Few authors have been able to capture the true horror of the Great Depression the way John Steinbeck has. The story of George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men is truly heartbreaking and beautiful, and as I recently discovered, The Grapes of Wrath is simply a masterpiece. The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, who, along with many others, are forced off of their farm in Oklahoma when the severe dust storms ruin all of their agriculture. The landowners are plowing down all of the farms, and everyone is moving west with the hope of finding work picking fruit in California. They have little money and food to begin with, so the journey west is long and arduous. The Joads hold on to their hope, however, as they have been promised beautiful lands and plentiful jobs when they arrive. As they encounter more and more travelers that are leaving California, however, they are forced to come to the realization that they may be in store for even more toil and sorrow when they arrive. The Californians are resentful towards the “Okies” that have moved into their state by the thousands, and the work has become slimmer as more filter in. The landowners intentionally put out far more brochures for work than people they could hire, because the more starving people the landowners had to choose from, the less they had to pay the workers. If a man was willing to work for fifteen cents, why would he hire someone that wouldn't work for less than twenty? And if a man was willing to work for ten cents, why would he hire someone that would only work for fifteen? If you can take it down to ten, you can take it down to five, and if you can take it down to five, surely there are migrants that will work for two and a half cents. The migrants become more and more desperate, resorting to theft and revolt when there simply isn't enough pay to fill a belly. As Steinbeck so succinctly writes, “There is a crime here that goes beyond denunciation. There is a sorrow here that weeping cannot symbolize. There is a failure here that topples all our success” (Chapter 25).
The Joad family moves from camp to camp on the brink of starvation, and matters are complicated by daughter Rosasharn's pregnancy and the fact that son Tom broke his parole by leaving the state of Oklahoma. The Grapes of Wrath is a story of humanity and struggle. It illustrates the flaws of mankind, as greedy landowners take advantage of the destitute and desperate for the sake of making a greater profit. It is a rich tale of endurance and perseverance, as the Joads refuse to give up in the face of hardship. The prose is flawless, and the story is universal and timeless. I give The Grapes of Wrath five stars and recommend it to people of all ages. It will be a humbling experience.
Comments