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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
5 stars
"And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage."
"And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage."
How can we live without our lives? How will we know it's us without our past? No. Leave it. Burn it.
The Joads have to move out of the east and migrate North because of the historical Dust Bowl that's failing the crops, soil, and agriculture. Boo! Who want's to read a book like that? Well, I actually gave it a serious read. And I learned a lot. More than I thought. So, why should you read this book, then?
The Grapes of Wrath highlights the devastation of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression era of the U.S., and focuses on one family--the Joads--as they travel through Route 66 and their experiences in higher-class California as "Okies".
This novel really highlights how it feels to be a lower-class American during this era in time; Nobody appreciated you, nobody saw you as human, and nobody thought you were worth more than a nickel. This novel does a fantastic job of humanizing its farmer characters, including the Joad family and others like ex-Preacher Jim Casy and Wilkie + Timothy Wallace. We get deep introspections into each character and really start to understand them like we're experiencing their tragedies with them, whether it be the aggressions faced towards the lower-class, the absence of food, or the harsh conditions of minimum-wadge slave labor.
The Grapes of Wrath is an excellent showcase of the human condition through despair and hope, similar to Steinbeck's most acclaimed novel East of Eden, this book really gets you to sympathize with the characters and feel for their situations, which Steinbeck does enchantingly through his disturbingly human dialogue and wicked good prose.
Through little intermissions throughout the narrative, Steinbeck tells us about the Dust Bowl itself and its the problems it's caused for farmers in the East, whether it be highly descriptive paragraphs about starving children or powerful one-liners about the power of the bank and how unforgiving it is towards the average working man, the man will make you 100x more appreciative of your situation and 100x more understanding of the less fortunate.
Truly one of the most endearing and sincere American novels of its time, Steinbeck's simple yet elegant prose makes this super easy to read and digest, not wasting a single amount of impact on any unnecessary words or plot points. Realistic, witty, and sadly relevant to this day.
The Joads have to move out of the east and migrate North because of the historical Dust Bowl that's failing the crops, soil, and agriculture. Boo! Who want's to read a book like that? Well, I actually gave it a serious read. And I learned a lot. More than I thought. So, why should you read this book, then?
The Grapes of Wrath highlights the devastation of the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression era of the U.S., and focuses on one family--the Joads--as they travel through Route 66 and their experiences in higher-class California as "Okies".
This novel really highlights how it feels to be a lower-class American during this era in time; Nobody appreciated you, nobody saw you as human, and nobody thought you were worth more than a nickel. This novel does a fantastic job of humanizing its farmer characters, including the Joad family and others like ex-Preacher Jim Casy and Wilkie + Timothy Wallace. We get deep introspections into each character and really start to understand them like we're experiencing their tragedies with them, whether it be the aggressions faced towards the lower-class, the absence of food, or the harsh conditions of minimum-wadge slave labor.
The Grapes of Wrath is an excellent showcase of the human condition through despair and hope, similar to Steinbeck's most acclaimed novel East of Eden, this book really gets you to sympathize with the characters and feel for their situations, which Steinbeck does enchantingly through his disturbingly human dialogue and wicked good prose.
Through little intermissions throughout the narrative, Steinbeck tells us about the Dust Bowl itself and its the problems it's caused for farmers in the East, whether it be highly descriptive paragraphs about starving children or powerful one-liners about the power of the bank and how unforgiving it is towards the average working man, the man will make you 100x more appreciative of your situation and 100x more understanding of the less fortunate.
Truly one of the most endearing and sincere American novels of its time, Steinbeck's simple yet elegant prose makes this super easy to read and digest, not wasting a single amount of impact on any unnecessary words or plot points. Realistic, witty, and sadly relevant to this day.
And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials. But better than joy was calm. Imperturbability could be depended upon. And from her great and humble position in the family she had taken dignity and a clean calm beauty.
Here’s a letter my brother wrote the day before he died. Here’s an oldtime hat. These feathers—never got to use them. No, there isn’t room.
How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past? No. Leave it. Burn it.
They sat and looked at it and burned it into their memories. How’ll it be not to know what land’s outside the door? How if you wake up in the night and know—and know the willow tree’s not there? Can you live without the willow tree? Well, no, you can’t. The willow tree is you. The pain on that mattress there—that dreadful pain—that’s you.
"An’ you ain’t gonna preach?” Tom asked.
“I ain’t gonna preach.”
“An’ you ain’t gonna baptize?” Ma asked.
“I ain’t gonna baptize. I’m gonna work in the fiel’s, in the green fiel’s, an’ I’m gonna be near to folks. I ain’t gonna try to teach ’em nothin’. I’m gonna try to learn. Gonna learn why the folks walks in the grass, gonna hear ’em talk, gonna hear ’em sing. Gonna listen to kids eatin’ mush. Gonna hear husban’ an’ wife a-poundin’ the mattress in the night. Gonna eat with ’em an’ learn.” His eyes were wet and shining. “Gonna lay in the grass, open an’ honest with anybody that’ll have me. Gonna cuss an’ swear an’ hear the poetry of folks talkin’. All that’s holy, all that’s what I didn’ understan’. All them things is the good things.”
Ma said, “A-men.”
Here’s a letter my brother wrote the day before he died. Here’s an oldtime hat. These feathers—never got to use them. No, there isn’t room.
How can we live without our lives? How will we know it’s us without our past? No. Leave it. Burn it.
They sat and looked at it and burned it into their memories. How’ll it be not to know what land’s outside the door? How if you wake up in the night and know—and know the willow tree’s not there? Can you live without the willow tree? Well, no, you can’t. The willow tree is you. The pain on that mattress there—that dreadful pain—that’s you.
"An’ you ain’t gonna preach?” Tom asked.
“I ain’t gonna preach.”
“An’ you ain’t gonna baptize?” Ma asked.
“I ain’t gonna baptize. I’m gonna work in the fiel’s, in the green fiel’s, an’ I’m gonna be near to folks. I ain’t gonna try to teach ’em nothin’. I’m gonna try to learn. Gonna learn why the folks walks in the grass, gonna hear ’em talk, gonna hear ’em sing. Gonna listen to kids eatin’ mush. Gonna hear husban’ an’ wife a-poundin’ the mattress in the night. Gonna eat with ’em an’ learn.” His eyes were wet and shining. “Gonna lay in the grass, open an’ honest with anybody that’ll have me. Gonna cuss an’ swear an’ hear the poetry of folks talkin’. All that’s holy, all that’s what I didn’ understan’. All them things is the good things.”
Ma said, “A-men.”
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-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
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
i did not like the first half of this book. second half picked up, and i caught the main themes of it all but it was still mid. you cant help but root for the Joads with all theyve been through and seeing what happens to them kept me reading. i feel that i just dont get along with Steinbeck. going back to east of eden which i read before this, it was definitely better overall. but even so my affection for both of the works ive read from him are the exact same. not to shit on the US or wtv but i just cant get myself to care about the happenings. 🫠
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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:
Yes
its status as a classic is extremely extremely deserved. almost made me cry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Blood, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Ableism, Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Religious bigotry, Colonisation