John steinbeck

JOHN STEINBECK

The Red Pony

John Ernst Steinbeck Biography

• Born in Salinas, California, on February 27

• Parents encouraged his love of writing

• Learned about ranch life as a teen during summers

• These experiences would help him create rich characters and

beautiful descriptions of the land• Graduated from Salinas High

School in 1919• Attended Stanford University

• His attendance was poor, and he only took classes that interested

him (for example, writing, literature, and marine biology)

Biography, Continued

•Left Stanford in 1925 •Moved to New York City

•His first novel, Cup of Gold, was published in 1929

•The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown followed

•Married his first wife, Carol Henning, in 1930

• Lived in Pacific Grove, California (close to Monterey).

•Tortilla Flat (1935) received the California Commonwealth Club's Gold

Medal for best novel by a California author.

Biography• The Grapes of Wrath (1939) won the

Pulitzer Prize.• War Correspondent during World War II

• Some of his war articles were published in Once There Was a War.

• Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962

• A private person who did not seek publicity.

• Died December 20, 1968, in New York City

• Survived by his third wife, Elaine (Scott) Steinbeck and one son, Thomas.

• His ashes were placed in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas.

The Red Pony

The Red Pony

•Actually not a novel but four short stories

•The stories share similar themes and characters.

Main CharactersJody Tiflin Protagonist The only child About ten years old

Billy Buck Experienced middle-

aged farmhand Very good with

horses

Main CharactersCarl Tiflin• Jody's father • Hardworking, not rich. • Stern and cold at times

Mrs. Tiflin • Usually stays in the house, cooking meals and keeping

house

Grandfather  • Mrs. Tiflin's father, Jody's Grandfather• Lives in Monterey • Led a wagon train across the Great Plains to California.

Main Characters

•Gitano• An old paisano man• Born in a small adobe

house that stood on what is now the Tiflin ranch

•Gabilan • The red pony is a young

colt• Belongs to Jody and is

Jody's responsibility

National Steinbeck Center—Salinas

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony Photos(Courtesy of The Steinbeck Institute)

The Red Pony: Themes

Themes to Consider as we Read:

• Death• The Cruelty of Nature• Sacrifice• Fallibility• Disappointment• Adventure• Frustration• Responsibility