The idea of writing a blog about a literary novel which illuminates the human condition could not have come at a more perfect time. During this past spring break I got the urge to read a classic piece of literature and decided on one of my favorites The Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck has always been one of my favorite authors. His use of language is colorful and incredibly engaging, but even better than that is his insight into human nature.
For those of you poor souls who have not had the pleasure on taking the journey that is Grapes of Wrath the story is set in the Great Depression and is about a family moving west from Oklahoma to California. The family, like many others, is looking for work. They encounter many hardships on the way out west constantly telling themselves that things will be better in California, but they are not. The book is a deeply moving insight into the psyche of countless Americans facing those hardships during the era.
One of the best aspects of the story is the way Steinbeck alternates from one chapter about the Joad family specifically to the next chapter being a general illumination of typical scenes played out on such a journey. This gives the reader an understanding that the story he is telling is not some isolated fantastical creation; it is real life and commonplace during the time period.
Steinbeck also brilliantly illustrates the psychological effects such dire circumstances had on individuals. Though different characters in the story reacted differently throughout the story there was a general theme of frustration and despair caused by a system where the deck was stacked against the poor working class. The misery and anguish experienced by people simply looking for a decent days pay in order to feed their family is so great it causes some to shut down and give up and some become angry and fight and steal. Still others actually see the system and its unfairness for what it is, but are unable to do anything about it. Just reading the story gives the reader a sense of empathetic desperation like no other novel I have experienced.
The illumination of such a system when millions of Americans were unable or unwilling to acknowledge it is a very valuable aspect of the book. Even today remnants of such a system can still be seen and may possibly be shown on a much grander scale if the economic woes intensify. However, the illumination of human nature and the human condition by Steinbeck is invaluable and truly timeless. Man always exhibits the same general traits and falls into the same patterns of either, selfish and cruel oppression, or apathetic ignorance. The only way to combat this is to continually remind ourselves as individuals and as a collective consciousness that this is the case.
I now leave you with a quote from the book:
“It ain't that big. The whole United States ain't that big. It ain't that big. It ain't big enough. There ain't room enough for you an' me, for your kind an' my kind, for rich and poor together all in one country, for thieves and honest men. For hunger and fat.”
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A classic among classics; The Grapes of Wrath
Labels:
classic,
Grapes of Wrath,
human nature,
novel,
poor,
rich,
Steinbeck
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3 comments:
So I have to say I was kind of sad when I saw what your blog was about. I hated sitting through that movie in class... if you couldn't tell from me falling asleep several times, ha. Anyhow, I liked your blog a lot better than the movie ;)
I have not had the pleasure of reading this book. I have heard many great things about it and after that glorious introduction i beleive that i will in fact read it in the near future. It sounds like a great novel and one that is worth my time to read. Good job
love the comments on "the grapes of wrath." Have you read "East of Eden"?
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