Tuesday 24 January 2012

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath follows a migrant family from the 1930's that are forced to leave the farm they work on in Oklahoma and head for California because of the great depression. On their journey the family realise that tens of thousands of people from all over the southern great plains have also been forced from their homes and the sheer numbers of people are saturating any available jobs in California. Once they do eventually reach California the family finds hostile locals, exploitation, prejudice and starvation.  
I have read a few reviews and many people either mention or complain that The Grapes of Wrath will grind you down. I would agree to an extent, the hopelessness of the family’s situation and the endless relentlessness of trying to find work and their next meal after 500 pages can wear a reader down. But this is no bad thing, this really happened to people and it would have left perhaps a bad taste in my mouth if Steinbeck had tried to make this terrible situation somehow more uplifting just to make it more palatable for a lot more readers. While the Grapes of Wrath is very much in parts a social commentary I feel it is a commentary which is relevant today.
Most of the novel is written from the family’s point of view but then Steinbeck will stick in a chapter telling a more overall picture and putting the events into context so in a way the reader becomes more informed than the family on their own hardships and situation.
This is the kind of novel that is worth the read in the end as it is the overall fight for survival rather than the individual characters and events that will stay with you. Brilliantly written and recommended.
Verdict 5/5

Posted by Jess

18 comments:

  1. Glad you enjoyed it! This is such an incredible read - but I haven't done Of Mice and Men yet!!

    Yeah, it totally does grind you down, but you're right - it's worth it in the end!

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    1. oh I loved it but I hate it when ppl dislike it for being depressing, I can understand why ppl dont like reading that sort of stuff but it was the authors intent

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  2. Having read East of Eden this past year, I want to read Steinbeck's entire catalog.

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    1. East of Eden I would say is better, this is very good but different. East of Edan was also my first Steinbeck

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  3. You're right, this one isn't an upper, but it's an important book. It's nice that he has a few books in his catalogue that aren't as heartbreaking. Cannery Row and Travels with Charley are both great!

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    1. I have Travels with Charley on my shelf, technically its Chris's so Im waiting for him to read it first!

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  4. Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors, yet I have never read this one! At this point, I'd have to say that East of Eden is my top Steinbeck choice. I got to read it while traveling the "tawny hills" of Steinbeck country in California. That was an experience I'll never forget - getting to see what he was describing.

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    1. Id agree East of Eden is better, this one is more focused and 'planned' than east of eden. Jealous of you reading in California

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  5. I love Steinbeck, too. Recently listened to Travels with Charley and have reread East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, and The Red Pony within the last few years. Your review makes me want to pick up a copy of Grapes of Wrath right away! It was a favorite in high school, but that was a loooong time ago ;-)

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    1. Ah I doubt I could have got through it in high school. Mice of Men is on the UK school thing but for some reason our teacher never taught it

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  6. This is a favorite of mine. I love Steinbeck's writing and it's such a powerful story. The last time I read it I was struck by how relevant the book still is today.

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    1. Thats it, it is so relevant today and sadly will always be

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  7. Though not my favorite Steinbeck by a reasonable margin (East of Eden and Of Mice and Men are both much more elegant and thought-provoking books, in my mind), I still regard The Grapes of Wrath very highly in the grand scheme of things and personally think that the scenes in which Steinbeck puts the story into context includes some of his finest writing. And, of course, a brilliant ending. An excellent book, indeed.

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    1. I agree on both points, I also prefered East of Eden and the better writing was when Steinbeck put the whole story into context, I prefered those bits to the parts with the family.

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  8. Steinbeck's books aren't light reads but he's a powerful writer. I agree with you that reading about things that actually happened is important, as depressing as they may be. This book really gives you insight into the lives of these families in a way you never forget, which is something I love about great novels.

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    1. yeah you dont get poops and giggles with Steinbeck thats for sure. But these things as you say are important.

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  9. This sounds like a very challenging book, but your review has convinced me to give it a try as soon as I find a copy. Despite how difficult it sounds, it feels like it's definitely worth a read.

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  10. I find it puts history in perspective if you follow a family through what was a drastic time. Good review.
    Ann

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