Grapes of Wrath

We still read the novel Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and Robert DeMott because of the timelessness, as well as the universal themes. We read Grapes of Wrath to remember and educate ourselves on such a tragic time in our nation's history. It is educating because if more readers learn about the horrors the farmers went through the year after their crops failed, they will know how to prevent it again from happening. The more aware of what happened, the less likely history will repeat itself. Besides making sure our country does not turn into even more of a confused, corrupt society, we still read this book because of the story. The plot carries the story of a family trying to get through the hardest time they will ever live, and everyone can relate to that in some form or another. If the reader can not relate to working together as a family, maybe they can relate to it as an individual. Everyone sets goals for themselves, and everyone has expectations. The farmers and the families had expectations to come to California, find work easily, and live as happily and comfortably as possible. When they get there, they realize their true fate; there is no work and comfort is extremely close to impossible. The sadness and disappointment is very real. Though the reader has most likely never felt this kind of disappointment or desperation, they are still emotions that everyone experiences. Grapes of Wrath was written to capture this period of time by expressing all points of view. Because there were so many different kinds of people effected, this story is not meant for a certain "type" reader. The timelessness comes from the history put into feelings. Even the most stubborn, boring, or plain person has feelings. Is that not something we can all relate to? In my opinion, I think that this specific reason of why we still read Grapes of Wrath sometimes goes unnoticed. We do not realize how much we get into the story and start feeling for the characters. We simply notice that we were capture by the plot...the plot which is not too exciting, but very interesting.

Steinbeck, John, and Robert J. DeMott. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006.