John Steinbeck: Astrological Article and Chart

Horoscope and chart of John Steinbeck

^* A planet less than 1° from the next House cusp is considered to be posited in the said House. 2° when the AS and the MC are involved

Astrological portrait of John Steinbeck (excerpt)

Disclaimer: these short excerpts of astrological charts are computer processed. They are, by no means, of a personal nature. This principle is valid for the celebrities included in our database. These texts provide the meanings of planets, or combination of planets, in signs and in houses, as well as the interpretations of planetary dominants in line with modern Western astrology rules. Moreover, since Astrotheme is not a polemic website, no negative aspect which may damage the good reputation of a celebrity is posted here, unlike in the comprehensive astrological portrait.

Introduction

Here are some character traits from John Steinbeck's birth chart. This description is far from being comprehensive but it can shed light on his/her personality, which is still interesting for professional astrologers or astrology lovers.

The dominant planets of John Steinbeck

When interpreting a natal chart, the best method is to start gradually from general features to specific ones. Thus, there is usually a plan to be followed, from the overall analysis of the chart and its structure, to the description of its different character traits.

In the first part, an overall analysis of the chart enables us to figure out the personality's main features and to emphasize several points that are confirmed or not in the detailed analysis: in any case, those general traits are taken into account. Human personality is an infinitely intricate entity and describing it is a complex task. Claiming to rapidly summarize it is illusory, although it does not mean that it is an impossible challenge. It is essential to read a natal chart several times in order to absorb all its different meanings and to grasp all this complexity. But the exercise is worthwhile.

In brief, a natal chart is composed of ten planets: two luminaries, the Sun and the Moon, three fast-moving or individual planets, Mercury, Venus and Mars, two slow-moving planets, Jupiter and Saturn, and three very slow-moving planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Additional secondary elements are: the Lunar Nodes, the Dark Moon or Lilith, Chiron and other minor objects. They are all posited on the Zodiac wheel consisting of twelve signs, from Aries to Pisces, and divided into twelve astrological houses.

The first step is to evaluate the importance of each planet. This is what we call identifying the dominant planets. This process obeys rules that depend on the astrologer's sensitivity and experience but it also has precise and steady bases: thus, we can take into account the parameters of a planet's activity (the number of active aspects a planet forms, the importance of each aspect according to its nature and its exactness), angularity parameters; (proximity to the four angles, Ascendant, Midheaven, Descendant and Imum Coeli or Nadir, all of them being evaluated numerically, according to the kind of angle and the planet-angle distance) and quality parameters (rulership, exaltation, exile and fall). Finally, other criteria such as the rulership of the Ascendant and the Midheaven etc. are important.

These different criteria allow a planet to be highlighted and lead to useful conclusions when interpreting the chart.

The overall chart analysis begins with the observation of three sorts of planetary distributions in the chart: Eastern or Western hemisphere, Northern or Southern hemisphere, and quadrants (North-eastern, North-western, South-eastern and South-western). These three distributions give a general tone in terms of introversion and extraversion, willpower, sociability, and behavioural predispositions.

Then, there are three additional distributions: elements (called triplicity since there are three groups of signs for each one) - Fire, Air, Earth and Water - corresponding to a character typology, modality (or quadruplicity with four groups of signs for each one) - Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable - and polarity (Yin and Yang).

There are three types of dominants: dominant planets, dominant signs and dominant houses. The novice thinks astrology means only "to be Aries" or sometimes, for example, "to be Aries Ascendant Virgo". It is actually far more complex. Although the Sun and the Ascendant alone may reveal a large part of the character - approximately a third or a half of your psychological signature, a person is neither "just the Sun" (called the sign) nor just "the first house" (the Ascendant). Thus, a particular planet's influence may be significantly increased; a particular sign or house may contain a group of planets that will bring nuances and sometimes weaken the role of the Ascendant, of the Sun sign etc.

Lastly, there are two other criteria: accentuations (angular, succedent and cadent) which are a classification of astrological houses and types of decanates that are occupied (each sign is divided into three decanates of ten degrees each). They provide some additional informations.

These general character traits must not be taken literally; they are, somehow, preparing for the chart reading. They allow to understand the second part of the analysis, which is more detailed and precise. It focuses on every area of the personality and provides a synthesis of all the above-mentioned parameters according to sound hierarchical rules.

Astrological Quadrants for John Steinbeck

Each quadrant is a combination of the four hemispheres of your birth chart and relates to a character typology. The Southern hemisphere – the top of your chart, around the Midheaven – is associated with extraversion, action, and public life, whereas the Northern hemisphere prompts to introversion, reflexion, and private life. The Eastern hemisphere – the left part, around the Ascendant – is linked to your ego and your willpower, whereas the Western hemisphere indicates how other people influence you, and how flexible you are when you make a decision.

John Steinbeck, the diurnal South-western quadrant, consisting of the 7th, 8th and 9th houses, prevails in your chart: this sector brings about a thirst for communication and sometimes a need to take risks in your dealings with others. Relations are a factor of your evolution and your transformation, which you accept serenely. Indeed, what matters to you is the movement and the energy that link you to others and that make you gain more awareness. A kind of rebellion or a desire to get away from it all is rooted in you.

Elements, Modes and House Accentuations for John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck, here are the graphs of your Elements and Modes, based on planets' position and angles in the twelve signs:

Cheers for communication and mobility, John Steinbeck! The predominance of Air signs in your chart favours and amplifies your taste for relations and for all kinds of short trips, whether real (travels) or symbolic (new ideas, mind speculations). You gain in flexibility and adaptability what you lose in self-assertion or in pragmatism.

The predominance of Water signs indicates high sensitivity and elevation through feelings, John Steinbeck. Your heart and your emotions are your driving forces, and you can't do anything on Earth if you don't feel a strong affective charge (as a matter of fact, the word "feeling" is essential in your psychology). You need to love in order to understand, and to feel in order to take action, which causes a certain vulnerability which you should fight against.

Earth qualities are under-represented in your chart, with only 8.49% instead of the average 25%. Deficiency in Earth may indicate that you have no interest in material and concrete values. It is likely that you live too much in your heart or in your mind, or even in your enthusiasm! The fact remains that you may end up in tricky situations, due to your lack of good sense or forethought: material life is unavoidable even if you are rather idealistic, dreamy, or easily content. You must tackle concrete life necessities, for fear of... being forced to cope with them, later, in much more unpleasant ways!

The twelve zodiacal signs are split up into three groups or modes, called quadruplicities, a learned word meaning only that these three groups include four signs. The Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable modes are more or less represented in your natal chart, depending on planets' positions and importance, and on angles in the twelve signs.

The Fixed mode corresponds to a majority of elements in your chart, John Steinbeck, and represents the desire for security and durability: you are able to concretely appreciate a situation and its stability. You definitely prefer to play the role of a loyal, obstinate and hard-working person, rather than to try new and risky experiences - beware, however, not to confuse obstinacy with intransigence. You structure, cement, and strengthen everything you find on your way: it is your nature, although you are not especially interested in swiftness: slow and steady...

Houses are split up into three groups: angular, succedent and cadent.

The first ones are the most important ones, the most "noticeable" and energetic houses. They are the 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th houses. Their cuspides correspond to four famous angles: Ascendant for the 1st house, Imum Coeli for the 4th house, Descendant, opposite the Ascendant, for the 7th house and Midheaven for the 10th house, opposite the Imum Coeli.

Planets are evaluated according to a whole set of criteria that includes comprehensive Western astrology rules. At their turn, planets emphasize specific types of houses, signs, repartitions etc., as previously explained.

The emphasis is on succedent houses in your chart, namely, the 2nd, 5th, 8th and 11th houses, John Steinbeck: this configuration usually endows a personality with affective and sensitive qualities. Obviously, to the detriment of self-confidence or self-assertion, but your heart qualities may be very important. These houses also favour realization. Time and patience are part of their characteristics. However, they are only indications and you must include them in the rest of your chart in order to see whether they are validated or not!

N.B.: this dominant is a minor one.

Dominants: Planets, Signs and Houses for John Steinbeck

The issue of dominant planets has existed since the mists of time in astrology: how nice it would be if a person could be described with a few words and one or several planets that would represent their character, without having to analyse such elements as rulerships, angularities, houses, etc!

The ten planets - the Sun throughout Pluto - are a bit like ten characters in a role-play, each one has its own personality, its own way of acting, its own strengths and weaknesses. They actually represent a classification into ten distinct personalities, and astrologers have always tried to associate one or several dominant planets to a natal chart as well as dominant signs and houses.

Indeed, it is quite the same situation with signs and houses. If planets symbolize characters, signs represent hues - the mental, emotional and physical structures of an individual. The sign in which a planet is posited is like a character whose features are modified according to the place where he lives. In a chart, there are usually one, two or three highlighted signs that allow to rapidly describe its owner.

Regarding astrological houses, the principle is even simpler: the twelve houses correspond to twelve fields of life, and planets tenanting any given house increase that house's importance and highlight all relevant life departments: it may be marriage, work, friendship etc.

In your natal chart, John Steinbeck, the ten main planets are distributed as follows:

The three most important planets in your chart are Jupiter, Saturn and the Sun.

Jupiter, the planet of expansion, organization, power and benevolence, is quite emphasized in your chart. Like any Jupiterian, you are warm, open, sociable, consensual, active and optimistic. You can use your self-confidence to erase differences of opinion, and you leave the task of analyzing and perfecting things to specialists. Your role, and you know it since you were young, is to gather, to demonstrate your synthesizing and conciliatory mind, and to naturally reap its fruits - power.

You appreciate legality, social order but also order in general. With you as a leader, every plan or human entity can be organized and structured. You excel at supervising. The Jupiterian type is indeed the politician par excellence, and a positive Jupiter in your chart is synonymous with good integration into society, whatever the chosen path.

Is this idyllic picture really perfect? Certainly not: each planet's typology has its own weaknesses. One of yours is pride, like the Solarian, but your will of expansion at all costs may generate a form of exaggeration in everything, endless pleasure, inappropriate self-confidence that could lead you to rough materialism and the thirst for absurd material comfort - in the worst cases, of course.

Saturn is part of your dominant planets: among the facets of your character, you have a grave and serious side, wise and somewhat severe, since your concentration can be powerful, to the detriment of carelessness and friendliness.

You often look austere, but it is only an appearance, a kind of modesty or reserve; however, it is true that the Saturnian, who is fond of time, effort, asceticism, rigour and sobriety, may have popularity issues. Nevertheless, honesty and straightforwardness, reliability, as well as slow, wise and deep mental process, although not very popular and visible qualities, eventually become noticed and appreciated. Saturnians' second part of life is usually easier and more fulfilling.

Like the Jupiterian, your Saturnian facet prompts you to seek the essential, security, and longevity. However, the difference with the former is that you will never give priority to wealth or "the bigger, the better" philosophy for the sake of power. Saturn, like Jupiter, symbolizes social integration, and it is usually considered positive to have a harmonic Jupiter and Saturn in one's chart because of their social adaptation capacities.

Your vulnerability lies in your too serious and austere side, which may lead to unwanted loneliness and affective frustration. This generally does not last because Saturnians often hide deep down a golden heart that ends up revealing itself...

One of the dominant planets in your natal chart is the Sun. He symbolizes will, magnetism, sense of honour and dignity. You are a Solar being, and you often display charismatic and leadership qualities. Your warmth and your persuasive power lead you far away from pettiness. You enjoy thinking big and, consequently, you move forward according to what you decide.

Your Solarian weakness may be related to the sin of pride or to excessive authority. The frontier between pride and vanity is tenuous: be careful not to overstep it and to keep the nobleness of heart that is part of your charm.

In your natal chart, the three most important signs - according to criteria mentioned above - are in decreasing order of strength Aquarius, Pisces and Leo. In general, these signs are important because your Ascendant or your Sun is located there. But this is not always the case: there may be a cluster of planets, or a planet may be near an angle other than the Midheaven or Ascendant. It may also be because two or three planets are considered to be very active because they form numerous aspects from these signs.

Thus, you display some of the three signs' characteristics, a bit like a superposition of features on the rest of your chart, and it is all the more so if the sign is emphasized.

Aquarius is one of the most important signs in your natal chart: it endows your personality - at least one of its facets - with originality, to the point of eccentricity, in spite of a sometimes distant and humane side. Likeable and impassive at the same time, you are a paradoxical man, very hard to define because the two planets Uranus and Saturn blend their qualities to create the so complicated and endearing sign that inspires your character. Saturn's seriousness and impassivity is added to Uranus' rebellion, talent, individualism, charisma, extravagance, and unpredictability! One of your main characteristics is that you never open up on a personal basis, but you tend to do so easily in public. You are actually quite strange. Sexy and charming in public, despite your nice and sociable character, you could frustrate many of your admirers in private because of your impossibility to show deep and warm affection, emotions, tears... But appearance and reality are two different things anyway - you are a kind of a genius, or you have at least a tremendous charm with this sign. You have many friends and an active social life. If you are detached in your love life - only in this aspect, since the rest of chart will confirm it or not - this is no big deal!

Pisces is among your dominant signs and endows your personality with unlimited sources of emotions, dreams, imagination, and sensitivity, to the extent that you literally swim in a cloudy ocean of delightful impressions. These impressions are so intense and overwhelming that you don't really need to take action concretely, to show your dynamism or your willpower, since you already live so intensely with your feelings - you are as keen as a radar, always on the alert! That is why some people may not like your carelessness, and the lack of clarity in your opinions or actions; however they quickly notice your artistic talents, your poetic or artistic side, and your total lack of wickedness. Besides, you feel compassion for people in pain - empathy is one of your great qualities. Thanks to your flexibility, your intuition, and your generosity, you may spend an important part of your life helping others. And if you are creative or if you have well-known artistic talents, everybody will forgive your little flaws: absent-mindedness, lack of energy or of will, too dreamy temperament...

With Leo as a dominant sign, you naturally shine brightly. Your dignity, your sense of honour, and your generosity can almost turn you into a solar mythological hero, a knight or a lord from the ancient times. People may blame you for your selfishness, your pride or your somewhat loud authority, but if you are self-confident, kind-hearted and strong-willed, it surely makes up for your little flaws, as long as they remain moderate...

The 7th, 8th and 6th houses are the most prominent ones in your birth chart. From the analysis of the most tenanted houses, the astrologer identifies your most significant fields or spheres of activity. They deal with what you are experiencing - or what you will be brought to experience one day - or they deal with your inner motivations.

Your 7th house is one of your dominant houses: it symbolizes other people, marriages, associations, contracts, and partnerships. Your personal achievement and maybe your problems - depending on the rest of your chart - are mainly influenced by your rapports with others, the area in which you tend to commit yourself a lot. You appreciate communication, and you give importance to others' opinions. Success requires the support of others, which seems obvious and natural to you. Your marriage generally contributes to your fulfilment.

Your 8th house is very highlighted: it is the most complex house of the Zodiac. It symbolizes above all passion and transformation, which often go hand in hand. Indeed, you have a tendency to experience everything to the bitter end, and you overstep propriety borders because you want to understand everything, even what is... forbidden. This house relates to complex spheres such as sexuality, possessions and dispossessions that don't depend on you (inheritances, donations, sudden financial losses), death too - not yours in particular, so, don't worry! - and understanding of hidden or occult things: here are the fields that affect you generally, because you are naturally interested in them or because life gets you involved in spite of yourself.

Your 6th house is quite emphasized and indicates interest in work and daily occupations that take up a lot of your time: in analogy with Virgo, this house inclines towards perfectionism and training; somehow, you may be fulfilled through the process of being useful and investing your energy in your work. An environment appealing to you may be involved - your colleagues, for example - or a passion for one of these daily occupations. Medical positions or pets may play a role in your life; or ancillary love affairs too... These are a few possibilities indicated by an important 6th house.

After this paragraph about dominant planets, of John Steinbeck, here are the character traits that you must read more carefully than the previous texts since they are very specific: the texts about dominant planets only give background information about the personality and remain quite general: they emphasize or, on the contrary, mitigate different particularities or facets of a personality. A human being is a complex whole and only bodies of texts can attempt to successfully figure out all the finer points.

The Moon in Scorpio and in House 4: his sensitivity

Avec une sensibilité intuitive et lucide ainsi qu'une affectivité exacerbée, vos émotions John Steinbeck sont secrètes, intenses, profondes et sensuelles. Votre nature magnétique séduit et, conscient de l'étrange fascination que vous exercez sur autrui, vous aimez cultiver cette aura mystérieuse. Vos sentiments sont si puissants que vous vous sentez parfois obligé de les refouler, mais plus vous les contrôlez, plus leur force s'accroît. C'est ainsi que votre jalousie peut se réveiller dans bien des situations et atteindre un tel seuil qu'elle pourra en choquer beaucoup. Sans demi-mesure, vous pourrez alors vous montrer agressif et, comme vous possédez en vous une sorte de radar qui vous permet de déceler instinctivement les faiblesses des autres, il est vrai que vous pouvez faire du mal. Vos émotions sont souvent empreintes d'érotisme et vous détenez ce mélange explosif de lucidité, d'intensité amoureuse et de provocation permanente mais... quel charme ! Vous êtes une nature attractive voire fascinante et vous ne risquez de choquer finalement que les adeptes du juste milieu...

Votre famille, votre foyer et souvent votre mère, John Steinbeck, ont une importance émotionnelle particulièrement forte. Vous êtes attaché plus que quiconque à vos racines et le cadre intime dans lequel vous vivez est essentiel; il est une source continue de charges affectives qui vous imprègnent... (excerpt)

Mercury in Aquarius and in House 7: his intellect and social life

Vous êtes John Steinbeck un "libre-penseur" qui appréhendez les problèmes avec un esprit rapide et efficace. Liberté, progrès et originalité sont vos moteurs.  Résolument tourné vers l'avenir, vous faites preuve d'ingéniosité et d'inventivité pour réformer ce qui n'a plus lieu d'être et innover sans cesse : psychologie, informatique, nouvelles technologies... n'ont presque plus de secret pour vous. Doté de qualités humaines et idéalistes évidentes, vous êtes un interlocuteur fort sympathique et très intéressant, même si l'on peut parfois vous reprocher votre côté rebelle et révolutionnaire. En effet, un esprit de contradiction assez développé semble vous animer : vous pensez rarement comme tout le monde et au risque de vous montrer obstiné, intransigeant et désagréable, vous le dites ! Au lieu de provoquer de soudaines ruptures amicales apprenez plutôt à persévérer dans vos efforts et laissez s'exprimer davantage votre potentiel créatif quand vous ressentirez une trop grande tension nerveuse.

La communication avec autrui est votre point fort, John Steinbeck : toute votre intelligence va pouvoir être utilisée pour arriver à des accords, compromis, ou contrats. Vous êtes un négociateur né, du moins vous essayez de l'être car mentalement, vous avez du mal à penser en terme... (excerpt)

Venus in Aquarius and in House 7, and the Sun in Pisces: his affectivity and seductiveness

Dans votre thème, le Soleil est en Poissons, Vénus en Verseau. Entre le subtil détachement d'un Soleil en Poissons et l'exaltation d'une Vénus en Verseau, le contraste est saisissant : mieux que quiconque, vous savez qu'on passe vite de la fascination au désenchantement, ou de l'indifférence à l'émerveillement. Car ces deux signes consécutifs réagissent de manière antinomique : alors qu'une Vénus en Verseau donne volontiers libre cours aux emballements du coeur ou des sens, un Soleil en Poissons souscrit peu à ces sollicitations passagères et se montre plus imperméable, entier, sélectif. Le Verseau est optimiste puisque toute relation est en devenir (ce sera mieux demain...). Les Poissons savent ou sentent les limites de la relation (ce sera la fin demain...). On vous reprochera parfois certaines incohérences : je t'aime à la folie aujourd'hui, plus du tout demain. Je ne t'aime pas, mais quand tu me quittes, j'ai mal ! Autant de paradoxes dont votre affectivité se nourrit. Sans doute avez-vous plus que d'autres besoin qu'on vous étonne, qu'on vous séduise... L'indifférence est si vite arrivée ! Vous savez donner beaucoup à ceux qui méritent votre estime, par leurs qualités ou leurs lacunes. Certaines failles en effet peuvent vous séduire, exaltant tout à la fois la compassion et le goût de l'étrange...

Beaucoup plus cérébral et amical que vraiment passionné dans le domaine amoureux, vous êtes, John Steinbeck, plutôt fait pour l'amitié amoureuse, les sentiments fins et légers où chacun garde sa liberté et peut-être presque un détachement et une absence d'implication réelle. Parfois, vous pouvez rester un certain temps distant et absolument indifférent aux affaires de coeur, complètement mobilisé par vos activités intellectuelles originales ou vos projets humanitaires dans une ambiance collective que vous affectionnez tant. Vous substituez ainsi à la relation amoureuse un grand nombre de contacts amicaux et légers et il faut dire que souvent, cela vous suffit. Pour que vous tombiez amoureux, vous avez besoin d'un peu de piment, une dose de surprise et d'admiration pour l'originalité de votre partenaire ; à ces conditions, vous pouvez fort bien exprimer vos sentiments et les vivre pleinement dans une ambiance sans contraintes ou le respect de la liberté est parfaitement partagé dans votre couple.

John Steinbeck, votre chaleur et votre séduction sont au service de votre futur ou actuel mariage ! Vénus en maison 7 vous apporte un aspect d'engagement, de demande de réciprocité et de concret dans l'expression de vos sentiments, et fait naturellement place belle à votre désir d'être... (excerpt)

The Ascendant is in Leo and the ruler of the Ascendant is the Sun, in Pisces: his behaviour

The ruler of the Ascendant, also referred to as the chart ruler, brings a few interesting nuances to the meanings provided by the Sun and the Ascendant. The sign in which the ruler of the Ascendant is posited fine-tunes the style of personality described by the Sun and the Ascendant. It may strengthen it if the sign is identical to either of them.

In your chart, the ruler of the Ascendant is the Sun. This specific feature means that the Sun's characteristics previously delineated are strengthened.

The Sun in Pisces and in House 8: his will and inner motivations

Une chose est certaine, John Steinbeck, vos motivations ne peuvent être facilement cernées tant cette configuration est un petit peu à part et plutôt compliquée. Tout ce qui est du domaine des émotions est amplifié pour vous, vous avez tendance à mettre de la passion dans presque... (excerpt)

Mars in Pisces and in House 8: his ability to take action

Votre énergie est distillée d'une façon un peu confuse et aléatoire, John Steinbeck. Ce n'est pas spécialement un handicap mais cela vous empêche un peu de planifier raisonnablement vos actions sur le long terme. Vous êtes un peu fantasque et dispersé, parfois hyperactif et voulant dévorer avec vos grandes dents de requin les obstacles qui se dressent devant vous, mais le plus souvent fuyant tout obstacle par simple facilité et désir de tranquillité. Vous avez horreur de tout affrontement et c'est plus par l'habileté et la souplesse que vous parviendrez à vos fins en vous faufilant adroitement au travers des difficultés que vous rencontrez. Vous possédez  beaucoup d'intuition et d'imagination et ces atouts compensent certainement le manque d'efficacité dont vous faites preuve à cause de votre manque de discipline sur le plan de l'action. Vous êtes de toute façon beaucoup plus efficace si vous travaillez pour une noble cause, en général collective, parfois politique ou spirituelle. Sur le plan sexuel, vous êtes fantasque et inclassable ; vous êtes si changeant et si malléable que finalement, vous pouvez passer d'un extrême à l'autre, généralement en fonction de la personnalité de votre partenaire car votre adaptabilité et votre souplesse sont bien réelles.

John Steinbeck, cette configuration atypique de votre thème natal est une des plus complexes à décrire en raison de la nature même de la maison 8, maison de transformation, maison des crises débouchant sur une reconstruction personnelle mais aussi maison de la sexualité, des domaines cachés de... (excerpt)

Conclusion

This text is only an excerpt from the portrait of of John Steinbeck, which we hope will inspire you to deepen your knowledge of astrology.

Regarding the sources of the birth data in our possession, kindly note that the pages we publish constitute a starting point for more detailed research, even though they seem useful to us. When the sources are contradictory, which occurs rarely, after having analysed them, we choose the most reliable one. Sometimes, we publish a birth date just because it is made available, but we do not claim that is it the best one, by no means.