Grapes of Wrath, a classic for today?

bbc ^ | 4 April 2009 | Robert DeMott

[JoeProBono]

The Grapes of Wrath, published exactly 70 years ago, can be seen as a prophetic novel - rooted in the tragedies of the Great Depression, but speaking directly to the harsh realities of 2009, writes Steinbeck scholar Robert DeMott. Steinbeck's epic novel, which traces the harrowing exodus of Tom Joad and his family from blighted Oklahoma (where they are evicted from their farm), across the rugged American south-west via Highway 66, and on to what they mistakenly hope will be a more promising future in California, is considered by many readers to be the quintessential Depression-era story, and an ironic reversal of the rags-to-riches tale favoured by many optimistic Americans.

[JoeProBono]

Seventy years ago, on April 14, 1939, The Viking Press in New York officially published John Steinbeck's searing novel The Grapes of Wrath. It was released on the fourth anniversary of Black Sunday, when the worst dust storm in recent American history had rolled across the Great Plains blotting out the sun and later depositing airborne topsoil 1,000 miles east in Washington DC.

Steinbeck thought his novel was too raw for wide general appeal: "I've done my damndest to rip a reader's nerves to rags," he told his editor in early 1939. But despite its unflinching detail, gritty language, and controversial reception (the American Library Association includes it among the 100 most frequently banned and/or challenged books), the Grapes of Wrath has attained classic status and appears on many best novels lists.

Dustbowl farm - in the middle of the 1930s lives were blighted by economic and environmental disaster

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[yarddog]

I haven’t read the book tho I have seen the movie a few times. It was pretty good but it is always a good idea to keep in mind that Steinbeck was a commie.

[JoeProBono]

[GrouchoTex]

LOL! Brilliant!

[ConservativeTerrapin]

Grapes of Wrath is awful. It had an entire chapter dedicated to a turtle walking down a road. I guess Steinbeck succeeds in ripping High School students nerves to shreds easily.

[firebrand]

The Soviets thought it would be a good film to show in the USSR, because it showed economic disaster in the United States. Too bad they had to stop doing that when the Soviet citizens realized that even the poorest of the poor in the United States had cars and trucks.

[trisham]

I read the book years ago. Steinbeck was one of the best ever.

I haven't seen the movie.

[traderrob6]

I’ve always liked the movie, but purely in the venue of entertainment.

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[Marysecretary]

That was one of the best movies ever made.

[JoeProBono]

[Snickering Hound]

[JoeProBono]

[trisham]

Heh. I am a bookworm. :)

[JoeProBono]

[cartoonistx]

[Brad’s Gramma]

LOL!!!!