John Steinbeck was one of America's greatest writers. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 for his "realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception ("The Nobel Prize in Literature 1962  para. 1). This is evident in his late-1930s short story "The White Quail." In "The White Quail" a couple is struggling to keep their marriage healthy. The husband, Harry Teller, is not content with his marriage because his wife, Mary Teller, refuses to have any physical relations with him. John Steinbeck uses Mary's garden, a white quail, and a cat to symbolize the couple's failing relationship. Mary has her garden designed before its lot is even bought. But after the house is built and the garden established, Harry finds his wife to be like her garden: untouchable. Every night she locks her bedroom door so that Harry cannot come in. He tries the door frequently, but always leaves discouraged. Mary also refuses to let him have a puppy since it might damage her garden. Mary's garden symbolized her relationship with her husband. She picked Harry because she thought her garden would like him. And she is her garden. "'Would the garden like such a man?' For the garden was herself, and after all she had to marry some one she liked" (28). Mary remembers how she had described the garden to Harry; and only after he had approved of her vision, did she agree to marry him. After the Tellers' home and garden are complete, Mary insists that nothing in the garden ever be altered. Her husband shrugs off her oddness by calling her a "curious little bug." But Mary tries to explain, telling Harry, "Well, you see I've thought about it so long that it's part of me. If anything should be changed it would be like part of me being torn out  (30). She doesn't want to let Harry into her garden. She sees herself as pure and is not ready to give that up to anyone. The white quail symbolizes Mary and