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The Grapes of Wrath: Critical Analysis
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Published: Jan 25, 2024
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Introduction, social philosophy, the structure of the grapes of wrath, works cited.
- Dr. Zavari. (2006). Critical analysis of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.
- In Bloom, H. (2009). John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Chelsea.
- Steinbeck, J. (2006). The Grapes of Wrath. Penguin.
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The Grapes of Wrath Essay
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AP Assignments for The Grapes of Wrath
By tim roberts san dieguito academy encinitas, ca, 2009.
On a schedule in which there is never enough time and within a curriculum in which everything, at least on paper, has to be tied to the AP Language exam, finding a place for a novel the size of The Grapes of Wrath can take some doing. What follows are two suggested AP writing assignments that could be done with the book to supplement whatever other literary or response-based approach you may choose. As far as teaching to the test, the language exam has a number of qualities to recommend for it despite its necessarily superficial and abbreviated format. Rhetorical analysis promotes close reading, and the interchapters lend themselves well to such analysis. They are rich in imagery and figurative language, widely range in tone, and employ syntax to varied and dramatic effect. The synthesis essay calls on students to use research materials in forming a coherent argument; there are a number of topics in the novel that could be grouped with outside readings to provide the basis for such an essay. It’s an assignment that would lead students to examine the novel’s themes more thoroughly and explore their significance more deeply.
Rhetorical analysis
I’m familiar with The Grapes of Wrath as a staple in AP Language classes that had their roots in American literature courses. It’s still possible to invest the time to read the book with students while preparing them for the exam. I’ll assume that most students would have been introduced to rhetorical analysis already. The interchapters represent a stylistic tour de force on Steinbeck’s part, kind of the writerly equivalent of a jazz musician referencing Dixieland, swing, bop, and free jazz in a concept album. “Perhaps no aspect of Steinbeck’s accomplishment in The Grapes of Wrath has been overlooked as often as the sheer genius of prose style throughout the novel,” writes Louis Owens in The Grapes of Wrath : Trouble in the Promised Land . His excerpt on style, “From Genesis to Jalopies: A Tapestry of Styles,” is an adequate reference on the interchapters’ stylistic variety from the opening’s biblical cadences and epic sweep to the fragment-filled passages that render the confusion generated by the fast-talking used car salesmen.
The analyses could be approached in a number of ways. An entire chapter could be analyzed; the students could identify what they see as Steinbeck’s major purpose in the selection and explain what rhetorical elements uses to convey it. Alternatively, students could be given a section of the chapter, perhaps of a roughly equivalent length to an AP selection. For example, Chapter 23 has several short scenes depicting the migrants’ pleasures at the roadside camps, including telling stories, making music, dancing, getting drunk and getting saved. Any of those slices would be a suitable subject for analysis. Even a more seamless interchapter, such as Chapter 15, can be divided into smaller, more manageable units (the initial description of the diner, Mae and Al; the description of the “shitheel” couple). In another variation, the prompt could be focused to mirror some of the AP rhetorical analysis exercises. For example, students could analyze how Steinbeck conveys his criticism of the used car salesmen in Chapter 7, or his view of technology as expressed in the depiction of the tractor in Chapter 5.
Synthesis essay
In addition to the rhetorical analysis, the multitude of developed topics in The Grapes of Wrath could be used to give students practice with the synthesis essay. The essay calls for students to integrate at least three of six to seven given sources into a coherent argumentative essay. Teachers could choose topics and passages for the students to integrate into an essay supplemented by material that they have found or that students locate through research. In addition to the skills involved in crafting a solidly argued synthesis essay, the assignment could have students meet a number of other goals. For example, they could learn to identify thematic topics in novels such as are developed in The Grapes of Wrath . They could also research supplementary works to complement their topics.
A few suggested topics with suggested supplementary works follow. (If you’re like me, you want to use your own. I usually find more reasons to reject people’s suggested titles than adopt them, preferring to find my own. An assignment of this nature might work best if the teacher or students chose works of particular interest to them. However, the suggestions are offered in the spirit of providing some leads and examples.)
The alienating nature of technology Steinbeck presents conflicting views.
In Chapter 5, the tractor is presented as an insect-like destructive force that rapes the land and separates its driver both from the land and the community. However, in Chapter 10, Al is described as closely in tune with the truck, monitoring it for problems. That close relationship is echoed in Chapter 12, the interchapter depicting the migrants’ “flight” along Route 66. Finally, in Chapter 16 Steinbeck gives nearly step-by-step instructions in how to replace a con-rod in 1925 Dodge that highlight the men’s intimate relationship with the machine. The intimacy that characterized the farmers’ relationship with the land now colors their relationship with machines. These alternative attitudes toward technology – intimate and alienating – can be found in a number of other works. I’ll suggest three: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig (that dates me); “The Case for Working with Your Hands” by Matthew Crawford, which appeared in the May 21, 2009 New York Times Magazine and is adopted from his book The Soulcraft of Shop Class ,; and “ Brain Candy: Is pop culture dumbing us down or smartening us up? ” by Malcolm Gladwell, which first appeared in The New Yorker .
The immorality of capitalism
Throughout the novel, Steinbeck presents an indictment of a capitalist system that allows people to starve, exploits them mercilessly and, ultimately, is complicit in their murder. That topic is explored in a number of short essays by eminent economists, philosophers and politicians entitled “Does the free market corrode moral character? ” available at the John Templeton Foundation website.
The morality of working for the good of the group
In the novel, Steinbeck charts his characters’ growth from looking after their own self-interests to caring for the good of the whole, depicts their movement from “I to We.” This is a topic with a rich tradition in American literature from which to draw: Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”; the poetry of Walt Whitman; aspects of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . An interesting companion piece might be William Golding’s Lord of the Flies , a staple of early high school years with an arresting counterpoint to Steinbeck’s view of the group behavior. For an interesting evolutionary biological view, try Natalie Angier’s “Of Altruism, Heroism and Evolution’s Gifts ” from the September 18, 2001 New York Times .
There are a number of other lesser topics that can be followed and extracted out of The Grapes of Wrath that could make for engaging work: the crippling effects of guilt, sin and shame, as illustrated by Uncle John’s condition, the nasty shopkeeper that Ma converts in Chapter 26 and misery-dealing evangelicals; the nature of work, both satisfying and alienating, seen, again, in the alienated tractor driver in contrast with the pleasures of hefting a pickaxe in Chapter 22; the dangers and uses of anger, providing people with the righteous outrage to fight on bookended in the first and penultimate chapters but worrying Ma that it will reduce Tom to a “walkin’ chunk a mean-mad”; the advisability of taking life one day at a time and going with the flow suggested in Tom’s repeated strategy of just putting one foot in front of another and Ma’s ability to ride easily in the truck and adjust to the life changes, the latter explained to Pa in Chapter 28.
The above is not, by any means, intended to lay out a complete serving of topics in The Grapes of Wrath . (I haven’t even broached the repeated references to road kill.) It does suggest ways to incorporate a lengthy novel in a curriculum hemmed in by the demands of the AP Language requirements.
The Grapes of Wrath
John steinbeck, everything you need for every book you read..
Humanity, Inhumanity, and Dehumanization
In The Grapes of Wrath, the most brutal adversity the Joads face doesn’t come from the unforgiving natural conditions of the dustbowl. Rather, the Joads and the Okie community receive the cruelest treatment from those most capable of helping them: more fortunate individuals, typically ones who wield institutional power. Throughout the book, establishments and technological advances are shown to corrupt the humans behind them. Steinbeck’s depiction of the state police shows that they’ve been perverted…
Dignity, Honor, and Wrath
Despite their destitution, Okies are shown to be extremely conscious of maintaining their honor. No matter how dire their circumstances, the Joads are unwilling to stoop to accepting charity or stealing. When they do accept help, they are quick to repay the debt—for example, when the Wilsons offer Grampa Joad a deathbed, Al repairs their car and Ma replaces the blanket used to shroud Grampa. With this strong sense of honor comes an equally powerful…
Faith and Guilt
At different times in The Grapes of Wrath , nearly all of the main characters endure spiritually trying times. Casy is the first to address this theme when he speaks of his reformed faith: instead of the black-and-white teachings of Christian dogma, Casy has come to believe in a natural unity of the human race. Tom , too, comes to this realization later in the novel, after hiding from the law in the woods. Finally…
Powerlessness, Perseverance, and Resistance
The novel often focuses on characters who resist in situations that seem hopeless. At the beginning of the novel, the Oklahoma sharecropper families are rendered powerless by the repossessing landowners. All the same, Muley Graves remains on his land, in spite of regular run-ins with law enforcement. He knows he can’t change his circumstances, but he refuses to let go of his heritage. The land turtle that appears in an early chapter, is a metaphor…
Family, Friendship, and Community
Time and again in The Grapes of Wrath , Steinbeck demonstrates the profound ties and nuanced relationships that develop through kinship, friendship, and group identity. The arc of the Joad family shows, on one hand, a cohesive unit whose love and support of one another keeps them from abandoning hope. On the other hand, however, the novel shows that this unity comes with complications. Ma Joad ’s assertive leadership strips Pa of his masculine identity…
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Critical essays on Steinbeck's The grapes of wrath
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Four essays and a general introduction provide contemporary readings of The Grapes of Wrath for a general audience. Written in an accessible style, the essays cover the issues and themes of Steinbeck�s politics, metaphors of movement and growth, views of women, uses of documentary, and the conversion of the novel into film. The introduction provides a history of the novel�s public reception, a summary of the major phases of critical response, and a reading of the novel as an act of returning west to Steinbeck�s lost California.
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In the end, the reaction The Grapes of Wrath evokes will depend on the mood and mentality of the individual reader. Some may find the epic sweep of the Joads' life inspiring and devastating precisely because the Joads can represent all of humanity; others may find that the Joads' everyman status makes them opaque or even boring.
The Grapes of Wrath is a masterful novel that employs a unique and impactful structure to convey its themes and ideas. Through its use of intercalary chapters, alternating narrative perspective, and symbolic imagery, the novel creates a rich and immersive portrayal of the Great Depression and its effects on individuals and society.Steinbeck's narrative techniques enhance the depth and ...
In 1935, Steinbeck first found literary success with Tortilla Flat, which follows the exploits of a group of Mexican-Americans in Monterey, California. In the following years, Steinbeck wrote several novels that focused on farming life and its discontents. The most famous of these is 1937's . In 1939, Steinbeck published the Grapes of Wrath ...
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel and movie written by Jon Steinbeck in 1939. Steinbeck aimed to criticize those responsible for the poverty of the American people in the 1930s, telling the story of the Joad family's migration from Oklahoma to California. Despite its success, the story faced criticism and was even banned in some schools for its ...
Cite this page as follows: "The Grapes of Wrath - Malcolm Cowley (review date 3 May 1939)" Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism Ed. Janet Witalec Project Editor. Vol. 135.
Carola Campbell Gabrielle Mander Pat Bauer. The Grapes of Wrath, the best-known novel by John Steinbeck, published in 1939. The book evokes the harshness of the Great Depression and arouses sympathy for the struggles of migrant farmworkers beset by adversity and vast impersonal commercial influences. Learn more about the novel and its reception.
The Grapes of Wrath Essay. Writer's block can be painful, but we'll help get you over the hump and build a great outline for your paper. Organize Your Thoughts in 6 Simple Steps Narrow your focus. Build out your thesis and paragraphs. Vanquish the dreaded blank sheet of paper.
Does it provide hope, or does it leave the reader unsettled? 3. The third chapter of the novel depicts a turtle crossing the Oklahoma highway. How does this chapter symbolize the story of the migrants? 4. Think about the book in terms of Steinbeck's intent for it.
Synthesis essay. In addition to the rhetorical analysis, the multitude of developed topics in The Grapes of Wrath could be used to give students practice with the synthesis essay. The essay calls for students to integrate at least three of six to seven given sources into a coherent argumentative essay.
Faith and Guilt. At different times in The Grapes of Wrath, nearly all of the main characters endure spiritually trying times. Casy is the first to address this theme when he speaks of his reformed faith: instead of the black-and-white teachings of Christian dogma, Casy has come to believe in a natural unity of the human race.
Ma Joad: The Progression from Family to Humanity Olivia Hudson Gray. The Grapes of Wrath. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck introduces a family rooted in the leadership of men. The journey of hardship they endure, however, disintegrates this patriarchal control, leaving the women, Ma specifically, to take charge.
Read to Analyze The Grapes of Wrath. You're writing an analytical essay, and the first step to writing analytically is reading analytically. Some call this active reading, which basically means that you aren't just sitting back and reading for the heck of it—you're reading with the goal of true comprehension.
Arvin Camp: The Haven / Don Morris -- Articles and essays. The background to the composition of The Grapes of Wrath / Jackson J. Benson. The reception of The Grapes of Wrath in Britain: A chronological survey of contemporary reviews / Roy Simmonds. The dynamics of the community in The Grapes of Wrath / Peter Lisca. Growth of the family in The ...
Critical Overview. When the novel was published on March 14, 1939, 50,000 copies were on order, a remarkable number for a Depression-era book. By the end of April, The Grapes of Wrath was selling ...
4. Describe the relationship between the people and their land in The Grapes of Wrath. The answer to this question should delve into the many passages in the beginning of the novel that discuss the primal connection between man and the land. When the tractor destroys homes and removes people from the land, this machine is excising portions of ...
Four essays and a general introduction provide contemporary readings of The Grapes of Wrath for a general audience. Written in an accessible style, the essays cover the issues and themes of Steinbeck's politics, metaphors of movement and growth, views of women, uses of documentary, and the conversion of the novel into film. The introduction ...
The Great Depression. The Grapes of Wrath vividly depicts life during the Great Depression, offering a poignant portrayal of the struggles and challenges faced by individuals and families: During the Depression, there was widespread unemployment across the nation and many families struggled to make ends meet due to a loss of jobs.
Chapter 5 (The Grapes of Wrath) Lyrics. THE OWNERS OF THE land came onto the land, or more often a spokesman for the owners came. They came in closed cars, and they felt the dry earth with their ...
The Grapes of Wrath: An Argument Paper. Introduction. The Grapes of Wrath is a novel which radically analyzed the exploitation of agricultural workers and the culmination of the racist emphasis on whites as victims in the thirties. It argued that Anglo-Saxon whites were the main subjects who deserved worthy of treatment.
Full Book Essays Sample A+ Essay: The Joads as Universal Figures for Dust Bowl Farmers Steinbeck writes about the Dust Bowl farmers with great empathy. The Grapes of Wrath exists, in large part, to bring to life the farmers' plight and to depict them as ground-down but noble people.... "Perhaps no aspect of Steinbeck's accomplishment in The Grapes of Wrath has been overlooked as often as ...