Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh, man. What an amazing book. As far as American classics go, this takes the cake. My favorite parts were the vignettes in between the chapters. Steinbeck fills those chapters with rich context and other characters experiencing similar trials and tribulations in their own little worlds. The ending will live rent-free in my head, for better or for worse lol this is the story of a working-class American family that is broken and ripped apart by the system. There's a lot to learn from The Grapes of Wrath.
Steinbeck writes about poverty and suffering with a beauty that is ordinarily reserved for just the opposite circumstances. I want to live in Steinbecks world even if it means being starving and homeless.
A pretty crazy ending. The entire book was depressing and full of suffering however the support the characters gave each other even the characters we known for a page or two was really cool. It’s bizarre to me that at a time when nobody had anything besides the fortunate rich people this novel came out and it’s critical of everything we’re critical of today. The same things happening and no one ever learns. And it’s crazy to think that people had the same thoughts as us in the 30’s. Back to the ending though I can’t believe someone wrote that especially in 1939 because I feel like it’s pretty taboo. And maybe that’s why this book is banned in certain states.
challenging
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Second time reading this; the first time was in high school. I liked how Steinbeck alternates chapters that give grounded narrative and others that offer these artful, “voice of god” observations of American society. The more that the story went on, though, the more I felt limitations in my enjoyment of it. Steinbeck’s polemical and political goals are deeply felt, but also lead him to present his protagonists (and their fellow migrants) as these almost angelic do-gooders so as to heighten the impact of seeing them tormented. I just wanted to see some complexity. The ending is beautiful and I would have loved more moments that embrace that kind of ambiguity. And if I ever doubt Steinbeck’s worth as a writer, I’d just need to revisit the early chapter where he spends like 5 pages describing a turtle crossing a road; it’s remarkable stuff.