Guiding Question: How does an author's life affect his/her writing? Task: Locate pertinent information about John Steinbeck's life that might have influenced his writing in The Grapes of Wrath. What other interesting facts can you find?
• From the beginning he had a passion for writing and reading. • “During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, nourishing his impression of the California countryside and its people.” (this could be why he wanted to write so much about California and getting jobs out there.) • He observed the human condition before writing The Grapes of Wrath • He won 20 awards for his literature. • He died at age 66
http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html Some interesting things that I had found about John Steinbeck were that his mother was a teacher and fostered Steinbeck’s love for reading and writing. After high school he went to pursue writing but after he was unsuccessful he returned to California. Because he returned to California he could have used that place in Grapes of Wrath because he lived there and knew about it. He continued writing and relied on his extensive research and personal observation of the human condition and then he wrote the Grapes of Wrath which won a prize.
I think the artist took this photograph to capture how scary the dust bowl was for some people. Unfortunately, there are no people in this picture but the photographer and other people were still watching and experiencing it. They were probably very scared and didn’t have a full understanding of what was happening. These people on their farms or in their homes were literally seeing before their eyes their homes, their businesses, and many years of hard work going to waste. They might have known what was in store for them for the next couple of years or they might not have. Either way, it must have been a very sad and emotional time for people who had inherited farms and ranches that their grandfathers and great grandfathers had started. Austin per. 3
• Steinbeck grew up in California • He worked for a newspaper in New York covering the war • He hung out with migrant workers before the depression • Worked as a farmhand in Tahoe, Colorado Nick Period 3
•Born in California- was he an eye witness to this happening to people? Or did he treat them like people in the book •Grandfather established a farm land- possibly the things he saw there were reason and influences for his book •Son was named Thomas- before or after the book? •Had 3 wives, used to coming and going maybe seeing himself as a conney •Working at ranches- seeing families struggle to exist •A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. John Steinbeck -Christina p3
-In Monterey County, California, where Steinbeck grew up, he experienced many diverse cultures, in which he based most of his novels on, including The Grapes of Wrath. -As an adolescent, Steinbeck worked a ranch hand, which affected him deeply and influenced parts of The Grapes of Wrath. -Steinbeck spent some time with Migrant workers and got a feeling of their lifestyle. -He grew up in California, the destination of the family in The Grapes of Wrath.
John Steinbeck writing affected his life because his writing technique was to relying on research and observation conditions people lived in or how they felt. Steinbeck wrote a bunch of books before he started using his technique of writing that weren’t very popular. When Steinbeck married his first wife, he came out with the books Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row which he used facts and issues from his own life to write. These books were a big hit. He then came out with his next book The Grapes of Wrath. This book was a great book that Steinbeck wrote and using his writing technique was perfect to write this book because the dust bowl was a big issue that affected a lot of people in the U.S. Cheyenne Period 3.
Steinbeck was of german and Irish decent. His grandfather was an immigrant here.He lived in California. He attened Stamford U and left without a degree, moving to NY to do odd jobs while persuing his passion for writing. He was a war correspondant surinf WW2. He won the nobel Peace Prize for Lit.
John Steinbeck grew up working in the summer as a hired hand on ranches in California. His writings in the Grapes of Wrath suggest that he described some of the farms that he worked on in his book. Many places the Joads worked at, such as the peach farm or the cotton ranch are somewhat similar to the places that Steinbeck may have worked as a child. His earlier writings also struggled to find fame, which may have helped to motivate him to document other troubles during that time. Steinbeck could’ve easily written his book to mirror his own struggles to success, and where he started out, on farms in the summertime.
•His father, John Steinbeck, Sr., served as the County Treasurer while his mother, Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a former school teacher, fostered Steinbeck's love of reading and the written word. During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, nourishing his impression of the California countryside and its people. http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html
•"We were poor people with a hell of a lot of land which made us think we were rich people," http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/johnstei.htm
•worked on farms and ranches http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/johnstei.htm
•He worked as a manual laborer while writing, and his experiences lent authenticity to his depictions of the lives of the workers in his stories. http://www.americanwriters.org/writers/steinbeck.asp
• Born in 1902 in Salinas, California – Grew up as an eye witness to the Dust Bowl and the people who struggled through it • Lived in a small rural town on some of the world’s most fertile land – Just like the Joads in the story before they were evicted • Spent his summers working on nearby ranches and later with migrants on the huge Spreckels ranch – Understands what it’s like to do hard, manual labor, just like the characters in the story • Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 • The Grapes of Wrath was a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
I am a firm believer than not any author has the same form of writing. Experiences in our lives affect how we view life and express ourselves which, in my opinion, goes the same for authors and their writing. John Steinbeck had a very interesting life that influenced his writing in The Grapes of Wrath, he had hands on experience with the topic he had written because he was a worker on ranches in the California countryside allowing him to understand the people and the land better for his future writing. After being unsuccessful as a writer in New York, he moved back to California and wrote The Grapes of Wrath. Had more firsthand experience with despressing times as a war correspondent for the New York Harald Tribune. He also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Margaret P.5
- He was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California - As a child he worked summers at nearby ranches, which led to his understanding of the working troubles faced by the "Okies" - He published 5 novels before The Grapes of Wrath - He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 - He had a documentary on WWII made called "There Once was a War" - He died December 20, 1968, at the age of 66
John Steinbeck was born in a nice rural town in California. Possibly, one of his grandparents might have been involved in the rush to California during the Dust Bowl and talked about their journey there. This might have inspired him to go on and write a novel on this topic his grandparents always talked about. One interesting fact about Steinbeck was that he was fascinated with the King Arthur tales. Another interesting fact was there were only two things important to him in life, which were work and women. He might of also loved reading and writing due to the fact that his mother was an English teacher. He must have been a great mind to go to Stanford University planning to major in English. The last interesting fact about John Steinbeck is his middle name is Ernst and he is the third John Steinbeck, so his complete name is John Ernst Steinbeck III. He died at the age of 66 and his ashes are in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas.
Many times authors write about events in their lives they experienced or they write about incidents they watched. John Steinbeck explored and researched a lot in order to write the book The Grapes of Wrath. In addition he actually saw the dust bowl which helped him write his own personal thoughts. He worked on farms and ranches, that helps alot when writing about a book where it occurs. John Steinbeck was also a fruit-picker, which people in the book did as well. All of these things helped him when writing The Grapes of Wrath.
In my opinion, it would be nearly impossible to not allow life affect an author’s writing style because experiences influence who a person is. John Steinbeck’s life certainly played a role in his writing. His mother Olivia used to work as a school teacher; thus encouraging his interest in reading and writing. Steinbeck grew up in California and work as a hired hand on ranches during the summer holidays. This would have influenced his opinion of California and its citizens, as well as farm life. An interesting fact I found was that he left college without a degree in order to pursue his dream of being a writer. Additionally, Steinbeck was a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune. In 1962, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Ella Period 5
John Steinbeck’s experiences in his life greatly influenced his literary work. He was born in 1902 and grew up In California. Steinbeck then attended Stanford University and once he graduated, he started his writing career and then returned to California in the late 20’s. His inspiration for The Grapes of Wrath was from the migrants moving to California trying to escape the dust bowl.
John Steinbeck lived in California and worked on nearby ranches. Tortilla Flat received the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Medal for best novel by a California author. This made him continue his writing based upon extensive research and his personal observation of the human conditions. He traveled around California migrant camps. Steinbeck didn’t like the troubles the migrant workers had to go through. He knew the conditions in the camps and had seen the people suffering. He saw people starving. He got to know the people, and learned their speech patterns, reactions, expressions and stories first-hand.
•John Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California. •He began to love reading and writing because of his mother who was a teacher. •In 1936 he traveled around to migrant camps that were in California and had a feel for what the people were going through. •The migrant farmer laborers gave him most of his material that he used to write The Grapes of Wrath. •He won a prize from writing the novel ( The Grapes of Wrath ) •He worked during the summer on ranches.
John Ernst Steinbeck was born on the surf in Cali. He worked as a working hand in the summer, which could have helped his impression of the working class. He graduated from Stanford University as an English major, but continued to study and try to write a book. He went to New York to write books, but never became successful. From there, maybe he got a sense of the 'monster' that is a big company or bank. To maintain himself economically, he had a few jobs here and there. I believe that he had been influenced by the jobs that he had and the dust bowl era to write that book.
Some intresting things I found about John Steinbeck were that his mother who was a teacher fostered his love for reading, he studied literature at Stamford University , during the summers he worked at a hired hand in nearby ranches. He used Claifornia has the setting for the Grapes of Warth because he grew up in California. He had a son named Thomas. Before writing be observed human conditions, to describe how people really felt. He died at the age of 66.
Surely almost every writer is in some way or another influenced by their life, whether it be from past experiences or more recent things that happen in their life. In this case there were a few things that could have influenced his writings. For example, during summers he worked as a hired hand on ranches, as he was attending Stanford University he worked many odd jobs, and simply many of his observations of the human condition influenced his writing for Grapes of Wrath.
I thought that it was interesting that John Steinbeck worked on ranches and he had some chances to really connect with the working class of the west and he could understand what it was like to depend on your land. So this may have inspired some of his ideas about writing The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck also knew what it was like to try and fail at something. He didn’t graduate from Stanford where he was enrolled and also, his first works didn’t receive very much attention. Austin Per. 3
(Shrija.Period:3) -Enjoyed reading and writing from young age. His mom was a school teacher. -English major. Attended Stanford University. -In 1925 pursued his writing in writing career in New York. When his writing didn’t get publish there, he moved to California. -He enjoyed exploring his surroundings, walking across local forests, fields and farms which helped him later in his writing. -Since he was born on 1902 in California, he saw all of the struggles that family went through during Dust bowl era. -In 1962, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his "realistic and imaginative writing, combining as it does sympathetic humor and keen social perception".
There is no doubt that "The Grapes of Wrath" is Steinbeck's most popular and highly praised piece of work. This is possibly because of the fact that the subject matter hits a very personal cord with Steinbeck. He was born in California in 1902 and the dust bowl migration was actually happening around him when he was at a young age. Steinbeck saw the people suffering and knew of the terrible conditions in the camps. It is reported that Steinbeck made four visits to the migrants to get to know them and to study their speech patterns and hear their personal stories first hand. He was angry about what was going on around him and decided to write about it. Even though "The Grapes of Wrath" is considered fiction, I would imagine that much in the novel is in fact quite true.
John Steinbeck grew up in California, which might have something to do with why he had the Joad family travel there. Also, his familiarity with California probably helped him in his detailed descriptions of the valley in California. Also, while growing up, he was frequently exposed to ranches near his home in California. There, he worked with migrants at times, which probably helped him get a feel for how they acted and felt while working in the California fields, and while looking for opportunities to be able to work in fields. This was a vital part of The Grapes of Wrath.
-Born in Salinas, California which is full of migrant and immigrant history -Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 -Worked as a farmhand in Tahoe, Colorado -In 1936 he traveled around to migrant camps that were in California and had a feel for what the people were going through.
I definitely think that someone’s life and how they were raised reflects and shows in their writing. Even when they don’t know that they are being opinionated they can still be or being bias. When I researched John Steinbeck I found some interesting similarities between his life and the book. John grew up in California and also worked on ranches and helped with the harvesting during the summers. An interesting fact that I found on Steinbeck is that he tried to become a freelance writer in New York for a while after not graduating from his college, however all his work was denied. Also as I was reading on a few websites, a couple other books of Johns have to do with strikes on California farms and so forth, so maybe he grew up around those sorts of things, which could have swayed his writing. Especially if he saw a lot of this fellow workers jobs being taken by people from other states such as Oklahoma. Over all I think and I have learned this year in physiology that everything someone does they have been taught through seeing or hearing and other various ways, so the way Steinbeck grew up definitely affected his writing.
-John Steinbeck was born in California. -John Steinbeck loved reading and writing when he was young. -worked on ranches. -He developed an impression and opinion of the Californian land and people. -awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Many things that a writer experiences during his or her life, greatly influence their literary works. As with artists, if something tragic occurs in their life, especially when they are young, a writer may carry that with them and reference that in their stories. Steinbeck knew a lot about California and had experienced things that had helped him to create such an honest and moving novel as The Grapes of Wrath. Grace H. Period 5
An author’s experiences heavily influence his or her writing subject and style. Upon learning about the life of John Steinbeck, one is able to understand the knowledge and authenticity with which he wrote. I think that to be able to develop an accurate depiction of Steinbeck’s character, one must look beyond facts about his life, and also consider his personality and its impact on his writing. For example, while attending Stanford, Steinbeck did not enroll in classes he found insignificant, and therefore was not granted a degree. For many people, departing college without a formal graduation seems to be tragic and shameful. Steinbeck however did not share this belief. Traces of this independent and strong-willed attitude can be found in his literature. In The Grapes of Wrath Tom Joad posseses similar traits. Beyond his personality, Steinbeck’s later life is also of significance. After the publication of The Grapes of Wrath, many accused the book of being “unpatriotic” for its “social criticism of the treatment of migrant laborers”. Steinbeck refuted all such accusations, deeming them as unjust and unreasonable. The widespread banning of his book surprisingly did not upset Steinbeck, as it did other intellectuals of the time. He reasoned that he was, contrary to popular belief, overtly loyal. There are many FBI files on him during this era because “the Bureau was concerned that his writings was being used as anti-American propaganda by Nazis and Communists”. In a letter to the Attorney General he brazenly asked, "Do you suppose you could ask Edgar's boys to stop stepping on my heels? It's getting tiresome." It is also interesting to note that Steinbeck spent the latter years of his life supporting pro-government causes such as the Vietnam War. In doing so, he lost a large percentage of his accrued fan base, which had idolized him as a champion of anti-government sentiments.
• Steinbeck grew up in Cali so he knew the area • worked on a farm so he knew what the work was like • loved to read and write • chilled with migrant workers so they probably told him their stories which he was able to use to write the Grapes of Wrath.
1.It was through Lincoln Steffens that Steinbeck was introduced to George West, a San Francisco News editor who commissioned Steinbeck to write a series of newspaper articles about the living conditions of California migrant workers. This writing experience inspired Steinbeck to write a full length novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.” 2.John Steinbeck wrote a total of 27 novels. 3.He received a total of 17 awards and honors. 4.He was 66 when he died. 5.John Steinbeck has his own museum called The National Steinbeck Center. 6.The John Steinbeck award was given to Bruce Springsteen, October 26, 1996
- The two things Steinbeck found most necessary to life were “work and women.” - Although many people believe him to be a lifelong Californian, Steinbeck spent much of his life in New York and eventually shed most of his ties to the Salinas Valley. -Always had a passion for reading and writing. - Had a son named Thomas. - Worked on a farm/ranch. - Spent a lot of time with migrant workers. - Published 5 books before The Grapes of Wrath - Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962
Steinbeck lived in California so he could realte to the atmosphere. "During this time he worked periodically at various jobs and left Stanford permanently in 1925 to pursue his writing career in New York. However, he was unsuccessful in getting any of his writing published and finally returned to California", he could also realte to stuggle and making it. Steinbeck died December 20, 1968. -Kaitlin Pelazza p.5
John steinbeck lived in California so therefore this may have affected his novel due to his experience of living in the state for so many years. He was a very hardworker but had some difficulties with jobs when he was younger just like the joad family had an extremly hard time finding work to suport their family. John also spent time traveling the united states with his dog charley which makes me think of the Joad familys long journey to California. I feel like both stories had good times and hardships throughout their travels; therefore i believe that steinbeck could have also used this experience to add to the novel the Grapes of Wrath.
In John Steinbeck’s Biography, it states that he was born in California and after being unsuccessful with his writing career in New York, he then returned back to California. Most of his novel The Grapes of Wrath is focused about this family trying to get to California and their struggles and their hardships. I think that it is very possible that Steinbeck used the place that he grew up in to be the “ideal goal” to be reached in this novel. Other interesting include him attending Stanford University, The Grapes of Wrath winning the Pulitzer Prize, and although he was an astounding writer, he was described as a very private person who shunned publicity.
- summers he worked on ranches in the California country side. -observed human conditions to help write his stories. which he did before writing Grapes Of Wrath -1962 Nobel Prize for literature -went to Stanford University -studied marine bio. but new he wanted to write instead. -married three times. -wrote 27 novels
-He had a wide range of interests like jazz, politics, philosophy, history, and myth. -Worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches. -Originally an English major, he pursued a program of independent study but ended up leaving school to pursue writing. -Remained a private person who shunned publicity. -Returned to california after failing to get published in new york. -"His mother, Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a former school teacher, fostered Steinbeck's love of reading and the written word." -People thought of his as a pseudointellect.
John Steinbeck: - He said that work and women were necessary to live. - He loved stories about King Arthur. - He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1692, but privately worried that meant his career was over. - He was left-leaning in his politics. - During WWII, he wrote columns in the Herald Times (except in Oklahoma) - He died at age 66
- Steinbeck grew up in California which was the destination for the migrant families in The Grapes of Wrath. - He worked on farms and ranches which may have influenced the dust bowl theme for Grapes of Wrath. - Because he grew up in California, this makes me wonder if he was nice to the migrants workers during The Great Depression? Did he work with them? Did he own a farm on which they worked? Jerry G -P5
• From the beginning he had a passion for writing and reading.
ReplyDelete• “During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, nourishing his impression of the California countryside and its people.” (this could be why he wanted to write so much about California and getting jobs out there.)
• He observed the human condition before writing The Grapes of Wrath
• He won 20 awards for his literature.
• He died at age 66
Emily. Period 3
http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html
ReplyDeleteSome interesting things that I had found about John Steinbeck were that his mother was a teacher and fostered Steinbeck’s love for reading and writing. After high school he went to pursue writing but after he was unsuccessful he returned to California. Because he returned to California he could have used that place in Grapes of Wrath because he lived there and knew about it. He continued writing and relied on his extensive research and personal observation of the human condition and then he wrote the Grapes of Wrath which won a prize.
Mary Period 3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myeye/3182214903/sizes/l/
ReplyDeleteI think the artist took this photograph to capture how scary the dust bowl was for some people. Unfortunately, there are no people in this picture but the photographer and other people were still watching and experiencing it. They were probably very scared and didn’t have a full understanding of what was happening. These people on their farms or in their homes were literally seeing before their eyes their homes, their businesses, and many years of hard work going to waste. They might have known what was in store for them for the next couple of years or they might not have. Either way, it must have been a very sad and emotional time for people who had inherited farms and ranches that their grandfathers and great grandfathers had started.
Austin per. 3
• Steinbeck grew up in California
ReplyDelete• He worked for a newspaper in New York covering the war
• He hung out with migrant workers before the depression
• Worked as a farmhand in Tahoe, Colorado
Nick Period 3
•Born in California- was he an eye witness to this happening to people? Or did he treat them like people in the book
ReplyDelete•Grandfather established a farm land- possibly the things he saw there were reason and influences for his book
•Son was named Thomas- before or after the book?
•Had 3 wives, used to coming and going maybe seeing himself as a conney
•Working at ranches- seeing families struggle to exist
•A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.
John Steinbeck
-Christina p3
-In Monterey County, California, where Steinbeck grew up, he experienced many diverse cultures, in which he based most of his novels on, including The Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDelete-As an adolescent, Steinbeck worked a ranch hand, which affected him deeply and influenced parts of The Grapes of Wrath.
-Steinbeck spent some time with Migrant workers and got a feeling of their lifestyle.
-He grew up in California, the destination of the family in The Grapes of Wrath.
Nicole period 3
John Steinbeck writing affected his life because his writing technique was to relying on research and observation conditions people lived in or how they felt. Steinbeck wrote a bunch of books before he started using his technique of writing that weren’t very popular. When Steinbeck married his first wife, he came out with the books Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row which he used facts and issues from his own life to write. These books were a big hit. He then came out with his next book The Grapes of Wrath. This book was a great book that Steinbeck wrote and using his writing technique was perfect to write this book because the dust bowl was a big issue that affected a lot of people in the U.S.
ReplyDeleteCheyenne Period 3.
Steinbeck was of german and Irish decent. His grandfather was an immigrant here.He lived in California. He attened Stamford U and left without a degree, moving to NY to do odd jobs while persuing his passion for writing. He was a war correspondant surinf WW2. He won the nobel Peace Prize for Lit.
ReplyDeleteCat Period 5
John Steinbeck grew up working in the summer as a hired hand on ranches in California. His writings in the Grapes of Wrath suggest that he described some of the farms that he worked on in his book. Many places the Joads worked at, such as the peach farm or the cotton ranch are somewhat similar to the places that Steinbeck may have worked as a child. His earlier writings also struggled to find fame, which may have helped to motivate him to document other troubles during that time. Steinbeck could’ve easily written his book to mirror his own struggles to success, and where he started out, on farms in the summertime.
ReplyDeleteKevin Per. 5
•His father, John Steinbeck, Sr., served as the County Treasurer while his mother, Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a former school teacher, fostered Steinbeck's love of reading and the written word. During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, nourishing his impression of the California countryside and its people. http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html
ReplyDelete•"We were poor people with a hell of a lot of land which made us think we were rich people," http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/johnstei.htm
•worked on farms and ranches http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/johnstei.htm
•He worked as a manual laborer while writing, and his experiences lent authenticity to his depictions of the lives of the workers in his stories. http://www.americanwriters.org/writers/steinbeck.asp
Maria p.5
• Born in 1902 in Salinas, California – Grew up as an eye witness to the Dust Bowl and the people who struggled through it
ReplyDelete• Lived in a small rural town on some of the world’s most fertile land – Just like the Joads in the story before they were evicted
• Spent his summers working on nearby ranches and later with migrants on the huge Spreckels ranch – Understands what it’s like to do hard, manual labor, just like the characters in the story
• Received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962
• The Grapes of Wrath was a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
Allie p.5
I am a firm believer than not any author has the same form of writing. Experiences in our lives affect how we view life and express ourselves which, in my opinion, goes the same for authors and their writing. John Steinbeck had a very interesting life that influenced his writing in The Grapes of Wrath, he had hands on experience with the topic he had written because he was a worker on ranches in the California countryside allowing him to understand the people and the land better for his future writing. After being unsuccessful as a writer in New York, he moved back to California and wrote The Grapes of Wrath. Had more firsthand experience with despressing times as a war correspondent for the New York Harald Tribune. He also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
ReplyDeleteMargaret P.5
- He was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California
ReplyDelete- As a child he worked summers at nearby ranches, which led to his understanding of the working troubles faced by the "Okies"
- He published 5 novels before The Grapes of Wrath
- He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962
- He had a documentary on WWII made called "There Once was a War"
- He died December 20, 1968, at the age of 66
Matt Per. 3
John Steinbeck was born in a nice rural town in California. Possibly, one of his grandparents might have been involved in the rush to California during the Dust Bowl and talked about their journey there. This might have inspired him to go on and write a novel on this topic his grandparents always talked about. One interesting fact about Steinbeck was that he was fascinated with the King Arthur tales. Another interesting fact was there were only two things important to him in life, which were work and women. He might of also loved reading and writing due to the fact that his mother was an English teacher. He must have been a great mind to go to Stanford University planning to major in English. The last interesting fact about John Steinbeck is his middle name is Ernst and he is the third John Steinbeck, so his complete name is John Ernst Steinbeck III. He died at the age of 66 and his ashes are in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Period 5
Many times authors write about events in their lives they experienced or they write about incidents they watched. John Steinbeck explored and researched a lot in order to write the book The Grapes of Wrath. In addition he actually saw the dust bowl which helped him write his own personal thoughts. He worked on farms and ranches, that helps alot when writing about a book where it occurs. John Steinbeck was also a fruit-picker, which people in the book did as well. All of these things helped him when writing The Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteNicole C. Period 3.
In my opinion, it would be nearly impossible to not allow life affect an author’s writing style because experiences influence who a person is. John Steinbeck’s life certainly played a role in his writing. His mother Olivia used to work as a school teacher; thus encouraging his interest in reading and writing. Steinbeck grew up in California and work as a hired hand on ranches during the summer holidays. This would have influenced his opinion of California and its citizens, as well as farm life. An interesting fact I found was that he left college without a degree in order to pursue his dream of being a writer. Additionally, Steinbeck was a war correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune. In 1962, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
ReplyDeleteElla Period 5
John Steinbeck’s experiences in his life greatly influenced his literary work. He was born in 1902 and grew up In California. Steinbeck then attended Stanford University and once he graduated, he started his writing career and then returned to California in the late 20’s. His inspiration for The Grapes of Wrath was from the migrants moving to California trying to escape the dust bowl.
ReplyDeleteBilly Per. 3
John Steinbeck lived in California and worked on nearby ranches.
ReplyDeleteTortilla Flat received the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Medal for best novel by a California author. This made him continue his writing based upon extensive research and his personal observation of the human conditions.
He traveled around California migrant camps.
Steinbeck didn’t like the troubles the migrant workers had to go through.
He knew the conditions in the camps and had seen the people suffering.
He saw people starving. He got to know the people, and learned their speech patterns, reactions, expressions and stories first-hand.
Jessica Per. 3
Task # 3
ReplyDelete•John Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California.
•He began to love reading and writing because of his mother who was a teacher.
•In 1936 he traveled around to migrant camps that were in California and had a feel for what the people were going through.
•The migrant farmer laborers gave him most of his material that he used to write The Grapes of Wrath.
•He won a prize from writing the novel ( The Grapes of Wrath )
•He worked during the summer on ranches.
Kendra p.3
http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html
ReplyDeleteJohn Ernst Steinbeck was born on the surf in Cali. He worked as a working hand in the summer, which could have helped his impression of the working class. He graduated from Stanford University as an English major, but continued to study and try to write a book. He went to New York to write books, but never became successful. From there, maybe he got a sense of the 'monster' that is a big company or bank. To maintain himself economically, he had a few jobs here and there. I believe that he had been influenced by the jobs that he had and the dust bowl era to write that book.
Jeff Period 3
Some intresting things I found about John Steinbeck were that his mother who was a teacher fostered his love for reading, he studied literature at Stamford University , during the summers he worked at a hired hand in nearby ranches. He used Claifornia has the setting for the Grapes of Warth because he grew up in California. He had a son named Thomas. Before writing be observed human conditions, to describe how people really felt. He died at the age of 66.
ReplyDeleteAnjali, period 3
Surely almost every writer is in some way or another influenced by their life, whether it be from past experiences or more recent things that happen in their life. In this case there were a few things that could have influenced his writings. For example, during summers he worked as a hired hand on ranches, as he was attending Stanford University he worked many odd jobs, and simply many of his observations of the human condition influenced his writing for Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteAmber Period 3
I thought that it was interesting that John Steinbeck worked on ranches and he had some chances to really connect with the working class of the west and he could understand what it was like to depend on your land. So this may have inspired some of his ideas about writing The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck also knew what it was like to try and fail at something. He didn’t graduate from Stanford where he was enrolled and also, his first works didn’t receive very much attention.
ReplyDeleteAustin Per. 3
(Shrija.Period:3)
ReplyDelete-Enjoyed reading and writing from young age. His mom was a school teacher.
-English major. Attended Stanford University.
-In 1925 pursued his writing in writing career in New York. When his writing didn’t get publish there, he moved to California.
-He enjoyed exploring his surroundings, walking across local forests, fields and farms which helped him later in his writing.
-Since he was born on 1902 in California, he saw all of the struggles that family went through during Dust bowl era.
-In 1962, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature for his "realistic and imaginative writing, combining as it does sympathetic humor and keen social perception".
There is no doubt that "The Grapes of Wrath" is Steinbeck's most popular and highly praised piece of work. This is possibly because of the fact that the subject matter hits a very personal cord with Steinbeck. He was born in California in 1902 and the dust bowl migration was actually happening around him when he was at a young age. Steinbeck saw the people suffering and knew of the terrible conditions in the camps. It is reported that Steinbeck made four visits to the migrants to get to know them and to study their speech patterns and hear their personal stories first hand. He was angry about what was going on around him and decided to write about it.
ReplyDeleteEven though "The Grapes of Wrath" is considered fiction, I would imagine that much in the novel is in fact quite true.
Ryan B, Period 5
John Steinbeck grew up in California, which might have something to do with why he had the Joad family travel there. Also, his familiarity with California probably helped him in his detailed descriptions of the valley in California. Also, while growing up, he was frequently exposed to ranches near his home in California. There, he worked with migrants at times, which probably helped him get a feel for how they acted and felt while working in the California fields, and while looking for opportunities to be able to work in fields. This was a vital part of The Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteBuddy, Period 5
-Born in Salinas, California which is full of migrant and immigrant history
ReplyDelete-Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940
-Worked as a farmhand in Tahoe, Colorado
-In 1936 he traveled around to migrant camps that were in California and had a feel for what the people were going through.
Nikin Period 3
-Steinbeck lived in culturally diverse Salinas, California, where many of his stories often took place.
ReplyDelete-His life in Califonia influenced his novels while drawing upong the history of earlier eras like the Dust Bowl.
-Steinbeck met many leftist authors and journalists while he was writing his novels. In addition, he met prominent labor union figures.
-In 1919, Steinbeck began attending Stanford University.
Will, Period 5
I definitely think that someone’s life and how they were raised reflects and shows in their writing. Even when they don’t know that they are being opinionated they can still be or being bias. When I researched John Steinbeck I found some interesting similarities between his life and the book. John grew up in California and also worked on ranches and helped with the harvesting during the summers. An interesting fact that I found on Steinbeck is that he tried to become a freelance writer in New York for a while after not graduating from his college, however all his work was denied. Also as I was reading on a few websites, a couple other books of Johns have to do with strikes on California farms and so forth, so maybe he grew up around those sorts of things, which could have swayed his writing. Especially if he saw a lot of this fellow workers jobs being taken by people from other states such as Oklahoma. Over all I think and I have learned this year in physiology that everything someone does they have been taught through seeing or hearing and other various ways, so the way Steinbeck grew up definitely affected his writing.
ReplyDeletejessica - period 5
-John Steinbeck was born in California.
ReplyDelete-John Steinbeck loved reading and writing when he was young.
-worked on ranches.
-He developed an impression and opinion of the Californian land and people.
-awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Many things that a writer experiences during his or her life, greatly influence their literary works. As with artists, if something tragic occurs in their life, especially when they are young, a writer may carry that with them and reference that in their stories. Steinbeck knew a lot about California and had experienced things that had helped him to create such an honest and moving novel as The Grapes of Wrath.
Grace H. Period 5
An author’s experiences heavily influence his or her writing subject and style. Upon learning about the life of John Steinbeck, one is able to understand the knowledge and authenticity with which he wrote. I think that to be able to develop an accurate depiction of Steinbeck’s character, one must look beyond facts about his life, and also consider his personality and its impact on his writing. For example, while attending Stanford, Steinbeck did not enroll in classes he found insignificant, and therefore was not granted a degree. For many people, departing college without a formal graduation seems to be tragic and shameful. Steinbeck however did not share this belief. Traces of this independent and strong-willed attitude can be found in his literature. In The Grapes of Wrath Tom Joad posseses similar traits. Beyond his personality, Steinbeck’s later life is also of significance. After the publication of The Grapes of Wrath, many accused the book of being “unpatriotic” for its “social criticism of the treatment of migrant laborers”. Steinbeck refuted all such accusations, deeming them as unjust and unreasonable. The widespread banning of his book surprisingly did not upset Steinbeck, as it did other intellectuals of the time. He reasoned that he was, contrary to popular belief, overtly loyal. There are many FBI files on him during this era because “the Bureau was concerned that his writings was being used as anti-American propaganda by Nazis and Communists”. In a letter to the Attorney General he brazenly asked, "Do you suppose you could ask Edgar's boys to stop stepping on my heels? It's getting tiresome." It is also interesting to note that Steinbeck spent the latter years of his life supporting pro-government causes such as the Vietnam War. In doing so, he lost a large percentage of his accrued fan base, which had idolized him as a champion of anti-government sentiments.
ReplyDeleteDelaram Period 5
• Steinbeck grew up in Cali so he knew the area
ReplyDelete• worked on a farm so he knew what the work was like
• loved to read and write
• chilled with migrant workers so they probably told him their stories which he was able to use to write the Grapes of Wrath.
Vinny P.5
During summers he worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches, nourishing his impression of the California countryside and its people.
ReplyDeleteI think that having Steinbeck working in the fields really helped him describe to us what it was like to work under those conditions.
US Congressman Lyle Boren, who characterized it as "a lie, a black, infernal creation of twisted, distorted mind". (Talking about The Grapes of Wrath)
Married 3 times
Won 20 awards
grace k p.5
1.It was through Lincoln Steffens that Steinbeck was introduced to George West, a San Francisco News editor who commissioned Steinbeck to write a series of newspaper articles about the living conditions of California migrant workers. This writing experience inspired Steinbeck to write a full length novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.”
ReplyDelete2.John Steinbeck wrote a total of 27 novels.
3.He received a total of 17 awards and honors.
4.He was 66 when he died.
5.John Steinbeck has his own museum called The National Steinbeck Center.
6.The John Steinbeck award was given to Bruce Springsteen, October 26, 1996
Erica. Period 5
- The two things Steinbeck found most necessary to life were “work and women.”
ReplyDelete- Although many people believe him to be a lifelong Californian, Steinbeck spent much of his life in New York and eventually shed most of his ties to the Salinas Valley.
-Always had a passion for reading and writing.
- Had a son named Thomas.
- Worked on a farm/ranch.
- Spent a lot of time with migrant workers.
- Published 5 books before The Grapes of Wrath
- Won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962
Alex A. Period 5
Steinbeck lived in California so he could realte to the atmosphere. "During this time he worked periodically at various jobs and left Stanford permanently in 1925 to pursue his writing career in New York. However, he was unsuccessful in getting any of his writing published and finally returned to California", he could also realte to stuggle and making it. Steinbeck died December 20, 1968. -Kaitlin Pelazza p.5
ReplyDeleteJohn steinbeck lived in California so therefore this may have affected his novel due to his experience of living in the state for so many years. He was a very hardworker but had some difficulties with jobs when he was younger just like the joad family had an extremly hard time finding work to suport their family. John also spent time traveling the united states with his dog charley which makes me think of the Joad familys long journey to California. I feel like both stories had good times and hardships throughout their travels; therefore i believe that steinbeck could have also used this experience to add to the novel the Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteLucy per.5
In John Steinbeck’s Biography, it states that he was born in California and after being unsuccessful with his writing career in New York, he then returned back to California. Most of his novel The Grapes of Wrath is focused about this family trying to get to California and their struggles and their hardships. I think that it is very possible that Steinbeck used the place that he grew up in to be the “ideal goal” to be reached in this novel. Other interesting include him attending Stanford University, The Grapes of Wrath winning the Pulitzer Prize, and although he was an astounding writer, he was described as a very private person who shunned publicity.
ReplyDeleteTom - Period 3
- summers he worked on ranches in the California country side.
ReplyDelete-observed human conditions to help write his stories. which he did before writing Grapes Of Wrath
-1962 Nobel Prize for literature
-went to Stanford University
-studied marine bio. but new he wanted to write instead.
-married three times.
-wrote 27 novels
kayla m. period 5
http://www.steinbeck.org/Bio.html
ReplyDelete-He had a wide range of interests like jazz, politics, philosophy, history, and myth.
-Worked as a hired hand on nearby ranches.
-Originally an English major, he pursued a program of independent study but ended up leaving school to pursue writing.
-Remained a private person who shunned publicity.
-Returned to california after failing to get published in new york.
-"His mother, Olive (Hamilton) Steinbeck, a former school teacher, fostered Steinbeck's love of reading and the written word."
-People thought of his as a pseudointellect.
Alyssa E, Period 5
him*
ReplyDeleteJohn Steinbeck:
ReplyDelete- He said that work and women were necessary to live.
- He loved stories about King Arthur.
- He won the Nobel Peace prize in 1692, but privately worried that meant his career was over.
- He was left-leaning in his politics.
- During WWII, he wrote columns in the Herald Times (except in Oklahoma)
- He died at age 66
Siena, periodo 3.
- Steinbeck grew up in California which was the destination for the migrant families in The Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDelete- He worked on farms and ranches which may have influenced the dust bowl theme for Grapes of Wrath.
- Because he grew up in California, this makes me wonder if he was nice to the migrants workers during The Great Depression? Did he work with them? Did he own a farm on which they worked?
Jerry G -P5