with Ed Ricketts, biologist

Pulitzer Prize winner (1939) Nobel Prize winner (1962)Still considered a major American artist

The Salinas ValleyThe Salinas Valley

The Monterey BayThe Monterey Bay

Cannery Row in Monterey BayCannery Row in Monterey Bay

Steinbeck’s First NovelSteinbeck’s First Novel

-- from his journal-- from his journal

“In every bit of honest writing in the world… there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and nearly always leads to love. There are shorter means, many of them. There is writing promoting social change, writing punishing injustice, writing in celebration of heroism, but always that base theme. Try to understand each other.”

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Steinbeck and GodSteinbeck and God

Steinbeck was not Steinbeck was not religiousreligious

“The proofs that God does not exist are very strong, but in lots of people they are not as strong as the feeling that He does.”

“Only God sees the sparrow fall, but even God doesn't do anything about it.”

The Winter of Our Discontent

Steinbeck and PoliticsSteinbeck and Politics

“I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments.”Travels with Charley

“And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. …

… And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected.

-- East of Eden-- East of Eden

“And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual.

This is what I am and what I am about.”

Steinbeck and the PowerlessSteinbeck and the Powerless

-- The Grapes of Wrath-- The Grapes of Wrath

“If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones.”

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-- The Grapes of Wrath-- The Grapes of Wrath

“She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever deeply wavered or despaired the family would fall.”

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-- East of Eden-- East of Eden

“My father said she was a strong woman, and I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is almost indestructible.”

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Steinbeck’s LegacySteinbeck’s Legacy--

- The only American writer with a center named after him- The only American writer with a center named after him

-- East of Eden-- East of Eden

“But I have a new love for that glittering instrument, the human soul. It is a lovely and unique thing in the universe.

It is always attacked and never destroyed …”

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