The Red Pony - Intro 1

JOHNSTEINBECK

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 Characters

Jody Tiflin

⦿ Protagonist

⦿ The only child

⦿ About ten years old

Billy Buck

⦿
Experienced
middle-aged
farmhand

⦿
Very good with
horses

Main Characters

Carl 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