Title: The Grapes of Wrath          

Author: John Steinbeck

Genre: Classics

Publisher: Penguin Books  

Format: Paperback

Pages: 592

Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):

In stark and moving detail, John Steinbeck depicts the lives of ordinary people striving to preserve their humanity in the face of social and economic desperation. When the Joads lose their tenant farm in Oklahoma, they join thousands of others, traveling the narrow concrete highways toward California and the dream of a piece of land to call their own. Each night on the road, they and their fellow migrants recreate society: leaders are chosen, unspoken codes of privacy and generosity evolve, and lust, violence, and murderous rage erupt.

A portrait of the bitter conflict between the powerful and the powerless, of one man’s fierce reaction to injustice, and of a woman’s quiet, stoical strength, The Grapes of Wrath is a landmark of American literature, one that captures the horrors of the Great Depression as it probes into the very nature of equality and justice in America.

Review:

This was my second book read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it! The book follows a family that is forced to leave their tenant farm in Oklahoma during the Great Depression and seek work in California. They reach California but they realize that they are quite different from the people of the state, and that so many people are trying to find work! The Joad family must look at staying in a government camp, called Hoovervilles. I loved that there was an aspect of Hoovervilles because they always fascinated me! The Joads love that they have showers and toilets, which is a commodity to them, but they know this isn’t a permanent place for them!

I felt so bad for this family as all they wanted to do was work and provide for their families. Each character represented a different struggle, from a young pregnant woman to an ex preacher leading a labour rights protest! My only complaint is that I thought the book was a little long, and I just loved Of Mice and Men that I couldn’t help comparing them (even though I know I shouldn’t have). Overall I really enjoyed this depiction of Great Depression America and definitely recommend it!

Happy reading!