Sean Bala reviewed The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Review of 'The Grapes of Wrath' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
It has been a long time since I read a novel that made me cry at multiple places. Considered by many to be the author's masterpiece, the book is a searing portrayal of the flight of sharecroppers from the Dust Bowl to California during the Great Depression. Last year was the novel's seventy-fifth anniversary and the pain, anger, and heart-break of the novel is just as raw as it was then.
As described in the introduction of the Penguin Classics edition, the novel presents the narrative in a point-counterpoint fashion, with alternating chapters describing the journey of the Joad Family to California and the story of the refugees in soaring, lyrical prose. Lyricism is the trademark of Steinbeck - the ability to be able to be poetic and philosophical without overwhelming the reader with the author's own voice.
Steinbeck captures the inherent contradictions in American society and the American economy …
It has been a long time since I read a novel that made me cry at multiple places. Considered by many to be the author's masterpiece, the book is a searing portrayal of the flight of sharecroppers from the Dust Bowl to California during the Great Depression. Last year was the novel's seventy-fifth anniversary and the pain, anger, and heart-break of the novel is just as raw as it was then.
As described in the introduction of the Penguin Classics edition, the novel presents the narrative in a point-counterpoint fashion, with alternating chapters describing the journey of the Joad Family to California and the story of the refugees in soaring, lyrical prose. Lyricism is the trademark of Steinbeck - the ability to be able to be poetic and philosophical without overwhelming the reader with the author's own voice.
Steinbeck captures the inherent contradictions in American society and the American economy which created the conditions of the Great Depression. He shines a glaring light into inequality, poverty, and violence that were both features of the time and of the American character generally. The best element of the book would have to be its fearless witness to suffering - its willingness to lay bare this dark chapter of American history. It calls everyone to realize that in times of trial, we are not alone but need to struggle together. For it is only in uniting that we can fully live.
This is one of those books that will change you and how you see the world. It is a rousing call for action against inequality, poverty, and for the dignity of every individual.
