John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902. Growing John’s family wasn’t very wealthy and his father had many different jobs to provide for his family including: managing a flour plant, serving as a treasurer, owning and operating a grain store. John’s mother worked as a school teacher. John had three sisters and he himself was very shy but also very smart. John became interested in writing when he was 14, he would lock himself in his room to write stories and poems. John enrolled at Stanford University in 1919. He mainly decided to go to college to make his parents happy. He kept drifting in and out of college and eventually dropped out in 1925. John moved to New York and starting working as a construction worker and then a newspaper reporter. Later during WW2 he worked as war correspondent. He wrote many books during his lifetime and even won a Pulitzer. He also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. John Steinbeck has 3 wives, the first two he divorced but he and his 3rd wife fell in love instantly and stayed married. He also had two sons with his 2nd wife named Thomas and John. John died on December 20, 1968 of heart disease.

Over the course of his career John Steinbeck wrote 31 books. His most well-known books were Of Mice and Men, Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden. Out of the three Grapes of Wrath was his best book, with which he won a Pulitzer and a National Book Award. Grapes of Wrath was set during the Great Depression and was about family who migrated from Oklahoma to California and the struggles and hardships they faced making a life as farmers. Grapes of Wrath was an instant success and it sold over 10,000 copies a week on average. One important quote from Grapes of Wrath is “The last clear definite function of man—muscles aching to work, minds aching to create beyond the single need—this is man” (Steinbeck). This quote is explaining man’s purpose is to work and to work hard. It says work is our last clear purpose.

John Steinbeck had a big impact on Americans. His books created characters that people could identify with and understand. He showed the importance of hard work through his books. He gave people hope through his writing and people still read his books today. His books remain as some of the best novels ever. An essential question from Grapes of Wrath is: How do we endure through hard and trying times. One way he can remain hopeful during times like these is to pray and read the Bible. We need to remember that God loves us and will alway take care of us. In conclusion John Steinbeck greatly influenced Americans through his works, and is still regarded as one of the greatest writer of all time.