The Grapes of Wrath
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On my 4th or 5th re-reading with students, and I'm starting to dislike this book.
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Karen wrote: "I read "East of Eden" when I was still in high school. Really loved it. "Cannery Row" was wonderful too."East of Eden was also my favorite book in high school!
Titi wrote: "VJ wrote: "Have you come across any grapic novel-type editions of GOW? I'd recommend them. Basic ideas conveyed, minus the 'wordiness'."And yet....as a high school student, I savor Steinbeck's be..."
Titi, I am a great fan of Steinbeck's prose style. I don't find him wordy at all, but rather spare and direct. It is a new day, however, for our youth who are hurried, rushed, abbreviated. They do not have the attention spans or time enough to savor Steinbeck's genius.
I read this book in high school, I could not appreciate it then as I did re-reading it in my 40's. I took a film and literature class and The Grapes of Wrath was one of our required books to read. As an instructor I feel it is very important to inspire your students, and show your enthusiasm about any topic you are teaching. The horror these families endured and their perseverance is inspiring. Our final assignment in class was to chose a novel and complete a research paper. I chose this novel and I thoroughly enjoyed the research. I was very fortunate to have a professor who encouraged his class to at least give the novels he assigned a try. He wasn't upset or offended if we didn't like them, he was pleased that we stepped out of our comfort zone and gave each book a fair chance. Having a class discussion about the themes, symbolism and characters really adds to the entire experience.
May I just say how delighted I am that this thread turned into an intellectual discussion on effective ways of dealing with the faults in our education system? Bravo to GoodReads for attracting such an understanding and insightful audience! I appreciate the perspectives given. As a student, it is useful to know how teachers operate and how to better empathize with the issues modern education faces. Thank you.
With all kinds of people losing their houses to the banks after the financial crisis of a few years back, I think the "Grapes of Wrath" are as topical as ever. Try to connect the story in the book with the stories of people once living in nice subburban houses but now lost in trailerparks or huddling together under the bridges of the major cities of the USA
I think even Steinbeck would admit that The Grapes of Wrath could have used a bit of tightening. But he was rushed get it out while it could save lives. I'm sure it did.Still, I can't imagine assigning this book to the average class of teenagers today. College, yes, but not before. You'll discourage them from wanting to read if you hit them with too much difficulty too early.
Amy wrote: "The classics are often a hard sell to teens today because they are so wordy - they are too used to the instant gratification of movies, video games, and TV and the classics take too long to get to the "action." I'm not saying all teens are like this"Isn't this all the reason why the students should become familiar with real writings where problems of living during economic crisis are discussed? Books that also show "What should be done?"
The following is an excerpt from the writings of Farzad Kamangar, an Iranian teacher and freedom-fighter, about :
The Little Black Fish
"...Is it possible to carry the heavy burden of being a teacher and be responsible for spreading the seeds of knowledge and still be silent? Is it possible to see the lumps in the throats of the students and witness their thin and malnourished faces and keep quiet?
Is it possible to be in the year of no justice and fairness and fail to teach the H for Hope and E for Equality, even if such teachings land you in Evin prison or result in your death?
...I cannot imagine witnessing the pain and poverty of the people of this land and fail to give our hearts to the river and the sea, to roar and to inundate..."
Ruby wrote: "Amy wrote: "The classics are often a hard sell to teens today because they are so wordy - they are too used to the instant gratification of movies, video games, and TV and the classics take too lon..."I don't know how teachers do it. The task seems impossibly large.
Hi, Monty. I assume being a teacher in these days is not easy at all, same as responsible writing. Yes, the kids are totally used to instant gratification. In case of selecting books that are showing values of freedom and justice and a path to achieve those goals, I also have a hard time reading them with the young adults in my family. The important task for me is to help them focus on the key messages.
Speaking of "The Grapes of Wrath", I don't know how I would ever be able to tell young adults who Casey really was, most importantly what kind of idealogy gave him awareness and showed him the path, what he did with that knowlege, how his leadership and teachings impacted Joad and his mother who decided to follow the path and, why the book relates to the present day, with banks taking everything away from the people, and what should be done?
Ruby wrote: "Speaking of "The Grapes of Wrath", I don't know how I would ever be able to tell young adults who Casey really was, most importantly what kind of ideology gave him awareness and showed him the path, what he did with that knowledge, how his leadership and teachings impacted Joad and his mother who decided to follow the path and, why the book relates to the present day, with banks taking everything away from the people, and what should be done? "All it takes is one good book. Steinbeck proved it. Someone needs to write it. Plenty are trying. We need to put our ears to the ground and observe these young future leaders and understand how to communicate to them.
I'm amazed at what kids buy. Hunger Games was phenomenally successful. I couldn't read past page 10, the writing was so poor, but it sure sold. The Outsiders is another book that sells well despite the writing quality. But somewhere among these and others like them is a formula that writers will find and apply.
Karl wrote: "With all kinds of people losing their houses to the banks after the financial crisis of a few years back, I think the "Grapes of Wrath" are as topical as ever. Try to connect the story in the book..."& the path is clear...
As a teacher of high school English, your comments catch my attention. I refuse to skip books of this import because the students would prefer sexy vampires. I don't believe it is any harder to sell them on the classics than it is to sell them on a Geometry textbook.The point is making it relevant. This is not difficult if you pay attention to the students and what they are interested in and if you really love the books you teach. I really love Grapes of Wrath, and it's not really about the Joads at all. Those interspersal chapters so many skip are pithy powerful word photos that give an insight into a wider group of people than the Joads. The Joad family is a vehicle for Steinbeck's message about repression, the will to survive, etc.
Encourage kids to find the humor and the empathy in this book and they will respond.
Lara wrote: "I don't believe it is any harder to sell them on the classics than it is to sell them on a Geometry textbook."Thanks Lara. You give us hope. And I hope there are many other teachers like you out there. Think about, if you haven't already, writing a guide book for English teachers. Your methods may contain valuable insights.
Thank you for your kind words Monty. Writing books such as that is my dream job. I am such a lit nerd. Perhaps one day I will send you one to review.
Lara wrote: "Thank you for your kind words Monty. Writing books such as that is my dream job. I am such a lit nerd. Perhaps one day I will send you one to review."Yay! Lit nerds unite!
We need to teach classics like The Grapes of Wrath for the same reason we need to teach great works of music literature; as a means of presenting the historical development of each art form to gain a perspective leading to our more modern works. For instance, those students who are familiar with the construction of a symphony or a concerto that has movements expressed with varying tempos would grasp and appreciate Steinbeck's similar use of "short lyric chapters of exposition" alternating with the long and intricate narrative chapters of the Joad story in this work. Such knowledge will lead to a larger base of understanding and, hopefully, of appreciation.
My problem with "The Grapes of Wrath" is that it's too long for most high school students. Steinbeck's short fiction is very strong as well and worth reading and East of Eden is one of my all time favorite novels (although I didn't feel it had the same resonance in terms of social issues). Our teacher was pragmatic and suggested that we skip the chapters that didn't add content (students didn't need to read about the turtle crossing the road, etc.). He said we could read every other chapter and still get most of the content. I think something would be lost but not much since the chapters skipped are mostly self-contained vignettes that don't add to the plot (although they're lovely).
Oh my gosh!!! The turtle chapter is the best!!! Look at it as a microcosm of the entire book. Which direction is it going? What is it carrying? What does it encounter? The whole novel can be summed up in that turtle. A perfect way to teach so many literary devices. Plot and content are not the same thing. Skipping those chapters is like reading the Gospel of Matthew without the parables. If you HAVE to shorten it, you are better off summarizing some of the plot and going back and pulling out the literay nuggets of the other chapters.
And R. I totally agree with music. I use it as a way in with my students. We listen to Guthry while we read Grapes, and they learn to appreciate more than their latest pop.
Have them read every other chapter. Then have them read a biography of Steinbeck. In particular have them read about the tortuous journey Steinbeck took to write Grapes--all the reportorial and emotional false starts. (including the dramatic story of him burning the first draft in his backyard.) A deeper understanding of the reportorial interstitial chapters, which do read like overwrote newspaper accounts, are much easier to digest with a little context. And reading the Joad chapters uninterrupted makes for a great read. Also, maybe you should look at the plight of migrant labor today before you read the book. The parallels may make for a more compelling and immediate read for your students. (something Steinbeck was absolutely looking to achieve with his novel.)
I have always been a "reader" and although I tended to resist a lot of the books we had to read in school, I found pleasure in a lot of them. Grapes of Wrath was NOT one of those. I found it to be overly long with characters I couldn't really relate to. Although I love history, and especially this time period, I couldn't get into the book. Maybe a history lesson on the period in conjunction with reading this book would be a good idea, but I'm not sure it could make this book drag less. It just seems aimless.
Lara wrote: "Oh my gosh!!! The turtle chapter is the best!!! Look at it as a microcosm of the entire book. Which direction is it going? What is it carrying? What does it encounter? The whole novel can be s..."How can you compare two opposits?
Ruby: I compare opposites all the time...that's why it's called compare...but which opposites, specifically, did you have in mind?Michael: I disagree about skipping anything, but you are on the right track. A great book about the reaction to GOW is Obscene in the Extreme: The Burning and Banning of John Steinbeck's the Grapes of Wrath. The book you are thinking about regarding his toil is probably Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath
Finally, Samantha: You mean there are still teachers out there who do not teach this book in its historical context? Shame on those teachers. Don't blame the book, or Steinbeck.
Yes. If a teacher won't bother to be creative and put things into proper cultural and historical perspective, by all means, stick to easy books with nothing but plot.
Lara wrote: "Ruby: I compare opposites all the time...that's why it's called compare...but which opposites, specifically, did you have in mind?Michael: I disagree about skipping anything, but you are on the..."
I hope you don't mean me, the original poster, just because I don't like this particular Steinbeck for the time being and imply I only want to teach "easy" books. As a matter of fact, I replaced Grapes of Wrath with Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, and The Great Gatsby. Why is it imperative to teach this particular book if I can be more excited about other great works? Yes, I am aware of the messages and "literary nuggets" in this work, but guess what, there are many other acceptable options.
No, I did not mean you. It was the idea that anyone would attempt to teach the book to high school students without addressing the historical context.And please pardon me if I seem a bit defensive. Clearly, I appreciate GOW a lot. In fact, more each time I teach it. There is so much that is pertinent to our period as well as to the period in which it was written.
Also, I understand that is quite long, and there may not be time in many modern schools, especially when you are bogged down with all the new standards and testing. I also believe a teacher should have the flexibility to teach what he or she is passionate about. If you can't teach without passion, why bother?
So here are my points about GOW:
1. If you think you should teach it, there are plenty of angles to approach your students to get them interested. Happy to share some.
2. The book is much more than the plot about the Joads. To me, that really is minor. Don't avoid the interspersal chapters because they don't drive the plot. There are many gems in these chapters.
Lara wrote: "Finally, Samantha: You mean there are still teachers out there who do not teach this book in its historical context? Shame on those teachers. Don't blame the book, or Steinbeck."I don't remember ever having an in-depth history lesson in high school that went past the Civil War. We only glossed over the "modern" era.
Hi, Samantha: Can this book also be considered as the history (not in the conventional sense) of a Civil War that is yet to happen?
I usually gave GOW as an additional reading to Zola, to make students compare french realism and american realism. Even if some passages seem boring or too long, GOW always provoked passionate discussions amongst 16 years old.
i love it, it takes you to that time and date, it lets you know about the circumstances a lot of people were going through i appreciate good literature and the stories to back it up.... wonderful way of writing....
Amy wrote: "I took about a 3 year break from teaching The Grapes of Wrath, but apparently, that wasn't long enough. I forgot how boring parts of this can be. I still see the story as valuable for my students t..."I loved the book but if you are finding it boring, teach something else! Your students deserve commentary from someone who is excited about what she is teaching.
What is it with the wingnuts of the world that they have such a distorted world view that they cannot distinguish between ideologies? Just because someone disagrees with you, that doesn't make them a communist. Grow a brain and read a book or two on political ideology then come back and have a discussion. Sheesh!
If you are uninspired by
then choose another classic author. 
Find something local that might spark their attention.
I was blessed with some amazing teachers that inspired me to read from classics to contemporary. As you know the kids won't connect unless you are!
Thank you for teaching. Good teachers saved my life.
I'm personally amazed by people - particularly teachers - who find Grapes of Wrath dull. I realize personal tastes are personal tastes, but it as definitely one of the most interesting books I read in high school. While it can be daunting to some students, I would be horrified to hear our young people aren't getting a taste of Steinbeck. I still read Grapes of Wrath every two years or so and I read the book in one day when it was assigned in high school because I could NOT put it down. Other books like the Great Gatsby were much more boring to me (though still worthwhile) at the time.
I am feeling a particular need to resurrect this thread today. A couple of hours ago, just before 1st period, I realized I had left chapter 14 off the study guide. Not wanting to skip it, I decided to read it out loud to the class, and prepared some discussion questions. I did not choose this chapter, it was a random mistake. But reading it out loud, I got kind of choked up.Let's look at it for a minute. You may consider this wordy, repetitive and irrelevant. There is no plot, nothing about the Joads. But this is an example of what is so right about this book.
Listen to how the words sound. "This you may say and know it, and know it. This you may know when the bombs plummet out of the black planes on the market place, when prisoners are stuck like pigs, when the crushed bodies drain filthily in the dust. You may know it in this way." It is poetic the way T. S. Eliot is poetic. The images evoked could be last nights news.
The topic? People being forced from their homes by banks. The emotions? Fear and desperation. The moral of this short section? Destitution makes us look to one another for help. People are stronger as a 'we' than we are as an 'I'
Relevant. Relevant. Relevant. Not to mention beautiful in its language.
By all means, if you hate this book, don't teach it. Don't ruin it for your students. But by no means should you censor Steinbeck (or any author) by teaching only what you like about it or what you find relevant. To focus only on the plot is missing most of the point. To edit out Steinbeck's 'wordiness' would remove his genius. He wrote plenty of short books. That should make it clear that this one is longer for a reason.
Lara wrote: "Relevant. Relevant. Relevant. Not to mention beautiful in its language.By all means, if you hate this book, don't teach it. Don't ruin it for your students. But by no means should you censor Steinbeck (or any author) by teaching only what you like about it or what you find relevant"
Excellent!
I think "Grapes of Wrath" is a difficult book to teach to high-school students, but it is a great novel that requires patience to read. (There is a great John Ford movie version of the book.) However, I have had a great deal of success teaching "East of Eden" to college students. Most students seem to love it and cannot put it dwon,
In high school I took a Nobel Prize authors class. 'Grapes' was the assignment and I chose 'East of Eden' as my elective read from Steinbeck's works. I loved 'East of Eden'! Although 'Grapes' is a great novel, I have only read it once. I read for enjoyment and escapism......'Grapes' is just too depressing to be an enjoyable read.
I think it takes an adult to appreciate this. But if you want to teach it to your students, perhaps you should show them Ken Burns' documentary "The Dust Bowl" first.
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And yet....as a high school student, I savor Steinbeck's beautiful prose. I know many of my fellow classmates do as well. Steinbeck didn't win the Nobel Prize for his plot, but for his style.