--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: John Steinbeck is one of the most…" description: "\"John Steinbeck is one of the most under-discussed and under-written-about of all American writers. He is way up there and should stand on a par, or eve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/harry-belafonte-4893_american_john-steinbeck-is-one-of-the-most-under_2260622.png" --- # John Steinbeck is one of the most under-discussed and… ![“John Steinbeck is one of the most under-discussed and under-written-about of all American writers. He is way up there and should stand on a par, or even above, Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner.” quote by Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/harry-belafonte-4893_american_john-steinbeck-is-one-of-the-most-under_2260622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/harry-belafonte-4893_american_john-steinbeck-is-one-of-the-most-under_2260622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c6/harry-belafonte-4893_american_john-steinbeck-is-one-of-the-most-under_2260622.png) > “John Steinbeck is one of the most under-discussed and under-written-about of all American writers. He is way up there and should stand on a par, or even above, Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner.” [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote praises Steinbeck’s literary stature, suggesting he deserves equal or greater recognition than Hemingway and Faulkner. **In simple terms:** Steinbeck should be as celebrated as Hemingway and Faulkner. Key Takeaway Acknowledge Steinbeck’s contributions. Themes literature recognition comparisons Mood reflective critical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - literary criticism - academic curricula - book clubs - media discussions Key Concepts authorial legacy canon formation Questions to Reflect On - Why is Steinbeck less discussed? - How can we elevate overlooked authors? A Different Perspective Literary fame is influenced by cultural trends, not just merit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-writer/) [American writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-writers/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Today's culture is unfortunately inseparable from economic and military power. A ruling nation can impose its culture and give a worldwide fame to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-bunuel/today-s-culture-is-unfortunately-inseparable-from-economic-and/) [Luis Buñuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-bunuel/) > [One of the true pleasures of my life has been the work of John Steinbeck. He was one of the people who turned my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/one-of-the-true-pleasures-of-my-life-has-been-the-work-of-john/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I'm really influenced by Southern novelists, not many movie people. More like John Faulkner, William Faulkner, Erskine Caldwell, Flannery O'Connor, John Steinbeck, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-m-really-influenced-by-southern-novelists-not-many-movie-people/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [“He is the greatest artist the South has produced.… Indeed, through his many novels and short stories, Faulkner fights out the moral problem which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/he-is-the-greatest-artist-the-south-has-produced-indeed-through-his/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“When I was sixteen I read ten books a week: E.E. Cummings, William Faulkner, Henry James, Hart Crane, John Steinbeck. I thought I progressed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-hall/when-i-was-sixteen-i-read-ten-books-a-week-e-e-cummings-william/) [Donald Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-hall/) > [“John Steinbeck once said that socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wright/john-steinbeck-once-said-that-socialism-never-took-root-in-america/) [Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wright/) > [How can I teach my boys the value and beauty of language and thus communication when the President himself reads westerns exclusively and cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/how-can-i-teach-my-boys-the-value-and-beauty-of-language-and-thus/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [My father, John Steinbeck, was a man who held human history in great reverence, and in particular the biographies of those people who had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-steinbeck/my-father-john-steinbeck-was-a-man-who-held-human-history-in-great/) [Thomas Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-steinbeck/) > [I remember reading 'The Grapes of Wrath' in high school in 1983. My family had immigrated to the U.S. three years before, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-remember-reading-the-grapes-of-wrath-in-high-school-in-1983-my/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [I'm a big John Steinbeck fan. Cormac McCarthy. I've always loved the stories of regular people. Mark Twain, too. When you look back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-neff/i-m-a-big-john-steinbeck-fan-cormac-mccarthy-i-ve-always-loved-the/) [Lucas Neff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-neff/) > [I nearly always write just as I nearly always breathe. - John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-nearly-always-write-just-as-i-nearly-always-breathe-john-steinbeck/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Maybe what I admired most about John Steinbeck is that he never mortgaged his 45-acre heart for a suite in an ivory tower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/maybe-what-i-admired-most-about-john-steinbeck-is-that-he-never/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [John Steinbeck's 'The Grapes of Wrath' also speaks urgently to today's concerns: the cratered trail of dreams for Mexican immigrants seeking a promised land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-corliss/john-steinbeck-s-the-grapes-of-wrath-also-speaks-urgently-to-today-s/) [Richard Corliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-corliss/) > [John Steinbeck once wrote, 'Change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn, and it comes like a stealthy perfume of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-scott/john-steinbeck-once-wrote-change-comes-like-a-little-wind-that/) [Lucas Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-scott/) > [“They have the authority of ignorance and that is something you simply cannot combat.” – John Steinbeck”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/they-have-the-authority-of-ignorance-and-that-is-something-you-simply/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More by Harry Belafonte > [As a matter of fact, compromise is what oppression feeds on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/as-a-matter-of-fact-compromise-is-what-oppression-feeds-on/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I think being born in America and growing up exclusively within the American boundaries of race and race oppression is a very different experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-being-born-in-america-and-growing-up-exclusively-within-the/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Fascism is fascism. Terrorism is terrorism. 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