Skip to main content

When Steinbeck quit college, what occupation did he decide to focus on?

When he left Stanford University in 1925 without completing a degree, Steinbeck decided to become a freelance writer, which meant that he would not be tied to a single employer but would write articles and stories which he would submit to different publishers. He would, of course, only be reimbursed once his work was accepted.


This was a failed venture and Steinbeck survived by doing odd jobs in New York as a construction worker and...

When he left Stanford University in 1925 without completing a degree, Steinbeck decided to become a freelance writer, which meant that he would not be tied to a single employer but would write articles and stories which he would submit to different publishers. He would, of course, only be reimbursed once his work was accepted.


This was a failed venture and Steinbeck survived by doing odd jobs in New York as a construction worker and a newspaper reporter. Displeased, he returned to California in 1928 and found work as a caretaker and tour guide in Lake Tahoe.


His career as a writer only commenced in 1929, with the publication of his first novel, Cup of Gold. The book had limited success and after two more novels, he finally achieved real success in 1935 with the novel, Tortilla Flat. This gave him a head start and established him as a writer. He soon followed this success with In Dubious Battle (1936), Of Mice and Men (1937) and The Long Valley (1938), which featured a collection of short stories. His most famous  work, The Grapes of Wrath, was published in 1939. At one time, the novel sold more than 10 000 copies a week and earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 1940.


Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 for his outstanding contribution to literature and "his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception."


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is hyperbole in the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his... The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him plu

How can I analyze Moon and Six Pence by Somerset Maugham?

In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of... In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of that society. His decision to e

What are some literary devices in Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1?

Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not... Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh, oh! (5.1.53-55) Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration  There is also h