The Grapes of Wrath - Question 6

Like The Old Man and the Sea, Grapes of Wrath is still read in society today because of its timeless message of overcoming any obstacle put in your way. Both novels reveal a similar meaning. Like the old man, the Joads do not end up obtaining what they set out to for on their journey, but they gain something even more substantial, family means everything. Readers can take from this novel that life will not always be easy, and there will not always be a happy ending, but cherish your loved ones because sometimes they may be all you have.

The message that Steinbeck gives readers is timeless because of its importance in society, no matter the time period or setting. I think as a generation, we are so used to reading books or watching movies with happy endings, we fail to realize that reality is not so kind. In Grapes of Wrath, readers are taken on a journey that one family (and in the bigger picture, thousands of families) is forced to endure because of the tough economic times of the era. By the end of the well-detailed novel, I wanted nothing more than to read about the Joads successfully making it to California, making jobs that paid well, and enjoying the lives they so deserved. Instead, I was left with an ending not so happy. I think this message hits readers more than it would if things would have worked out for the Joads. Because I was expecting a different ending, I reflected more on the characters and the message they portrayed throughout the novel.

Grapes of Wrath is packed full of opportunities to learn a variety of things, ranging from personal realization tools, to historical events like the Great Depression. For me, I learned a little bit of both. The most important lesson we learn from the novel is to never give up when the going gets rough. The Joads were put through hell and back, from beloved Granma and Grampa Joad perishing on the journey (Steinbeck 311, 187), to the rains flooding the earth (Steinbeck 311), they kept their heads up even when doubt seemed to linger in the air. Another important lesson we can learn from the novel is how life was during the Great Depression. Steinbeck vividly describes the scene of the Dust Bowl for readers all throughout the novel.

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.