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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. :-)
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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.
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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!
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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. :-)
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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.
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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.
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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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Summary: Grapes of Wrath: A Book Review by Leah Wilson
Review: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the values upon which our country was founded. Yet history has shown that this has not been the case for many people living in the United States. Americans have been restricted from these rights because of unalterable circumstances such as race, sex, religion, or in the case of Grapes of Wrath, because of economic status. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck takes place during the 1930's, a time of nation wide economic hardship. Many books have been written about the great depression but this book is unique in its focus on another great tragedy effecting the country at the same time. The great dust bowl caused the migration of thousands of people from the Midwest US to the state of California in search of a better life for their families. This book addresses the hardships suffered by those families. This book is very effective in portraying these struggles both generally and personally. Steinbeck chose to alternate chapters between general descriptions of the country's struggles and the story of one specific family by the name of Joad. The general descriptions display the widespread difficulties people everywhere were suffering by describing the people as a general, family unit, "And the man, the leader of the family, leaned from the car. Can we pull in here an sleep?" (Steinbeck, p268) These chapters addressing the "big picture" were followed by chapters that brought the issue to life by displaying the struggles of the Joad family. This alternation of big picture, small picture story telling resulted in a well-rounded image of a time period in American history. So much can be gained from this book it is a definite asset to anyone's reading list. Not only is it a great chronicle of history, it is a story about the American dream, and the quality of life. The length of the book shouldn't provide an obstacle for a reader seeing as how it is neither exceptionally long nor short and it maintains a good amount of excitement and adventure throughout the novel. The only thing that may be distracting to some readers is the periodic breakaway from the main story line. However, if one can see this as a valuable literary device instead of an obstacle, it will actually provide a greater understanding of the time period. The Grapes of Wrath provides a great insight into a period of history. By reading the book, the reader is left with greater understanding and empathy for those who lived during the dust bowl of 1930. The bravery and strength that is demonstrated by the Joad family is both phenomenal and inspiring. It is a good example for people today who are suffering through difficult times. When these people where faced with hardship, they did not roll over and die. They picked up their lives and their families and they set out determined to find a way to protect and provide for themselves. At a time when everyday people in our country are turning to drugs, gangs, or crime as solutions to their problems, a great lesson can be learned from these families: The world is not perfect but that is no excuse to give up on life. And life was the picture John Steinbeck was trying to relay in his book. A raw, honest look at life during a time of great hardship and trial. The Joad family was an excellent portrayal of a typical family from the Midwest in search of the better life they had been promised elsewhere. Steinbeck characterized the family through dialogue that depicts both the diction and accent of a typical Midwest family in the 1930's, " 'You jus' goin wes'?' 'Jus' on our way.' 'You ain't never been in California?'" (278). Choosing to maintain the dialogue in this natural state adds to the authenticity of the novel and creates a better picture for the reader.
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Summary: Really about the Depression
Review: I thought the Grapes of Wrath was a good book because it talked about the time of the great depression. It gave a second hand look.
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