Reviews tagging 'Slavery'

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

5 reviews

paddyj's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this many many years ago, but wanted to read it again because many of the plot elements have circled around again in America, namely poverty, migrants searching for a better life, hostility and xenophobia, and a monied class all to eager to exploit them.
GoW is approx 80 years old and it remains current and valuable if for no other reason to show how far we have come and what we are in danger of going back to.
The Joad family is forced off their farm by the banks, they travel to California with the promise of work, but find their new home unwelcoming to the extreme.
1930s America has no social safety nets: no unemployment, no social security, no welfare of any sort, no minimum wage, and no labor unions. You worked or you starved. And the owners exploited this desperation, by paying as little as they could. 
It's really an astounding indictment of America, and doubly astounding that there are some who wish to go back there.
Tom Joad gets all the praise, but Ma Joad is the really driving force here. With absolutely nothing - and I mean nothing - she always looked for ways to help people in need. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder

larseneiii's review against another edition

challenging medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

....why the fuck did it end like that....

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation

Minor: Ableism, Confinement, Genocide, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide, Religious bigotry, and Suicide attempt

calamityin's review against another edition

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Violence, Police brutality, Dementia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Slavery and Murder

Minor: Kidnapping

avsdhpn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child death, Death, Genocide, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Abandonment

mvtthewyng's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment

Moderate: Gore, Mental illness, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage, Slavery, Xenophobia, and Vomit