Rating: 
Summary: Indomitable Spirits
Review: John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath is the definitive work on the westward migration of the 1930s. It's hard to imagine even a non-fiction scholarly work being as true to the subject matter as Steinbeck's novel.The Grapes of Wrath was first published in 1939 to much criticism and controversy. Many people saw it as an exagerrated account of what life was like for America's poor in the Depression Era as a way to promote a socialist agenda. Others were offended by the vulgar language and the supposed sexual connotation of the story's ending. The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family on their migratory experiences. About one-third of the book is devoted to their actual trip to California and the remainder covers their experiences in Cailfornia, which was still a very migratory life. They are sharecroppers who've been kicked off their land because the drought has kept them from meeting their rent payments. They receive copies of handbills from California that say they need men to work the fields. It's not until they are well on their that the Joads find out the gimmick that the California agribusinesses employ to depres wages. The amazing thing about the Joads and the other 'Okie' families is that, even in a time of harsh living and hand-to-mouth survival, they actually increase their sphere of caring. You would expect that in a time of crisis and starvation that it would become an everyman for himself situation. This did happen on occasion, but in most instances there is always someone there to lend a helping hand to someone in need even when they know they can't afford to spare any of what they've got. The Grapes of Wrath does offer a slight political statement. Steinbeck takes the time to compare the conditions in the Hoovervilles with that in the government camps. The Hoovervilles are under local jurisdictions and are burned every so often by the local 'police' in order to keep the workers from even being able to organize. The government camps on the other hand are run by the federal government and are offhands to the local authorities, so long as the camp is able to maintain its own peace. Life in the camps is supremely better than that in the Hoovervilles. In the camps they have running water, a solid home, and even toilet paper. The members of the camps form their own committees to set the rules and to run the camp. The local authorities often tried to infiltrate the camps and stir up trouble to give them an excuse for busting it up. The Grapes of Wrath is ultimately a story about man's ability to persevere through amazing hardships. The Joads come through time and again when they have every excuse for laying down and quitting. Not only do they survive, but they survive as a family. They lose members on the way through death and desertion, but the essence of their family, the love and respect that they feel for each other carries them through. I feel they honestly belived that, even if they had no material possessions, so long as they had each other, they had everything they needed.
Rating: 
Summary: Compelling, albeit lengthy novel
Review: The Great Depression and the 'Dust Bowl', two of the worst disasters to strike our nation in the last hundred years. The author, John Steinbeck, takes a chance at creating a story to properly convey the story of millions of migrant farmers kicked off their land during this period in the 1930s. He succeeded through the Joad family. Trying to create a new and better life, the Joads leave their Oklahoma home and travel to the land of promise, California. The travel to and throughout the state provides the perfect setting for a story of the terrible injustices and obstacles that migrant workers of the time faced. The main problem that many will have with the novel is the pacing of the story for the first 20 or so chapters. Not without its bright spots, the first chapters although good, can be terribly slow. It took much willpower to keep reading this classic. Another contributing factor is Steinbeck's intermittent chapters, through which he giving a sort of social commentary. The chapters seem to take away from the story by destroying the pacing of the novel. Although these two characteristics didn't suit me, I am glad that I kept reading. The book is a surefire classic. While in some places overly symbolic, the novel tells such a great story, and is told in such a fashion, that you can't help but sit and think after reading the last words. I am writting this review directly after that period of thinking. I strongly recommend this book to anyone willing to think. And to dig deeply into their minds and souls to review what images and feelings that the book has imposed on them. I am a freshman in high school and the book is required reading for my class. The sad thing is that this wonderful story is lost on many of my classmates. As can be seen through my classmates reference to reading the 'yellow and black-striped' version. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Emotional Plea Against Unrestricted Capitalism
Review: The hardships of the Joad family faced in the Era of Big Business in the early half of the 20th century are accurate representations of the lives of many Americans of that time. Steinbeck hints at socialist programs as the answer to many of capitalist shortcomings. As readers, we can identify with the Joad family through their ups and downs. This is certainly the best book I have read all year.
Rating:
Summary: A great American novel
Review: The Grapes of Wrath is a sobering account of the lives of a midwesterner family that takes place barely fifty years ago. What's even more sobering about it is that the general events in this story are true! Meet the Joad family --a hardworking Oklahomian family living happily on the farm they have lived on for years. *BAM* the Dust Bowl strikes and they are forced to sell their assets at a ridiculously low price and buy a cheap jalopy for a price twice as high as it should be. So this family does what most any families would have done if they were in this sort of situation: move to California, a place that promises great riches and prosperity. But when they get there, it quite the opposite (I don't want to give much away after this point). Really, everybody ought to read this classic. We must do everything we can to keep this part of American history from repeating itself. A great book on all accounts with great dialogue and a well-constructed storyline. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: What an outstanding book
Review: I can't believe I managed to get out of school without reading this book but thank God I had the intelligence to make time to read it now. I honestly could not put this book down from the moment I read the first few paragraphs. As a result of reading this book, I turned around and bought about 20 Steinbeck books and have been happily making my way through them. Sometimes I truly believe books like this are wasted on High School students. :-)
Rating:
Summary: A really really good book
Review: This book is one of the best i have ever read...although you may have heard that a couple times already. The ending is so moving i sat for a while and thought about what it meant. its one of those endings where you want to shout at the top of your lungs to everyone in the world "READ THIS!" . . . although it may seem an eency (really eency) bit slow moving at times, you MUST KEEP READING!
Rating:
Summary: Steinbecks greatest masterpiece: The Grapes of Wrath
Review: As a 9th grader I am a great fan of Steinbecks work. Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, and East of Eden are but a few of my favorite books. John Steinbeck has a way of digging into every reader of his books. His books help his readers learn about past events and even about themselves. The Grapes of Wrath is one of his greatest books, second only to "The Winter of Our Disscontent". Grapes of Wrath is full of tragedy, love and suspense, yet remains to be a very intelligent and insightfull book on the human soul. Im not saying this book is for everyone though. Its 619 pages long and most of that is dialoge. Every odd chapter tells the setting of the chapter to come. This can become tedious but truly gives a vivid picture of exactly the Joad family and the country are going through. I do recommend this book, but I believe the reader needs to have a lot of patience and a lot of time on their hands.
Rating:
Summary: The Communist Manifesto, 1930's edition
Review: Is it just me, or is this one of the most interesting communist pieces out there? Now, many people say that this story is not communist, however, if you look at the details it really is. For example, Steinbeck states that the migrant workers' numbers are increasing, and they will eventually overthrow the land owners. Karl Marx said that the proletariat (working class) would increase in numbers and overthrow the bourgeoisie (the capitalists). Need I say more?
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Summary: Beautiful Imagery, evoked so many different emotions...
Review: I put this book down, and I had no idea what to say. It was such a terrific book. I am glad that I picked this book up on my own, rather than being forced to read it in a class. I was able to enjoy it so much more and read it at my own pace. I felt myself seething with anger at times, laughing at others, and at other times just sitting spellbound by the excellent use of imagery. With so many books, a reader can find it hard to see in his mind what the author wishes a reader to see. With Mr. Steinbeck, I encountered no such problems. Another technique that I enjoyed (that other reviewers seemed confused by) was Steinbeck alternating between the story of the Joad family, and a sort of social commentary, every other chapter. I would rather Mr. Steinbeck DIDNT use quotations in these chapters. If he did, it may feel he was confining the situations presented in the "odd" chapters, to a single character. But by removing the quotations, I felt myself imagining that he was speaking for all the dispossesed, not just a single person. A masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Better than I could have thought possible
Review: I had to read this book for junior english class -- over the summer -- and do a project on it -- during my summer -- for summer homework. Needless to say, I was not overly enthusiastic about reading this book. I put it off as long as I could; finally at the end of August I had to start. I began it on a Friday night and finished it the next morning. It was so captivating that I wondered why I had waited. As I worked on my project I kept seeing the symbolism and meanings behind everything. Our class discussions once school had started dug even deeper. This book involves the trip of the Joads to California during the Great Depression, as well as all their obstacles and joys along the way. Under the surface Steinbeck uses symbolism to show his thoughts on life. The third chapter in the book is about a turtle crawling across the road, but beyond that, it is really about the Joads, and beyond that it is really about every human's struggle through life. Stienbeck uses interchapters between the main narrative chapters to provide an overveiw of the rest of the world as it passes. This books, as well as describing the plight of migrant workers during the Great Depression, astounds you with its description of life. Everything in this book is near perfect; it entertains, it intrests, it probes your inner thoughts. It is overall one of the best books I've ever had the oppurtunity to read, even if it was my summer.
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