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The Grapes Of Wrath
Steinbeck's most powerful novel describes the lives of a homeless farming family as they travel across America in the Great Depression of the 1930s. The family face hardship and hostility at every step of the way as they struggle to survive in a country where kindness seems no longer to exist.
- GenresClassics
141 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 16, 2018
The Grapes of Wrath
John Steinbeck (1902-1968)
John Steinbeck was an American writer. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
The Grapes of Wrath which was published in 1939.
The story takes place in the early 20th century around the time of the ill-famed Great Depression.
At the start, we are in Oklahoma farmland. A grand draught has ruined the crops. The fields are covered in dust. Merciless landowners start to repossess the land. Poor tenant farmers are driven away using guns and tractors.
The great migration of Oklahomans to California starts. People hope to find work and food for the family.
This is the story of the Joad family, Grandpa, Grandma, Pa (Tom Joad), Ma, (his wife) young Tom, Rosasharn, Al, Ruthy, and Winfield.
They own an old truck, and all their belongings are loaded at the back and on top of it. They have 140 dollars for food and gasoline to get there.
The long journey is interrupted by incidences. First Grandpa dies and is buried by the roadside. Later Grandma dies. She gets a decent burial in a village they are passing through.
They have an overheating engine and several breakdowns to repair. Every incident nibbles on the little money they have. They have come over high mountains and crossed the desert, but finally, make it to the Promised Land.
Their dreams of prosperity are short lived. They had not realized that thousands of other Oklahomans were already there in search of work and money. They were not welcome anywhere and found only hatred and jealousy.
The Californians need the workforce and use the excess offer of desperate workers to reduce they pay to the extreme.
The Joad family is lucky to find a few days shelter in a government camp. But when their last dollar is spent, they have to move on.
They find work collecting fruit. The whole family is helping. They get around 2 dollars a day.
Just enough for food. Then the pay is reduced by half, and the family has to move on.
Finding work at a cotton farm, they earn a few dollars. When the rain starts, work stops. There is no food left. Young Tom gets involved in a serious fight and has to go hiding. Ma gives him the last few dollars to help his getaway. Their truck is almost underwater near the flooded river.
They are stuck.
I will go no further in the story to avoid any spoiler.
I have written my review as good as I can in imitating Steinbeck’s style of writing.
His sentences are short. Never exceeding ten words at a time. Never exuberant, never joyful.
Never sad or happy.
Just factual plain talk, like strong paint strokes painting a sharp picture.
It brings a powerful and lasting impression on the mind of the reader.
John Steinbeck (1902-1968)
John Steinbeck was an American writer. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel
The Grapes of Wrath which was published in 1939.
The story takes place in the early 20th century around the time of the ill-famed Great Depression.
At the start, we are in Oklahoma farmland. A grand draught has ruined the crops. The fields are covered in dust. Merciless landowners start to repossess the land. Poor tenant farmers are driven away using guns and tractors.
The great migration of Oklahomans to California starts. People hope to find work and food for the family.
This is the story of the Joad family, Grandpa, Grandma, Pa (Tom Joad), Ma, (his wife) young Tom, Rosasharn, Al, Ruthy, and Winfield.
They own an old truck, and all their belongings are loaded at the back and on top of it. They have 140 dollars for food and gasoline to get there.
The long journey is interrupted by incidences. First Grandpa dies and is buried by the roadside. Later Grandma dies. She gets a decent burial in a village they are passing through.
They have an overheating engine and several breakdowns to repair. Every incident nibbles on the little money they have. They have come over high mountains and crossed the desert, but finally, make it to the Promised Land.
Their dreams of prosperity are short lived. They had not realized that thousands of other Oklahomans were already there in search of work and money. They were not welcome anywhere and found only hatred and jealousy.
The Californians need the workforce and use the excess offer of desperate workers to reduce they pay to the extreme.
The Joad family is lucky to find a few days shelter in a government camp. But when their last dollar is spent, they have to move on.
They find work collecting fruit. The whole family is helping. They get around 2 dollars a day.
Just enough for food. Then the pay is reduced by half, and the family has to move on.
Finding work at a cotton farm, they earn a few dollars. When the rain starts, work stops. There is no food left. Young Tom gets involved in a serious fight and has to go hiding. Ma gives him the last few dollars to help his getaway. Their truck is almost underwater near the flooded river.
They are stuck.
I will go no further in the story to avoid any spoiler.
I have written my review as good as I can in imitating Steinbeck’s style of writing.
His sentences are short. Never exceeding ten words at a time. Never exuberant, never joyful.
Never sad or happy.
Just factual plain talk, like strong paint strokes painting a sharp picture.
It brings a powerful and lasting impression on the mind of the reader.
October 26, 2025
3.5/5 - it was good but felt a bit choppy, especially towards the end. hence definitely a sign to get unabridged version!!
October 27, 2018
Life is hard. How to get a better life.
October 12, 2019
Versi penuh lagi best kot.
April 4, 2023
It's great wonderful good story!! And the photos it helped me with how Im going to imagine the story would be, where is, how the characters look, etc.
October 11, 2024
je suis trop un singe yavait le bouquin juste à coté j’ai pris la version raccourcie pour apprendre à lire sans faire exprès (+ visitor q moment la fin)
June 6, 2025
Este libro me ha hecho tener inclinaciones comunistas por todas las injusticias que había.
August 18, 2025
I expected a riveting story opposing capitalism, not just a story of constat struggles of poverty. 0 sticking it to the man, but alas if that's the story...okay.
October 13, 2010
I started reading this because we are going to see the play this coming weekend and I wanted to refresh my memory. Am enjoying the book and marveling at both how much I remember and how much I had forgotten.
I did enjoy re-reading this. It's much more political than I remembered. It was the characters that stuck with me through the years and not the underlying or maybe overriding message which was pretty much anti big anything--banks, agri-business, corporations and particularly government. Big is bad and the little guys have to stick together or they will get run over. There was very little "safety net" in place for these folks. Their hopelessness and fury are easy to feel when Steinbeck paints the word pictures of their day to day existence.
I did enjoy re-reading this. It's much more political than I remembered. It was the characters that stuck with me through the years and not the underlying or maybe overriding message which was pretty much anti big anything--banks, agri-business, corporations and particularly government. Big is bad and the little guys have to stick together or they will get run over. There was very little "safety net" in place for these folks. Their hopelessness and fury are easy to feel when Steinbeck paints the word pictures of their day to day existence.
May 16, 2016
A condensed version nevertheless a good story. He is telling the story without taking any side as author on the exploitation of the poor or the consequences of the great depression. He is just telling the story within that setting. The end is maybe the most telling of the character of the migrant pickers of that time. The women proved much stronger, made decisions and were the motivators.
January 16, 2013
Leído en años institutenses de aprendizaje de inglés.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews