Feature Image Credit: McFadden Publications, Inc.; no photographer credited – Photoplay, November 1939 (page 22). Image is understood to be in the public domain.
The novelist John Steinbeck, probably best known for his classic novels: East of Eden, The Grapes of Wrath, and Of Mice and Men, was born in Salinas, California, in 1902.
His extended family were steeped in Freemasonry, and as might be expected, he himself became a member of the Craft.
He was initiated into Freemasonry in Salinas Lodge, No. 204, California, on 1 March, 1929; ‘Passed’ to the second degree of Fellow Craft on 12 April, 1929, and ‘Raised’ to the third, or Master Mason degree on 24 May 1929, thus becoming a fully-fledged member of the Lodge.
However, despite having a strong spiritual streak resulting from his Episcopalian background, and being very well-versed in the Bible, which he absorbed from an early age, Steinbeck eschewed organised religion and fraternal societies.
He told a friend and fellow Stanford University student Carlton ‘Duke’ Sheffield, that he joined the Masons merely to please his father; but having done so, almost immediately dismissed it as nonsense and ‘flumdummery’.
As a result, and unhindered by the fact his career as a novelist was gaining traction, Steinbeck withdrew from the Lodge on 24 May 1933.
It is evident, that for Steinbeck, as with many Freemasons today, the pomp and circumstance surrounding Masonic ceremonies was not its most attractive feature.
Steinbeck further emphasised these feelings in his fictional work: The Short Reign of Pippin IV when he states:
…I am told, the ordinary people, feeling robbed, join secret organisations, where regularly they wear crowns, and robes and ermine, and speak in rituals of antiquity which give them solemn solace even though they do not understand the words.
Steinbeck was a thinking man, and if Freemasonry had any redeeming qualities for him, it would have lain in the esoteric side of the Craft.
His widow, Elaine Steinbeck said of her late husband in 1999: ‘He had a spiritual streak that never left’.
Noted Steinbeck scholar Susan Shillinglaw added her own observation to that comment: ‘Often thin, that streak could widen to something deep, abiding, and essential to his whole emotional and intellectual life.’ (John Steinbeck’s ‘Spiritual Streak’, 2001).
It was in his literature, that Steinbeck demonstrated this spiritual streak on many occasions, infusing his books with religion, mysticism, spirituality, and a thorough examination of the human condition.
Steinbeck was hugely influenced by conversations he had with his great friend and mentor Ed Ricketts, and for a period, the pair met and debated with the American philosopher Joseph Campbell, during the latter’s period of residence on the Monterey peninsula.
Steinbeck was obsessed with Rickett’s theory of breaking through, ‘coming out through the back of the mirror into some kind of reality which would make the day world dreamlike’.
Steinbeck told a friend: ‘There are streams in man more profound and dark and strong than the libido of Freud. Jung’s libido is closer but still inadequate.’
In the late 1930s, Steinbeck wrote: ‘In every bit of honest writing in the world, there is a base theme. Try to understand men.’
In recent years, a Hindu newspaper noted:
…the ideas expounded by Steinbeck (have) close affinity to Indian thoughts expressed by seers such as Swami Vive-kananda. Steinbeck strikes a deep chord in every one of us when he advocates tolerance, love, understanding and compassion as the necessary tools to fight the woes of the modern age.
In present times, there can surely be no better tribute to Steinbeck the writer.
It is perhaps hardly surprising then, that a man whose interests ran so deep, would not find fulfilment in a Craft Lodge, where more emphasis might be placed on social climbing and outward appearances; than investigating the mysteries of life and nature, and attempting to understand one’s inner being.
In his non-fiction book: The Sea of Cortez, Steinbeck also wrote:
A dull man seems to be a dull man no matter what his field, and of course it is the right of a dull scientist to protect himself with feathers and robes, emblems and degrees, as do other dull men who are potentates and grand imperial rulers of lodges of dull men.
The great writer clearly did not obtain fulfilment or stimulation within the confines of his particular Masonic circle.
Steinbeck died in 1968, and among his possessions was a certificate from the brethren of Salinas Lodge, No. 204, presented to him, on his being raised to the ‘high and sublime degree of Master Mason’:
As a souvenir of Brotherly regard from the members of the Lodge and a talisman of Fidelity to his trusts in all the years that may come to him.
The fact that Steinbeck retained this certificate for the rest of his life, might suggest that whilst he could not take an active part in Freemasonry, he fully appreciated the value it held, in the life, and social cohesion, of small towns like his own home town of Salinas; and indeed, every town and city throughout the civilised world.
The present writer has been a keen student of Steinbeck’s literature for many years, and during that period has painstakingly, and perhaps absurdly, listed all references to Freemasonry throughout his entire corpus, listing almost forty.
Whilst active Freemasonry may not have been for him, this suggests that Steinbeck found the Craft far from being disinteresting or inconsequential.
Biography of John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck is perhaps best known for Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath, which led to his Nobel Prize for Literature award in 1962.
Born in Salinas, California in 1902, Steinbeck grew up in a fertile agricultural valley about twenty-five miles from the Pacific Coast: both valley and coast would serve as settings for some of his best fiction.
In 1919 he went to Stanford University, where he intermittently enrolled in literature and writing courses until he left in 1925 without taking a degree.
During the next five years he supported himself as a labourer and journalist in New York City, all the time working on his first novel, Cup of Gold (1929).
After marriage and a move to Pacific Grove, he published two California books, The Pastures of Heaven (1932) and To a God Unknown (1933) and worked on short stories later collected in The Long Valley (1938).
Popular success and financial security came only with Tortilla Flat (1935), stories about Monterey’s paisanos. A ceaseless experimenter throughout his career, Steinbeck changed courses regularly.
Three powerful novels of the late 1930s focused on the California labouring class: In Dubious Battle (1936), Of Mice and Men (1937), and the book considered by many his finest, The Grapes of Wrath (1939).
Being partly based on his own experiences as a travelling worker, Steinbeck originally wanted Of Mice and Men to be titled ‘Something That Happened’.
The book explores themes of powerlessness, loneliness and empathy and received the greatest positive critical response of any of his works up to that point.
It has achieved success as a novel, a Broadway play and three acclaimed films.
Steinbeck’s compassionate depiction of the poor in The Grapes of Wrath helped the book become an immediate publishing phenomenon, discussed on a national scale and becoming an instant bestseller.
The book was described by the Nobel Prize committee as a “great work” and stated that it was one of the main reasons for granting Steinbeck the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962.
Early in the 1940s, Steinbeck became a filmmaker with The Forgotten Village (1941) and a serious student of marine biology with Sea of Cortez (1941).
He devoted his services to the war, writing Bombs Away (1942) and the controversial play-novelette The Moon is Down (1942). Cannery Row (1945), The Wayward Bus (1948), another experimental drama, Burning Bright (1950), and The Log from the Sea of Cortez (1951) preceded publication of the monumental East of Eden (1952)East of Eden (1952), an ambitious saga of the Salinas Valley and his own family’s history.
The last decades of his life were spent in New York City and Sag Harbor with his third wife, with whom he traveled widely.
Later books include: Sweet Thursday (1954) The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication (1957), Once There was a War (1958), The Winter of Our Discontent (1961), Travels with Charley in Search of America (1962), America and Americans (1966) and the posthumously published Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters (1969),Viva Zapata! (1975,The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights (1976), and Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath (1989).
He died in 1968, having won a Nobel Prize in 1962.
Source: Amazon
Article by: Kenneth C. Jack
Kenneth C. Jack FPS is an enthusiastic Masonic researcher/writer from Highland Perthshire in Scotland.
He is Past Master of a Craft Lodge, Past First Principal of a Royal Arch Chapter, Past Most-Wise Sovereign of a Sovereign Chapter of Princes Rose Croix.
He has been extensively published in various Masonic periodicals throughout the world including: The Ashlar, The Square, The Scottish Rite Journal, Masonic Magazine, Philalethes Journal, and the annual transactions of various Masonic bodies.
Kenneth is a Fellow of the Philalethes Society, a highly prestigious Masonic research body based in the USA.
Steinbeck: A Life in Letters
For John Steinbeck, who hated the telephone, letter-writing was a preparation for work and a natural way for him to communicate his thoughts on people he liked and hated; on marriage, women, and children; on the condition of the world; and on his progress in learning his craft.
Opening with letters written during Steinbeck’s early years in California, and closing with a 1968 note written in Sag Herbor, New York, Steinbeck: A Life in Letters reveals the inner thoughts and rough character of this American author as nothing else has and as nothing else ever will.
The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology.
In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero’s Journey, a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions. He also explores the Cosmogonic Cycle, the mythic pattern of world creation and destruction.
As part of the Joseph Campbell Foundation’s Collected Works of Joseph Campbell, this third edition features expanded illustrations, a comprehensive bibliography, and more accessible sidebars.
As relevant today as when it was first published, The Hero with a Thousand Faces continues to find new audiences in fields ranging from religion and anthropology to literature and film studies.
The book has also profoundly influenced creative artists—including authors, songwriters, game designers, and filmmakers—and continues to inspire all those interested in the inherent human need to tell stories.
Recent Articles: Kenneth C. Jack
 Rosicrucianism and the Gowrie House Mystery Unearth the mystifying intersections of Rosicrucianism and the infamous Gowrie House Mystery. Dive into speculative claims of sacred knowledge, royal theft, and a Masonic conspiracy, harking back to a fateful day in 1600. As we delve into this enthralling enigma, we challenge everything you thought you knew about this historical thriller. A paper by Kenneth Jack |
 Thomas Telford's Masonic Bridge of Dunkeld Of course, there is no such thing as a ‘Masonic Bridge’; but if any bridge is deserving of such an epithet, then the Bridge of Dunkeld is surely it. Designed by Scotsman Thomas Telford, one of the most famous Freemasons in history. |
 The masonic and orange orders: fraternal twins or public misperception? “Who’s the Mason in the black?” |
 Kenneth Jack's research reveals James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl – the 'lost Grand Master' |
 An Oration delivered to the Annual Burns and Hogg Festival, at Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, Edinburgh, on 24 January 2018. By Bro. Kenneth C. Jack, FSAScot FPS, Past Master, Lodge St. Andrew, No. 814, Pitlochry. |
 William Winwood Reade was a Scottish philosopher, historian, anthropologist, and explorer born in Crieff, Perthshire, Scotland. The following article by Kenneth Jack, provides some hints that William may have been a Freemason, but there is presently no definitive evidence he was. |
 What's in a name? A brief history of the first Scottish Lodge in Australia - By Brother Kenneth C. Jack, Past Master, Lodge St. Andrew, No. 814, Pitlochry |
 Sir Francis Bacon and Salomon’s House Does Sir Francis Bacon's book "The New Atlantis" indicate that he was a Rosicrucian, and most likely a Freemason too? Article by Kenneth Jack |
 George Blackie – The History of the Knights Templar P.4 The final part in the serialisation of George Blackie's 'History of the Knights Templar and the Sublime Teachings of the Order' transcribed by Kenneth Jack. |
 George Blackie – The History of the Knights Templar P.3 Third part in the serialisation of George Blackie's 'History of the Knights Templar and the Sublime Teachings of the Order' transcribed by Kenneth Jack. |
 George Blackie – The History of the Knights Templar P.2 Second part in the serialisation of George Blackie's 'History of the Knights Templar and the Sublime Teachings of the Order' transcribed by Kenneth Jack. |
 George Blackie – The History of the Knights Templar P.1 First part in the serialisation of George Blackie's History of the Knights Templar and the Sublime Teachings of the Order – by Kenneth Jack |
 Little known as a Freemason, Bro Dr Robert ‘The Bulldog’ Irvine remains a Scottish rugby legend, and his feat of appearing in 10 consecutive international matches against England has only been surpassed once in 140 years by Sandy Carmichael. |
 Rev. J.B. Craven: Theologian, Historian, Freemason, And Rosicrucian Scholar Archdeacon James Brown Craven is one of those unsung heroes of Scottish Freemasonry about whom very little has been previously written – here Kenneth Jack explores the life and works of this remarkable esoteric Christian. |
 Discover the powerful family of William Schaw, known as the 'Father of Freemasonry' |
 This month, Kenneth Jack invites us to look at the life of Sir William Peck; - astronomer, Freemason and inventor of the world's first electric car. A truly fascinating life story. |
 A Tribute to Scotland's Bard – The William Robertson Smith Collection With Burns' Night approaching, we pay tribute to Scotland's most famous Bard – The William Robertson Smith Collection |
 The Joy of Masonic Book Collecting Book purchasing and collecting is a great joy in its own right, but when a little extra something reveals itself on purchase; particularly with regards to older, rarer titles.. |
 Masons, Magus', and Monks of St Giles - who were the Birrell family of Scottish Freemasonry? |
 The 6th Duke of Atholl - Chieftain, Grand Master, and a Memorial to Remember In 1865, why did over 500 Scottish Freemasons climb a hill in Perthshire carrying working tools, corn, oil and wine? Author Kenneth Jack retraces their steps, and reveals all. |
 Charles Mackay: Freemason, Journalist, Writer Kenneth Jack looks at life of Bro Charles Mackay: Freemason, Journalist, Writer, Poet; and Author of ‘Tubal Cain’. |
 A Mother Lodge and a Connection Uncovered, a claim that Sir Robert Moray was the first speculative Freemason to be initiated on English soil. |
 What is it that connects a very old, well-known Crieff family, with a former President of the United States of America? |
 The life of Bro. Cattanach, a theosophist occultist and Scottish Freemason |
 The Mysterious Walled Garden of Edzell Castle Explore the mysterious walled garden steeped in Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, and Hermeticism. |
 Dr. George Dickson: Scottish Freemason and Occultist Bro. Kenneth explores the life of Dr George Dickson a Scottish Freemason and Occultist |
 The Colour Purple - Its Derivation and Masonic Significance What is the colour purple with regards to Freemasonry? The colour is certainly significant within the Royal Arch series of degrees being emblematical of Union. |
 Bridging the Mainstream and the Fringe Edward MacBean bridging mainstream Freemasonry with the fringe esoteric branches of Freemasonry |
 Freemasonry in the Works of John Steinbeck We examine Freemasonry in the Works of John Steinbeck |
 Renegade Scottish Freemason - John Crombie Who was John Crombie and why was he a 'renegade'? |
 Scottish Witchcraft And The Third Degree How is Witchcraft connected to the Scottish Third Degree |
Recent Articles: in people series
 Voltaire - Freethinker and Freemason Discover the intriguing connection between the Enlightenment genius, Voltaire, and his association with Freemasonry in his final days. Unveil how his initiation into this secretive organization aligned with his lifelong pursuit of knowledge, civil liberties, and societal progress. Explore a captivating facet of Voltaire's remarkable legacy. |
 Robert Burns; But not as we know him A controversial subject but one that needs addressing. Robert Burns has not only been tarred with the presentism brush of being associated with slavery, but more scaldingly accused of being a rapist - a 'Weinstein sex pest' of his age. |
 Richard Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse Discover the captivating story of Richard Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse, the First Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Ireland, as we explore his rise to nobility, scandalous affiliations, and lasting legacy in 18th-century Irish history. Uncover the hidden secrets of this influential figure and delve into his intriguing associations and personal life. |
 James Gibbs St. Mary-Le-Strand Church Ricky Pound examines the mysterious carvings etched into the wall at St Mary-Le-Strand Church in the heart of London - are they just stonemasons' marks or a Freemason’s legacy? |
 Freemasonry and the Royal Family In the annals of British history, Freemasonry occupies a distinctive place. This centuries-old society, cloaked in symbolism and known for its masonic rituals, has intertwined with the British Royal Family in fascinating ways. The relationship between Freemasonry and the Royal Family is as complex as it is enduring, a melding of tradition, power, and mystery that continues to captivate the public imagination. |
 A Man Of High Ideals: Kenneth Wilson MA A biography of Kenneth Wilson, his life at Wellington College, and freemasonry in New Zealand by W. Bro Geoff Davies PGD and Rhys Davies |
 In 1786, intending to emigrate to Jamaica, Robert Burns wrote one of his finest poetical pieces – a poignant Farewell to Freemasonry that he wrote for his Brethren of St. James's Lodge, Tarbolton. |
 Alex Lishanin explores Mumbai and discovers the story of Lodge Rising Star of Western India and Manockjee Cursetjee – the first Indian to enter the Masonic Brotherhood of India. |
 Aleister Crowley - a very irregular Freemason Aleister Crowley, although made a Freemason in France, held a desire to be recognised as a 'regular' Freemason within the jurisdiction of UGLE – a goal that was never achieved. |
 Sir Joseph Banks – The botanical Freemason Banks was also the first Freemason to set foot in Australia, who was at the time, on a combined Royal Navy & Royal Society scientific expedition to the South Pacific Ocean on HMS Endeavour led by Captain James Cook. |
 Making a Mason in Prison: the John Wilkes’ exception? |
 "To be a good man and true" is the first great lesson a man should learn, and over 40 years of being just that in example, Dr Buck won the right to lay down the precept. |
 Elias Ashmole: Masonic Hero or Scheming Chancer? The debate is on! Two eminent Masonic scholars go head to head: Yasha Beresiner proposes that Elias Ashmole was 'a Masonic hero', whereas Robert Lomas posits that Ashmole was a 'scheming chancer'. |
 Sir Arthur Sullivan - A Masonic Composer We are all familiar with the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, but did you know Sullivan was a Freemason, lets find out more…. |
 The Much-Maligned Dr John Misaubin The reputation of the Huguenot Freemason, has been buffeted by waves of criticism for the best part of three hundred years. |
 Was William Morgan really murdered by Masons in 1826? And what was the lie Masonic author Rob Morris told? Find out more in the intriguing story of 'The Morgan Affair'. |
 Lived Respected - Died Regretted Lived Respected - Died Regretted: a tribute to HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh |
 Who was Moses Jacob Ezekiel, a Freemason, American Civil War Soldier, renowned sculptor ? |
 A Masonic author and Provincial Grand Master of Forfarshire in Scotland |
 Who was Philip, Duke of Wharton and was he Freemasonry’s Loose Cannon Ball ? |
 Richard Carlile - The Manual of Freemasonry Will the real author behind The Manual of Freemasonry please stand up! |
 Nicholas Hawksmoor – the ‘Devil’s Architect’ Nicholas Hawksmoor was one of the 18th century’s most prolific architects |
 By Bro. Anthony Oneal Haye (1838-1877), Past Poet Laureate, Lodge Canongate Kilwinning No. 2, Edinburgh. |
 The Curious Case of the Chevalier d’Éon A cross-dressing author, diplomat, soldier and spy, the Le Chevalier D'Éon, a man who passed as a woman, became a legend in his own lifetime. |
 Mozart Freemasonry and The Magic Flute. Rev'd Dr Peter Mullen provides a historical view on the interesting topics |
masonic knowledge
to be a better citizen of the world
share the square with two brothers
click image to open email app on mobile device
Masonic Apparel
made to order
