The Grapes of Wrath is a classic novel. It was first published in 1939 and yet here we are still reading it in the year 2011. There is more than one reason to why I think we still read this book today. First, this book talks about real events that happened in history. Reading this book allows us to understand what it was really like back in that time period. If the events hadn't happened in real life I think the book would have been way less effective and we might not still be reading it today, but because we know there were families like the Joads, it makes the story real.
The characters in this book is partly what makes it timeless. Just like any other book when you read it, its almost like you get to know the characters. It gets to the point when you want the characters to be happy and you want everything to work out well. This is how it was in The Grapes of Wrath. The characters were very relatable as well. That makes the novel timeless because no matter what time period you live in, you can relate to them. Understanding how the characters feel, to me, makes the book enjoyable to read.
The main message in Steinbeck's book is I believe, not just living your individual life, but joining together with people and helping each other out. (Steinbeck 163) By doing this people can be stronger and can rely on each other when they need too. Then, even if you lose all of your possesions or your home or even everything you have, you can still count on your fellow man to be there. People can learn alot from this timeless story. We as people can learn to value, not all of our possessions, but other people. When you value other people you can be dependant on them and vice versa. Possessions can be taken away, but relationships run deep. Thats why its important to value people. The Grapes of Wrath will continue to be a classic novel for many years to come.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.
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