Main existential categories in works of John Steinbeck

This article is devoted to the works of John Steinbeck from the position of the functioning of the main existential categories or "existentials" of human Being. Existentialism is considered here as a phenomenon that has gone beyond specific philosophy and literature and entered the cultural tradition as a conglomerate of issues that directly concern anthropology. Existential categories are derived as a result of the analysis of the philosophical and cultural base of existentialism, as well as by means of addressing a specific historical situation. The term "existential" belonging to M. Heidegger is interpreted here as a "base-forming value category", "pillar for existence" and is used as an element of literary analysis. The authors identify and investigate a number of existentials characteristic for literature and capable of being modified in the angle of the plot of a particular work. As a result of the study, it is concluded that in the works of J. Steinbeck, existential categories associated with the problem of human existence in a specific situation and representing the existentials of "support and overcoming" are the most frequent. This is a "dream", "hope", "meaning of life", which is directly related to the context recreated by the author. In general, the analysis of a literary work from the angle of the functioning of existential categories allows to analyse the work in its historical and cultural terms, as well as to make a deeper and more comprehensive characteristic of a literary character.