John Steinbeck, the Nobel Prize-winning author, has left an indelible mark on literature with his poignant narratives and memorable characters. The timeless wisdom encapsulated in John Steinbeck Quotes continues to inspire and provoke thought, making them a cherished resource for reflection and guidance. These quotes often reflect the depth of his understanding of life's struggles and triumphs, making them relatable and impactful. Whether you are seeking motivation, solace, or a deeper understanding of the world, John Steinbeck's Quotes offer a wellspring of wisdom that transcends time and cultural boundaries.
John Steinbeck Quotes (2024)
Explore the profound wisdom and evocative insights of John Steinbeck through this curated collection of unique and thought-provoking quotes. From timeless reflections on human nature and the human condition to poignant observations on society, injustice, and the pursuit of the American Dream, Steinbeck's words resonate with readers across generations. Each quote offers a glimpse into the depth of Steinbeck's literary genius, capturing the essence of his storytelling prowess and his ability to illuminate the complexities of the human experience.
"I wonder how many people I've looked at all my life and never seen."
"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good."
"Try to understand men. If you understand each other you will be kind to each other. Knowing a man well never leads to hate and almost always leads to love."
"What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness."
"The free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world."
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself."
"Don't worry about losing. If it is right, it happens - The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away."
"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."
"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
"I guess there are never enough books."
"All the goodness and the heroisms will rise up again, then be cut down again and rise up. It isn't that the evil thing wins, it never will, but that it doesn't die."
"A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well — or ill?"
"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
"We are lonesome animals. We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome."
"We don't take a trip, a trip takes us."
"I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible."
"When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you've got two new people."
"Time is the only critic without ambition."
"People don't take trips, trips take people."
"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments."
"It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world."
"I wonder how many people I've looked at all my life and never seen."
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
"I have never smuggled anything in my life. Why, then, do I feel an uneasy sense of guilt on approaching a customs barrier?"
"Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of man."
"To be alive at all is to have scars."
"We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it."
"The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty."
"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."
"Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen."
"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
"Man is the only kind of varmint sets his own trap, baits it, then steps in it."
"I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of sleeping, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness. I've lifted, pulled, chopped, climbed, made love with joy and taken my hangovers as a consequence, not as a punishment."
"All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal."
"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power."
"It's a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it."
"If you're in trouble, or hurt or need, go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help, the only ones."
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
"We are lonesome animals. We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome."
"When a man says he does not want to speak of something he usually means he can think of nothing else."
"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."
"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself."
"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
"I guess there are never enough books."
"All the goodness and the heroisms will rise up again, then be cut down again and rise up. It isn't that the evil thing wins, it never will, but that it doesn't die."
"A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well, or ill?"
"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
"We are lonesome animals. We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome."
"We don't take a trip, a trip takes us."
"I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible."
"When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you've got two new people."
"Time is the only critic without ambition."
"People don't take trips, trips take people."
"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments."
"It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world."
"I wonder how many people I've looked at all my life and never seen."
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
"I have never smuggled anything in my life. Why, then, do I feel an uneasy sense of guilt on approaching a customs barrier?"
"Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of man."
"To be alive at all is to have scars."
"We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it."
"The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty."
"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."
"Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen."
"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
"Man is the only kind of varmint that sets his own trap, baits it, then steps in it."
"I have always lived violently, drunk hugely, eaten too much or not at all, slept around the clock or missed two nights of sleeping, worked too hard and too long in glory, or slobbed for a time in utter laziness. I've lifted, pulled, chopped, climbed, made love with joy, and taken my hangovers as a consequence, not as a punishment."
"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power."
"All war is a symptom of man's failure as a thinking animal."
"It's a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it."
"If you're in trouble, or hurt or need — go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help — the only ones."
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
"When a man says he does not want to speak of something he usually means he can think of nothing else."
"We are lonesome animals. We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome."
"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone."
"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it."
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself."
"I've seen a look in dogs' eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts."
"I guess there are never enough books."
"All the goodness and the heroisms will rise again, then be cut down again and rise up. It isn't that the evil thing wins, it never will, but that it doesn't die."
"A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well, or ill?"
"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."
"We are lonesome animals. We spend all of our life trying to be less lonesome."
"We don't take a trip, a trip takes us."
"I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible."
"When two people meet, each one is changed by the other so you've got two new people."
"Time is the only critic without ambition."
"People don't take trips, trips take people."
"Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments."
"It seems to me that if you or I must choose between two courses of thought or action, we should remember our dying and try so to live that our death brings no pleasure to the world."
"I wonder how many people I've looked at all my life and never seen."
"The writer must believe that what he is doing is the most important thing in the world. And he must hold to this illusion even when he knows it is not true."
"I have never smuggled anything in my life. Why, then, do I feel an uneasy sense of guilt on approaching a customs barrier?"
"Our species is the only creative species, and it has only one creative instrument, the individual mind and spirit of man."
"To be alive at all is to have scars."
"We spend our time searching for security and hate it when we get it."
"A sad soul can kill quicker than a germ."
"The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty."
In the tapestry of literature, the profound insights and timeless wisdom woven by John Steinbeck stand as enduring pillars of inspiration and introspection. Through his evocative prose and poignant narratives, Steinbeck invites readers to embark on a journey of self-discovery, empathy, and profound reflection. The wealth of John Steinbeck's quotes serves as a testament to his literary genius, offering readers a window into the complexities of the human condition and the vast landscapes of the American experience.
