Grapes of Wrath review

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Title of the book : Grapes of Wrath

Name of the Author : John Steinbeck

The style of narrative : Third person omniscient

Genre : Fiction, History - great depression 

My Rating : 4.5/5

Fun Fact : The book was banned due to its religious opinions and obscene language



      

                    

                        

Synopsis :

Tom Joad gets out of jail on parole. He returns back home to find his home town in a miserable condition. The rich farmers are after their land and the family is threatened to move out fast. His return brings new hope to his family and all of them set out to the north, towards California with the prospect of earning a living and starting a new life.

The family hits the highway in their poorly patched truck with all their essentials packed.

The Highway plays a major part in the setting of the novel where numerous fortunate and unfortunate events takes place for the Joad Family.

Ma Joad plays a pivotal role in running the family and filing them with hope. She makes all the major decisions in the place of her incompetent husband who is always worrying.

Poverty, lack of basic amenities, harsh government, rude landlords, racist police bring in  misery after misery, loss after loss and finally leave the Joad family with trickling hopes.

The ending is so majestic and powerful. I never expected such an ending, abrupt but simply filled with meaning


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The pace of the book : The book started of quite dry initially but turned to a capturing page tuner for me as I went along with desperate Joad family on their hopeful endless journey in search of new pastures and arable land to start a new life.

The tone of the book : Melancholy and blind hope are the driving forces of the characters. Their unending search for a job at the same time their dwindling money and resources aroused in me a secondary anxiety.











Location: India

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