John Steinbeck's Life During War

Life during World War II was a time unlike any other. American author, John Steinbeck, gave up a life of fame and riches to follow troops around the Eastern hemisphere and document their journeys. Though there are many sources a person could go to for information about the war, Steinbeck’s account goes into great detail about what life was actually like for an American solider during the war. On his journeys, Steinbeck recorded many aspects of the war that would otherwise go unnoticed. Throughout Steinbeck’s travels, he records accounts of how soldiers adjusted to military life, how life continued during the war, and how the soldiers reacted during combat. Adjusting to military life is no easy task. One day you are at home with a loving family and a warm meal, the next you are on a crowded boat with hundreds of other soldiers, waiting to eat subpar food. In the army, troops lose their individuality. They are just another number to the army (England, pages 13-14, 19). During this war, many soldiers possessed “lucky charms” that they hoped would get them out alive. In England, Steinbeck records the time a soldier lost his medallion. While this may not seem like …show more content…
Steinbeck is an admirable man for giving up such a glamorous life to document the stories of the American soldiers that helped the Allied powers win the second World War. For the soldiers to go from civilian life to being told what to do and when to do it must have been an awful adjustment to have to make. However, there were a few good hobbies and good times that made life a little easier for them. Although they had their hobbies, no amount of good times or training could help them deal with the terror of real combat. Luckily, Steinbeck was there to capture those moments for people who did not have to suffer through the