The Grapes of Wrath

by John Steinbeck

official publication date on April 14, 1939 (the fourth anniversary of “Black Sunday,”

The light seemed to go far into his brown eyes, and it picked out little golden specks deep in the irises. The

“You’re bound to get idears if you go thinkin’ about stuff. Sure

Joad took the bottle from him, and in politeness did not wipe the neck with his sleeve before he drank.

“I been a long time without a girl,’’ he said. “It’s gonna take some catchin’ up.’’

I’m jus’ wanderin’ aroun’ like a damn ol’ graveyard ghos’.’’

Same

“Like a damn ol’ graveyard ghos’. I been goin’ aroun’ the places where stuff happened.

“Glad to be here. It’s a thing to see when a boy comes home. It’s a thing to see.’’

Granma and Grampa raced each other to get across the broad yard. They fought over everything, and loved and needed the fighting.

The signs on cards, picked out with shining mica: Pies Like Mother Used to Make. Credit Makes Enemies, Let’s Be Friends. Ladies May Smoke But Be Careful Where You Lay Your Butts. Eat Here and Keep Your Wife for a Pet. IITYWYBAD?3

Minnie or Susy or Mae, middle-aging behind the counter, hair curled and rouge and powder on a sweating face.

the highway became their home and movement their medium of expression.

And the road becomes my bride

“I dunno,’’ said Tom. “Pa’d crap a litter of lizards if we buy beers.’’

And Noah said lazily, “Like to jus’ stay here. Like to lay here forever. Never get hungry an’ never get sad. Lay in the water all life long, lazy as a brood sow in the mud.’’

“I’m jus’ pain covered with skin.

Same

“Well,’’ said Casy, “for anybody else it was a mistake, but if you think it was a sin—then it’s a sin. A fella builds his own sins right up from the groun’.’’

ONCE CALIFORNIA belonged to Mexico and its land to Mexicans; and a horde of tattered feverish Americans poured in. And such was their hunger for land that they took the land—stole Sutter’s land,1 Guerrero’s land, took the grants and broke them up and growled and quarreled over them, those frantic hungry men; and they guarded with guns the land they had stolen. They put up houses and barns, they turned the earth and planted crops. And these things were possession, and possession was ownership.

And all their love was thinned with money,

Now farming became industry, and the owners followed Rome, although they did not know it. They imported slaves, although they did not call them slaves: Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, Filipinos. They live on rice and beans, the business men said. They don’t need much. They wouldn’t know what to do with good wages. Why, look how they live. Why, look what they eat. And if they get funny—deport them.

O_O

They’re a-workin’ away at our spirits. They’re a-tryin’ to make us cringe an’ crawl like a whipped bitch. They tryin’ to break us. Why, Jesus Christ, Ma, they comes a time when the on’y way a fella can keep his decency is by takin’ a sock at a cop. They’re workin’ on our decency.’’

and they reassured themselves that they were good and the invaders bad, as a man must do before he fights.

And this was good, for wages went down and prices stayed up. The great owners were glad and they sent out more handbills to bring more people in. And wages went down and prices stayed up. And pretty soon now we’ll have serfs again.

Yay Feudalism

She chuckled. “They’s things you do, an’ you don’ know why.’’

Tonight—we’ll have—somepin nice.’’

Well, I git enough sorrow. I like to git away from it.

strung out

The sad boy from Unit Two

In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.

Puts a weight on ya. Goin’ out lookin’ for somepin you know you ain’t gonna find.’’

“I’m learnin’ one thing good,’’ she said. “Learnin’ it all a time, ever’ day. If you’re in trouble or hurt or need—go to poor people. They’re the only ones that’ll help—the only ones.’’ The screen door slammed behind her.

Et the Rich

It’s need that makes all the trouble.

“Folks is their own cops.’’

Cops cause more trouble than they stop.

“It’s Winfiel’. He needs some milk.’’

he need some milk

“Oh, my!’’ Ma said wearily. “Oh! My dear sweet Lord Jesus asleep in a manger!