Over the course of history, there have been many famous authors. Having had so many historical events happen in it, the 20th century was full of these authors and the great stories that they wrote. John Steinbeck is one of these great authors, and indeed, he wrote several famous works that are still enjoyed today. An American novelist, storywriter, playwright, and essayist, John Steinbeck proved through his works that "Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up in the stairs of his concepts, and emerges ahead of his accomplishments" (The Grapes of Wrath). John Steinbeck was a simple man, who had an average childhood, lived with an interesting family, attained some degree of education, worked in different careers, wrote numerous books that earned him widespread recognition, and died having lived a full life.
             John Steinbeck's childhood was not out of the ordinary, but some of the things he experienced as a child affected much of his work as an adult. "John Steinbeck was born on February 29, 1902. He was the third of four children. His sisters, Beth and Esther, were much older than him, and he felt closest to Mary, the youngest (Reef 9)". He was born in the town of Salinas, California. John's mother, Olive Hamilton Steinbeck, was the one who passed on the love of storytelling to her son, enchanting him with tales of ghosts and leprechauns, and interestingly enough, John used several experiences with her as allusions in his works. His father, John Steinbeck Sr., was a simple man that never wanted to be anything great or important, but loved his family and supported them, and would continue to support John throughout his life. One of the books that affected him as a child was Le More d'Arthur, given to him for his ninth birthday by his Aunt Molly Martin, which showed him the power of great storytelling; that stories could not only entertain, but tea...