Written in 1939 by one of America’s greatest authors, John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath is a reflection of America’s shame, the Great Depression. The Grapes of Wrath is written about a middle class family that heads west after the depression to seek a great future. The Oklahoma farming family, the Joads, find themselves poor, hungry, and broken when the aftermath of the 1932 depression left them a family of mere migrant workers. The Joads battle nature, humanity, and pride in their journey to California. The books ends on a depressing note when Rose of Sharon (“Rosasharn”0, the oldest Joad daughter, forces a bum on the street to take her milk intended for her still born baby, saying, “You got to”. This teaches a lesson that diminishes pride and hate.
Review
The Grapes of Wrath is a view of America’s Great Depression that has rattled several generations and provides an unbiased view of the 1930s to those who didn’t experience them. The colorful characters depict a close bond between all humanity. Although depressing, the book’s morals ring true. Broad elements of life’s lessons, like persistence and dignity, make this book a memorable one. I recommend this book as one of the greatest depressing American novels ever written.