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bubleebu's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
i fucking hate capitalism. send tweet
bardacino's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
bethanysimm110's review against another edition
4.0
Yet another American Classic to join my "Read" shelf!
The Dust Bowl coated all in its wake, leaving the world below it almost uninhabitable. Crops were coated in grime so thick, even locusts would not bother them. The people covered their faces, their windows, and shoved blankets into the cracks around their doors. The dust still swept into their homes, their lungs, and their prosperity. This phenomenon which brutally attacked the farms in the US prairies hit worse than The Great Depression, and coined the term "The Dirty Thirties."
This is one chronicle of these hardships. The Joad family of Oklahoma, who lost everything to the cruel hand of fate, picks up their things and travels to the American Promised Land, California. With nothing left home but their pride, The Grapes of Wrath shows the family's struggles, strife, short-lived times of rejoice, and sorrows as they try to make a life in this new world where fruit grows plentiful of trees and jobs are advertised everywhere.
This is one of those novels that doesn't necessarily follow the "Plot Progression" we are taught in grade school, but it absolutely gets away with it. It's simply an honest book. Steinbeck didn't write this book to be entertaining, he wanted to spread the bitter truth of the lives lived by those who lost everything and simply couldn't catch a break. This book is often dry and slow-paced, but it never once stops pulling at your heartstrings.
The Lord of the Flies may showcase humanity when left with nothing and no power, but I never thought that picture was complete. I do not believe that all would descend into primeval madness, though some certainly would. If I could pick one novel to truly show humanity at its core, I would choose Grapes of Wrath. It doesn't try to exaggerate savage animal-instincts, it simply shows the effort we would give in order to provide the most basic means of living to ourselves and those who need them more.
The Dust Bowl coated all in its wake, leaving the world below it almost uninhabitable. Crops were coated in grime so thick, even locusts would not bother them. The people covered their faces, their windows, and shoved blankets into the cracks around their doors. The dust still swept into their homes, their lungs, and their prosperity. This phenomenon which brutally attacked the farms in the US prairies hit worse than The Great Depression, and coined the term "The Dirty Thirties."
This is one chronicle of these hardships. The Joad family of Oklahoma, who lost everything to the cruel hand of fate, picks up their things and travels to the American Promised Land, California. With nothing left home but their pride, The Grapes of Wrath shows the family's struggles, strife, short-lived times of rejoice, and sorrows as they try to make a life in this new world where fruit grows plentiful of trees and jobs are advertised everywhere.
This is one of those novels that doesn't necessarily follow the "Plot Progression" we are taught in grade school, but it absolutely gets away with it. It's simply an honest book. Steinbeck didn't write this book to be entertaining, he wanted to spread the bitter truth of the lives lived by those who lost everything and simply couldn't catch a break. This book is often dry and slow-paced, but it never once stops pulling at your heartstrings.
The Lord of the Flies may showcase humanity when left with nothing and no power, but I never thought that picture was complete. I do not believe that all would descend into primeval madness, though some certainly would. If I could pick one novel to truly show humanity at its core, I would choose Grapes of Wrath. It doesn't try to exaggerate savage animal-instincts, it simply shows the effort we would give in order to provide the most basic means of living to ourselves and those who need them more.
elizabethsreads13's review against another edition
2.0
Could've shortened this by 200+ pages, and it STILL would've been too long.
joshuahelmer's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
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? No
4.75
hgbulovsky's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this is definitely a classic for a reason. Steinbeck sure knows how to write fascinating and realistic characters. I felt so much for every person and animal in this book. I loved the grit and keep-it-moving attitudes of the Joads in one of the worst and most hopeless situations imaginable. This was amazing.
jennyreadit's review against another edition
4.0
Very slow start.. I almost abandoned it, but since it's a classic, I plodded along. Great as a mentor text for slice of life story, descriptive writing, and perseverance in times of extreme hardship.
jsoakes's review against another edition
4.0
4.5
Steinbeck is really an incredible writer and is able to capture the anger, hope, resilience, fear, and melancholy of each character and invoke extreme empathy for them. The Joads felt like real people and you want to root for them each step of the way even though they are flawed people. That said, this was a long book and the main thesis was summed up pretty early on, so it felt a little heavy-handed by the end. I understand the intention of showing that the class struggle was inescapable, but I didn't enjoy feeling beaten down with it.
I never understood why this story was ever included on a banned books list, because it always felt so innocuous, but I do now. It's so blatantly a pro-worker, pro-socialist, anti-police story that still resonates today. And it's so frustrating to think that this book is still relevant, because we're still dealing with these issues almost a century later.
I'm glad I never had to read this in school, because I don't think I would have appreciated it nearly as much.
Steinbeck is really an incredible writer and is able to capture the anger, hope, resilience, fear, and melancholy of each character and invoke extreme empathy for them. The Joads felt like real people and you want to root for them each step of the way even though they are flawed people. That said, this was a long book and the main thesis was summed up pretty early on, so it felt a little heavy-handed by the end. I understand the intention of showing that the class struggle was inescapable, but I didn't enjoy feeling beaten down with it.
I never understood why this story was ever included on a banned books list, because it always felt so innocuous, but I do now. It's so blatantly a pro-worker, pro-socialist, anti-police story that still resonates today. And it's so frustrating to think that this book is still relevant, because we're still dealing with these issues almost a century later.
I'm glad I never had to read this in school, because I don't think I would have appreciated it nearly as much.
davidgejm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0