--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Americans are much more American than…" description: "\"Americans are much more American than they are Northerners, Southerners, Westerners, or Easterners ... California Chinese, Boston Irish, Wisconsin Germ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/john-steinbeck-71_alabama_americans-are-much-more-american-than-th_1104171.jpg" --- # Americans are much more American than they are… ![“Americans are much more American than they are Northerners, Southerners, Westerners, or Easterners ... California Chinese, Boston Irish, Wisconsin German, yes, Alabama Negroes, have more in common than they have apart ... The American identity is an exact and provable thing.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/john-steinbeck-71_alabama_americans-are-much-more-american-than-th_1104171.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/john-steinbeck-71_alabama_americans-are-much-more-american-than-th_1104171.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72b/john-steinbeck-71_alabama_americans-are-much-more-american-than-th_1104171.jpg) > “Americans are much more American than they are Northerners, Southerners, Westerners, or Easterners ... California Chinese, Boston Irish, Wisconsin German, yes, Alabama Negroes, have more in common than they have apart ... The American identity is an exact and provable thing.” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. American identity unites diverse regional cultures under shared values. **In simple terms:** Americans share common traits despite regional differences. Key Takeaway Recognize shared humanity. Themes identity diversity unity Mood reflective hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - community building - education curricula - media narratives Key Concepts cultural synthesis regionalism Questions to Reflect On - What binds us beyond geography? - How do regional cultures enrich national identity? A Different Perspective Regional identities can also cause tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-identity/) [Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans/) [Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [California](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/california/) [Chinese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chinese/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Northerners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northerners/) [Southerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southerner/) [Westerners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/westerners/) [Wisconsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisconsin/) ## Related quotes > [Istanbul, a universal beauty where poet and archeologist, diplomat and merchant, princess and sailor, northerner and westerner screams with same admiration. 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The American relies upon his personal interest to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/there-are-at-the-present-time-two-great-nations-in-the-world-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [“Every culture has its southerners -- people who work as little as they can, preferring to dance, drink, sing brawl, kill their unfaithful spouses;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/every-culture-has-its-southerners-people-who-work-as-little-as-they/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [America's most dangerous and threatening black man is the one who has been kept sealed up by the Northerner in the black ghettos -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/america-s-most-dangerous-and-threatening-black-man-is-the-one-who-has/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“I think the people from Mississippi ought to come to Chicago to learn how to hate." Martin Luther King, Jr. after the violent reception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/i-think-the-people-from-mississippi-ought-to-come-to-chicago-to-learn/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [“Northerners are exactly like their weather—cold and boring. And I swear, none of them has one iota of etiquette or propriety.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-hoffman/northerners-are-exactly-like-their-weather-cold-and-boring-and-i/) [Beth Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-hoffman/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Alabama quotes > [Alabama soldiers, all I ask of you is to keep up with the Texans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/alabama-soldiers-all-i-ask-of-you-is-to-keep-up-with-the-texans/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [I was haunted always by my other life-my drab room in the Bronx, my square foot of the subway, my fixation upon the day's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-was-haunted-always-by-my-other-life-my-drab-room-in-the-bronx-my/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The great thing that I appreciate - the fact that my godfather, William 'Sticky' Jackson, was a Tuskegee Airman because my father was first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/the-great-thing-that-i-appreciate-the-fact-that-my-godfather-william/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [I'll never forget where I came from, and that my home is forever Sweet Home Alabama!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bearer/i-ll-never-forget-where-i-came-from-and-that-my-home-is-forever-sweet/) Paul Bearer > [Alabama's a football state and you really don't get too many basketball players out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/alabama-s-a-football-state-and-you-really-don-t-get-too-many/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) > [When I was growing up in Alabama in the '50s, even though we were poor and the laws were against blacks, we still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-lee-peterson/when-i-was-growing-up-in-alabama-in-the-50s-even-though-we-were-poor/) [Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-lee-peterson/) > [May God continue to bless sweet home Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ivey/may-god-continue-to-bless-sweet-home-alabama/) [Kay Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ivey/) > [Because Republicans defected and voted with all the Democrats to reject Jeff Sessions' nomination when they discovered that when he was working as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/because-republicans-defected-and-voted-with-all-the-democrats-to/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [My uncle is a Southern planter. 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That's where she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sela-ward/i-had-an-art-teacher-who-s-the-reason-i-got-there-in-high-school-who/) [Sela Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sela-ward/) Browse all 371 Alabama quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Americans are much more American than they are Northerners, Southerners, Westerners, or Easterners ... California Chinese, Boston Irish, Wisconsin German, yes, Alabama Negroes, have more in common than they have apart ... 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