The Grapes of Wrath #7

John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, used many techniques throughout the book. Techniques are mainly used by authors in order to keep the readers interested. Techniques can include humor, mystery and suspense. Steinbeck on the other hand, used alot of imagery and short narratives to describe what it was like living in that era and to show what the people were doing in the book. Steinbeck also uses alot of foreshadowing. For example, starting in chapter three Tom sees a little land turtle on the side of the road. A truck passes on the road, jusy barely missing the turtle. Tom picks the little turtle up deciding to bring it home for his little brother. (Steinbeck, 18) On the way the way to his home Tom meets Jim Casey. While talking to Casey the turtle almost escapes several times and is very persistant, but Tom catches it every time. The readers cant help feel a little bad for the turtle because you see how hard it is struggling to get out. Once Tom and Casey reach the house and find that it is abandoned. Tom finally lets that turtle go with a sigh. The turtle's struggle to get away foreshadows the events that will happen to them and all of the struggles they will have to go through. Like the persistant turtle, the Joad family will not give up.

Steinbeck also repeats phrases throughout the novel. He does this so it adds extra emphasis to the phrase and it gets the point across to the reader. For example, in chapter 12 a migrant family is on their way to California. The migrants are arguing back in forth on what they think California will be like and whether their car can hold up and take them all the way there. Meanwhile, their little boy in the backseat is complaining about how thirsty he is. (Steinbeck, 121) About four different times Steinbeck interrupts his descriptive words about the trip with the phrase "Danny wants a cup of water." He does this so that its almost as if the migrant is telling the reader to get Danny water but they are helpless in doing so. These are just two of the many techniques Steinbeck uses in The Grapes of Wrath.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

The Grapes of Wrath #6

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.

The Grapes of Wrath #5

This novel reflects the history of the time period and setting in many different ways. This is the time period in which many families or tenant farmers were kicked off of their land and forced to move west. California was where most families went to go find work. This is what happened to the Joad family. This novel is about their journey to California and their stories after they arrive. Even though this novel is fiction and has made up characters, the events that happened are true and really did happen to families much like the Joads, which makes this book historical fiction.

Because this book is historical fiction, Steinbeck made the characters behavior much like real people in that time would behave. The behavior in that time was probably not that much different from todays. I mean we would probably react the same if kicked off of our land, but it was maybe a little different. At the camp for example, people would fight over food, money, and land. Also, the book describes Ma as feeling in-humane. (Steinbeck 304 ) It was probably a little more crazy of a time for people back then because everything was usually gender based. The men would do the hard labor and alot of outside work, while the women would cook, clean, and take care of the children. But when families were moving west and finding jobs, there were many tasks that needed to be done. So sometimes the women did it, and sometimes the men did it. It was no longer based on gender. There is one part in the book when Casey helps Ma salt meat before the trip. At first, Ma wouldn't let him help because it was considered women's work. Casey said that he would do any work as long as it was work that had to be done. (Steinbeck 107)

The thematic significance of the book is the struggles of the migrant workers and their families. This is very important to know because it shows how things worked during the Dust Bowl.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

The Grapes of Wrath #4

Honestly, I'm not sure if there is one main hero in this book. I feel like all of the characters were heros in their own way because they all accomplished so many things together as a family. But if I had to pick one I guess it would be Tom Joad. I feel like he was a hero because at the end he decides to help struggling people like himself and to remain selfless. He decides to put others first and help his fellow man regardless of the consequences. However, I also felt like Ma Joad could have been a hero too. Even though Tom is basically the main character, Ma was the one who tried to keep the family together throughout the novel.

Like Tom, Ma also at times decided to be selfless and put others before herself. For example, when Ma gives the extra stew to the hungry children at the camp, when she could have kept it for her and her family. (Steinbeck, 257) Without her the family may have not ended up where they did. They have not ended up all together either. (Well, except for Noah.) (Steinbeck, 208)

Both Tom and Ma accomplish alot. They accomplish the hardships and they learn what it means to be a generous and good person. However, Ma Joad and Tom Joad to me stand for two different things. If I had to choose one word for Ma it would be stregnth. I imagine it would be very hard to keep a family together during a time like that and to have to be positive and strong for everyone all of the time. Instead of falling apart, Ma remained opptimistic in the hope that her family would be happy again too living in California. That is why she is strong. Tom on the other hand I feel represents understanding. Tom learned many different things from people throughout the book, most of all I think from Casey. Casey taught him about people living as "one soul" and how we should be selfless and generous. (Steinbeck, 24 ) Tom finally understood what family ment and taking care of each other because you are all in the same boat. That is why I chose understanding for Tom Joad.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print

The Grapes of Wrath #3

There are several universal themes in the book Grapes of Wrath, one of them being man's selfishness. The migrants were not pushed off of there land due to bad weather or misfortune. They were forced off of their land by other men. This then separated people into either tenant farmers or landowners or like some put it, rich or poor. From here the migrant workers were treated like animals. They were not treated like the landowners were. The reason things panned out this way was because the rich aka. the land owners did not want the migrants to become strong and take back land. Back in the day before the Dust Bowl, California belonged to Mexico. However, eventually angry squatters took the land from them. The landowners were scared because they did not want history to repeat itself.

Another universal theme is about fellowship and family. Not only did the Joad's stick together as a family, but when they met up with the Wilsons it was almost as if they became one big family instead of two separate ones. (Steinbeck 163)They took care of each other even though they were not all biologically related. It is a universal theme because this shows generosity, which was one of the main values in the book. It also shows to take care of your fellow man.

Also a universal theme from the book, is the Joad's dignity. The book talks about them being treated like animals and being talked to as if they weren't human. While in the camp Ma Joad finds relieve when someone finally has a normal conversation with her. She feels that she is humane again and has her dignity. (Steinbeck 304)

There are many universal themes in The Grapes of Wrath. I think the author did a really nice job incorporating all of these themes into the book and I believe they are all themes that we can relate to and also understand. That is one of the many reasons that I really liked this book.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

The Grapes of Wrath #2

In books like The Grapes of Wrath, there is always going to be a conflict. To me, the conflict is always kind of hard to point out because people always tell you that the conflict is the main problem. However, sometimes I think maybe there is more than one main problem and those all cause everything, not just one specific thing. But I guess in this book I would have to say that the main problem is the Joad's not being able to find work. (Steinbeck, 294) I believe this is the main conflict because this is one main problem that leads to many other problems in the novel.

The causes of the conflict probably is alot of things going back to do with the landowners and forcing the tenant farmers off of their land. Even before that, the book talks about how the Mexicans used to have California. Then some squatters came and took the land from them. (Steinbeck, 231) I'm not an expert on everything that went on there, but the bank taking the Joad's land definately caused them to have to look for work and move to California.

Despite all that the Joad's were put through, they did manage to gain some things from their journey's hardships. The Joads became way closer as a family I think because they had endured so much together. Not only did they become closer with each other, but they made friendships with people in the camp, people that were going through hard things just the same as them. They gained values that they may have not gotten had they have not gone through what they did. Generosity and self-sacrifice were just two of them.

Well the Joads lost alot do to the conflict in the story. The Joads lost their home. They had to completely leave their old lives behind and start all over. Besides that, they still had to find work somewhere. Without making money they were limited to what they could do. They struggled to find good shelters and sometimes went hungry for awhile. Even though we established that the Joads gained some things, they did also lose alot.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.

The Grapes of Wrath #1

The writing reveals many different things about the author. The way Steinbeck writes often suggests that he is very spiritual. The stories that are told in the book, like the one about Mae and the truck drivers, serve almost as a parable or something along those lines. (Steinbeck 154)Steinbeck's writing also suggests that that family and friends are important to him. Throughout the book Ma Joad's main goal is to keep the family together no matter what. She is very optimistic and positive so that her family might be that way too. When the Joads meet up with the Wilsons its almost as if they go from being two separate families to being one big family that supports and takes care of each other because they are all in the same situation. That is why I believe the author values friendship and family. Another thing we find out toward the end of the book is the importance of generosity and self-sacrifice, or putting others before yourself. I believe that is important to the author because it was what Tom Joad finally realized in the end. (Steinbeck 419-420 ) Ma Joad and all of the others realized this as well. Examples include when Ma Joad gave the hungry children stew at the camp, even though she could have kept it for herself. When Rose of Sharon fed the old man despite all she had been through is also an example. These values were oviously important to the author, otherwise he probably would not have written about them.

The author narrates the story in third person. By being in third person the readers can tell what all of the character's are doing and what they feel throughout the book. I love when books are written this way because I think it makes them alot easier to read, and when they are easier to read, they are more enjoyable to read.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.