"Don't worry about losing. If it right, it happens - The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away."
-John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Jr was known as a famous American novelist. He was born in Salinas, California, US on the 27th of February, 1902, and died on the 20th of December, 1986 from congestive heart failure in New York. He grew up in an average family where his father worked many jobs to make ends meet. The place and circumstances he grew up in would later influence his writing.
The Life of John Steinbeck
From a young age, Steinbeck was drawn to writing. At fourteen years old he started writing his poems and short stories. He attended Stanford University to pursue his dream, however, before he could complete his degree he dropped out of the university. After the drop out he tried working as a freelance writer. For a brief period of time, he lived in New York, working for a construction company while being a news reporter at the same time. He moved back to California and published his first novel, "Cup of Gold" in 1929. Steinbeck wrote a couple more novels after but it wasn't until he published his humorous novel, "Tortilla Flats" that he was able to achieve critical and commercial success.
"The Grapes of Wrath"
The novel that received the most praise is "The Grapes of Wrath", published in the year 1939. This tale follows the Joad family who is tenant farmers from Oklahoma. They are forced to leave their home during the Great Depression and migrate to California in search of work and a better life. The story begins with the Joad family preparing to leave their farm which had been foreclosed on by the bank. This set them on their journey on route 66 to California. Along the way, they face several trials, hardships, the loss of family members, and exploitation of labor contractors and farm owners. When they arrive in California, they find that the promised jobs and opportunities are not as plentiful as they had been led to believe, and they struggled with the hostility and violence from locals who view them as unwanted competition for jobs and resources.
In this novel, Steinbeck addresses the themes of social justice, inequality, and the struggle for human dignity. The Joad family are representatives of the many thousands of families who were forced to leave their homes during the Great Depression, he uses their experiences to highlight the failures of the capitalist system and the need for social and economic reform.
In 1940, "The Grapes of Wrath" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It remains a classic of American literature and a powerful portrayal of the struggles faced by ordinary people during one of the darkest periods of American history.
Writing Style and Valuable Lessons
Steinbeck often used social commentary and themes such as the nature of dreams, loneliness, cruelty economic injustices, and inequality in his novels. Many of his stories have many life lessons and insights into human experiences. Some of these lessons are:
The Importance of Empathy: Many people in this world are marginalized or struggling with their daily needs. Steinbeck encourages readers to develop empathy for people who may be different from themselves.
The Need for Social Justice: Many of Steinbeck's novels deal with issues of inequality and injustice, and he encourages readers to recognize and challenge the social and economic systems that perpetuate these problems.
The Value of Simplicity: He encourages readers to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasure of life such as family, nature, friendship, and community.
Perseverance: Many of Steinbeck's characters face significant challenges and obstacles, but they continue to persevere in the face of adversity. He shows that determination and resilience can help people overcome even the most difficult circumstances.
Honorary Mentions
Some honorary mentions of his other novels are: "East of Eden" (1952), "The Pearl"(1947), "The Moon is Down" (1942), "Cannery row"(1945), and "The Red Pony"(1933).
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