* The Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962: This is considered the highest honor a writer can receive, recognizing Steinbeck's "realistic and imaginative writing, with a sympathetic humor which has made him the representative voice of a generation of Americans."
* The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1940: This award was given to Steinbeck for his novel *The Grapes of Wrath*, a powerful portrayal of the Dust Bowl era and the struggles of migrant workers.