December 20, 1968: John Steinbeck Dies

December 20, 1968: John Steinbeck Dies

December 20, 1968: John Steinbeck Dies

“I have no doubt that, being human, he enjoys praise, but he has consistently shunned the mechanics and functionaries of publicity.”

Facebook
Twitter
Email
Flipboard
Pocket

On this day in 1968 the Nobel Prize–winning novelist John Steinbeck died. His groundbreaking book, of course, was The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939. Critics of literary celebrity in the 21st century would do well to read the essay on Steinbeck published in The Nation that November, written by then–literary editor Margaret Marshall, which addresses the question of whether Steinbeck would let the fame go to his head and whether the film version of the novel then in production would violate the spirit of his work.

John Steinbeck has probably had more publicity since April than any other living writer; but he seems to have a more healthy attitude toward his work than many of his commentators. In an interview which appeared in the Los Angeles Times in July he is reported to have said, “I’m not even a finished writer yet.” “They’re not going to lionize me,” he went on to say; “I think of the Arabian story-tellers, the best writers in the world. You didn’t find them installed in luxurious surroundings. They squatted in the market-place and told and retold stories, and they refined and perfected them to the point you find in ‘Arabian Nights.’” So far as I have been able to discover this is not an expression of false modesty. Steinbeck is extremely shy; the fact is attested by competent witnesses. At the same time this shyness seems to have nothing to do with a lack of confidence in his work, though it should be recorded also in this connection that in mid-career, just before “The Grapes of Wrath,” he tore up a manuscript dealing with similar material which he decided was “false.” I have no doubt that, being human, he enjoys praise, but he has consistently shunned the mechanics and functionaries of publicity, for which he has a genuine if exaggerated dislike. His remarks do indicate a youthful and self-conscious cast of mind which is characteristic and which documents his own assertion that he is not a finished writer yet, especially in so far as the term means maturity of mind as well as skill with words.…

He has had little experience of the urban side of American life, including the “literary” world, which he avoids. On the other hand, an intense love of nature and of rural life are more than apparent in his books, most of which deal with the land and people close to the land, He is said to have a dread of insecurity, which is ascribed to years of living from hand to mouth but probably springs from deeper sources—the sense of insecurity might be called the national neurosis; he still lives frugally, and I understand that he has distributed his considerable earnings among various banks in deposits of $5,000, the maximum amount guaranteed by the government. But though he has been sensible enough to insure his economic future, there is no evidence to suggest that he is unduly cautious or has any respect for respectability.…

“The Grapes of Wrath” is now being filmed. Mr. Steinbeck told Darryl Zanuck in a reported interview that he was keeping in reserve the $75,000 he got for the movie rights and intended to sue if the picture violates the theme and spirit of the book. Mr. Zanuck told Mr. Steinbeck that he had had detectives investigate the plight of the Okies and had been informed that conditions were much worse than Steinbeck pictures them. This suggests a new social use for detectives which only a Hollywood producer would have thought up.

December 20, 1968

To mark The Nation’s 150th anniversary, every morning this year The Almanac will highlight something that happened that day in history and how The Nation covered it. Get The Almanac every day (or every week) by signing up to the e-mail newsletter.

Can we count on you?

In the coming election, the fate of our democracy and fundamental civil rights are on the ballot. The conservative architects of Project 2025 are scheming to institutionalize Donald Trump’s authoritarian vision across all levels of government if he should win.

We’ve already seen events that fill us with both dread and cautious optimism—throughout it all, The Nation has been a bulwark against misinformation and an advocate for bold, principled perspectives. Our dedicated writers have sat down with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders for interviews, unpacked the shallow right-wing populist appeals of J.D. Vance, and debated the pathway for a Democratic victory in November.

Stories like these and the one you just read are vital at this critical juncture in our country’s history. Now more than ever, we need clear-eyed and deeply reported independent journalism to make sense of the headlines and sort fact from fiction. Donate today and join our 160-year legacy of speaking truth to power and uplifting the voices of grassroots advocates.

Throughout 2024 and what is likely the defining election of our lifetimes, we need your support to continue publishing the insightful journalism you rely on.

Thank you,
The Editors of The Nation

Ad Policy
x