The Grapes of Wrath: Chapters 1,2,&3

I have read a few chapters into The Grapes of Wrath, and it already contains more characters, dialogue, and enertainment than The Old Man and the Sea ever did. I can already tell that it's going to be much more interesting and factual than the old man and the marlin.

The novel begins by describing the long summer drought and the dust that covers an Oklahoma residence. From the facts we know about history, we can tell that this is describing the famous, Dust Bowl. Because of the drought, the crops were having a very hard time growing, and the farmers were feeling anxious. Fear was also a major emotion felt by many farming families. "The women studied the men's faces secretly, for the corn could go, as long as something else remained (Steinbeck 3)." I feel bad for the farmers because this is their livelihood and how they provide for their family. It is sad that they can't do anything about the dust.

In chapter two, Tom Joad, usually referred to as Joad, is on his way back to the family farm after a stint in prison for killing a man during a bar fight. Later in the novel, Joad admits that he didn't regret the murder. He meets a truck driver and the driver begins to tell him about a piece of machinery known as a "cat." "Croppers going fast now. One cat takes and shoves ten families out (Steinbeck 8)." This one tool has the ability to make eight families lose their farms because of the amount of work it can do alone. I find the situation very relatable to today with a larger percentage of people out of work because new technology can do the same work at a high frequency and in less time.

Every so often, Steinbeck adds in a chapter of simple and corky thoughts. Keeping that in mind, chapter three discusses a turtle in the middle of the road. Some avoid hitting it and others drive right over it, knocking it to its side. I believe these easy to read chapters teach their own little messages. This one deals with the humanity in people.

[Bibliography]

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.