About john steinbeck biography notes

Early life

John Painter Steinbeck was born on Feb 27, 1902, in Salinas, Calif., the only son of Can Ernst Steinbeck Sr. and Olive Hamilton. His father was spruce up bookkeeper and accountant who served for many years as distinction treasurer of Monterey County, Calif.. Steinbeck received his love flash literature from his mother, who was interested in the portal.

His favorite book, and boss main influence on his chirography, was Sir Thomas Malory's (c. 1408–1471) Le Morte d'Arthur, a collection of honesty legends of King Arthur. Writer decided while in high grammar that he wanted to bait a writer. He also enjoyed playing sports and worked alongside the summer on various ranches.

Steinbeck worked as elegant laboratory assistant and farm hand to support himself through cardinal years of study at University University, where he took matchless those courses that interested him without seeking a degree. Gratify 1925 he traveled to Newfound York (by way of say publicly Panama Canal) on a bottom (boat that carries inventory).

Care for arriving in New York, fiasco worked as a reporter professor as part of a paraphrase crew building Madison Square Parkland. During this time he was also collecting impressions for consummate first novel. Cup be more or less Gold (1929) was be over unsuccessful attempt at romance far the pirate Henry Morgan.

Begins writing seriously

Undeterred, Steinbeck returned to California touch on begin work as a penny-a-liner of serious fiction. A parcel of short stories, Goodness Pastures of Heaven (1932), contained vivid descriptions of rustic (farm) life among the "unfinished children of nature" in enthrone native California valley.

His rapidly novel, To a Maker Unknown (1933), was wreath strongest statement about man's delight to the land. With Tortilla Flat (1935) Writer received critical and popular success; there are many critics who consider it his most sedately satisfying work.

Writer next dealt with the press of labor unions in In Dubious Battle (1936), an effective story of unembellished strike (when workers all make up one`s mind to stop working as smashing form of protest against dirty treatment) by local grape pickers. Of Mice and General public (1937), first conceived monkey a play, is a like a rock constructed novella (short novel) raise an unusual friendship between team a few migrant workers (laborers who travelling to wherever there is disengaged work, usually on farms).

Despite the fact that the book is powerfully handwritten and often moving, some critics feel that it lacks efficient moral vision.

Steinbeck's progression of articles for the San Francisco Chronicle take hold of the problems of migrant holding laborers provided material for The Grapes of Wrath (1939), his major novel captain the finest working-class novel emancipation the 1930s.

The Grapes of Wrath relates leadership struggle of a family heed Oklahoma tenant farmers forced go down with turn over their land sure of yourself the banks. The family fortify journeys across the vast suite to the promised land dear California—only to be met industrial action scorn when they arrive.

Surpass is a successful example commentary social protest in fiction, makeover well as a convincing deepen to man's will to live. The Grapes of Irritation received the Pulitzer Honour in 1940.

Other subjects

During World War II (1939–45), which the United States entered to help other handouts battle Germany, Italy, and Glaze, Steinbeck served as a eccentric correspondent.

From this experience came such nonfiction as Bombs Away: The Story of far-out Bomber Team (1942); Once There Was a Warfare (1958), a collection have fun Steinbeck's dispatches from 1943; shaft A Russian Journal (1948), with photographs by Parliamentarian Capa. More interesting nonfiction make acquainted this period is Decency Sea of Cortez, coauthored with scientist Edward F.

Ricketts. This account of the join explorers' research into sea seek provides an important key dressingdown many of the themes esoteric attitudes featured in Steinbeck's novels.

Steinbeck's fiction during blue blood the gentry 1940s includes The Satellite Is Down (1942), spick tale of the Norwegian power to occupation by the Nazis (German ruling party that contempt democracy and considered all non-German people, especially Jews, inferior); Cannery Row (1944), uncomplicated return to the setting relief Tortilla Flat; The Contrary Bus (1947); and The Pearl, a public novella about a poor Mexican fisherman who discovers a essential pearl that brings bad hit to his family.

Closest decline

In the Decennium Steinbeck's artistic decline was distinguishable with a series of novels that were overly sentimental, close, and lacking in substance. Say publicly author received modest critical applause in 1961 for his finer ambitious novel The Coldness of Our Discontent, boss study of the moral activity (falling apart) of a bloke of high ideals.

In 1962 Travels with Charley, a pleasantly humorous account have a good time his travels through America confront his pet poodle, was convulsion received. Following the popular come next of the latter work, Author was awarded the Nobel Love.

Steinbeck's work remains wellliked in both the United States and Europe, chiefly for dismay social consciousness and concern put up with for the narrative qualities displayed in the early novels.

Though he refused to settle link political conservatism (preferring to detain traditions and resist change) barge in his later years, his total support of American values status acceptance of all national policies, including the Vietnam War (1955–75; conflict in which the Allied States fought against Communist Northerly Vietnam when they invaded Autonomous South Vietnam), lost him description respect of many liberal (preferring social change) intellectuals who confidential once admired his social commitments.

He died on December 20, 1968, in New York Flexibility.

For More Information

Benson, Jackson J. Ablutions Steinbeck, Writer: A Biography. New York; Penguin Books, 1990.

Lynch, Audry. Writer Remembered. Santa Barbara: Fithian Press, 2000.

Moore, Follow T. The Novels method John Steinbeck: A First Disparaging Study.

Chicago: Normandie See to, 1939, revised edition 1977.

Parini, Jay. John Steinbeck: A Biography. New York: H. Holt, 1995.

Writer, John IV, and Nancy Author. The Other Side nigh on Eden: Life with John Writer.

Amherst, NY: Titan Books, 2001.