The Grapes of Wrath- Book Review

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck chronicles a defining moment in America’s history while also expressing timeless and far reaching themes. The book uses the Joad family’s life, to explore and highlight society back then, and the consequences of the Great Depression. The protagonist, Tom Joad, is on his way back to his family after spending the last few years in prison for killing a man after a drunken fight. Yet when he reaches home, he discovers that his family’s house is empty, and the inhabitants gone. All that remained was a barren landscape, seemingly abandoned. The barn was empty, the animals were gone, and the door was left open. The Grapes of Wrath shows how money, distrust, and lack of understanding can ultimately contribute to deep and violent divides within society.

One major theme of the book is the conflict between the rich and the poor, which in turn, is about capitalism. The rich seem to want to hold on to everything they own, and to gather more and more material wealth. This is a criticism of capitalism, where everything is about money and profit, and how to make more of it, no matter the social cost. Capitalism is what forces a farmer to turn against his own, simply to feed his family. Capitalism is what causes the Joad family, and countless other families, to lose their farm and their way of life. The used car salesmen take advantage of the farmers’ ignorance, the pawn shop operators exploit their desperation. For example, the rich are willing to let fruit rot on the ground, rather than let the starving eat it, lest the starving people refuse to work for inhumane wages. People starve in the midst of the natural beauty of California with the abundance of food all around that they cannot afford. In fact, protecting a profit becomes so necessary that those under its system are even willing to kill. When Jim Casy, a preacher, decides to lead a strike, community leaders send people to kill him in order to maintain low wages. Capitalism is seen as something that keeps people from succeeding and living a decent life.

A conflict between the insiders, those who live in California, against the “Okies” people streaming in from the Midwest, is another focal point. Both sides act irrationally and out of fear. The insiders fear that the newcomers will take their land, their jobs, and their place in society. They realize that the newcomers are people with nothing to lose, and the insiders are determined to make them leave. The insiders think that it is either us or them, and that they cannot coexist side by side. The outsiders realize that the insiders don’t want them there, but they also realize that they cannot go back, and that they must work to eat. One example of this would be when natives form a road side barricade, saying that the Joad family and other Okies cannot stay in that area. Another example would be when the insiders burn down an Okies’ squatter camp. The Grapes of Wrath shows that fear and misunderstanding can generate hate and ultimately devastating consequences for everyone involved.

A 3^rd theme is family and the concept of sticking together when everything else is splitting apart. The Joad family tries to stick together, bringing along everyone. Even when grandpa and grandma die, Ma Joad still believes in sticking together. However, it seems that no matter how much they try, the cannot keep the family together. Some die, others leave, others simply can’t go on, and the law forces the separation of others. Throughout this, Ma Joad says: “We got to keep the fambly together.” The tight bonding between the family members that are left is contrasted by the increasing division between one family and another. For example, people separate themselves on the basis of wealth, as evident by the stark differences between the rich and the poor. They separate themselves based on location, as shown by the poor child from the West who said that he wasn’t an Oakie, and he was proud that he wasn’t. People continue finding ways to separate and separate, and those in California consider themselves their own country, separated from the United States of America. Yet family helps people overcome challenges that they would not have been able to overcome on their own. Perhaps Steinbeck is implying that staying together as a group is extraordinarily important, even if circumstances try to split people up.

Rick Santorum proudly says that he does not believe in the Constitution

Rick Santorum proudly points out his history of ignoring the basic tenets of the Constitution, such as the separation of church and state. He has detailed his extensive history in pandering to high level church clerics, in order to win the Republican nomination. “When Kennedy said that we must have separation of church and state, I said I was disgusted. Well, I’m still disgusted, and I’m proud to not care at all about the Constitution. Since I said that, I might as well as say everything. I believe that we should go into a state of religious extremism.”

The nation is split over his statements. Some have decided to agree, such as devout Christian William Smith, say, “I personally don’t care about the Constitution. I’m not sure what it does, and I’ve never read it. It might as well as not exist, and Santorum is going to ensure that. I’m really more of a fan of the bible.” Others, however, still hold a belief in what people have deemed as a “silly” piece of paper that has governed this nation for centuries.

 

Newt Gingrich lies with a straight face, “I’m a Washington outsider”

Gingrich reveals that he considers himself an outsider from Washington, after they realized that he was too unethical even for their standards. Gingrich says in a televised statement, “I am a Washington outsider. Unlike my opponents, I have not made money from my political connections. I have only spent a few years as speaker of the house, and I did my best to help Bill Clinton return America to prosperity. I also have your interests at heart.”

Gingrich supporters have been quick to support Newt. In fact, his wife supported him at a speech, saying, “Gingrich shows true conservative family values. He holds America’s best interests at heart. He is a great person and a great caring husband.”

In an attack ad, Newt’s opponents have challenged him, saying, “My opponent, calls himself a Washington outsider. However, we all know what Washington outsiders are like… (ad flashes back to Obama saying he is a Washington outsider) We need a Washington insider to get things done, and I’m the right candidate for the job.”

Obama Responds With Speech

Obama has sent an impassioned plea to his supporters all around the country. “Please, please, vote for me. If you vote for me, I will give everyone in America 10 dollars. That’s right, 10 dollars.” Afterwards, Obama released a statement saying, “I’ve given you all health insurance. That’s a lot of money right there. How much more do I need to bribe you guys with?” Later, Obama staffers issued a correction saying, “How much more do I need to help the American people to get elected.” After his statement millions of Americans have praised Obama for his honesty, saying, “I thought I was paranoid and all, but as it turns out, I was right all along. I’m proud of you for revealing all politicians’ true intentions.”

Romney’s New Campaign Promise

Earlier, during an interview with the press, Mitt Romney attempted to sincerely connect with poorer voters. He said, “If I am elected and the situation is not getting better for America’s less fortunate, I will give 8 dollars to the bottom 10% of America. If I am elected that is.”

Romney is calculated as having a net worth of up to 250 million dollars. He has acquired his massive wealth through restructuring companies, hurting countless workers throughout the process. A former Bush staffer said, “I think this is exactly the thing that future presidents should all do. I’m sure that Karl Rove, Tom Delay, and other senior Republicans would approve of his promises.”

When Newt Gingrich questioned the ethics of Romney’s actions, Romney supporters were quick to criticize. Paul Longshorn, a self-described stalwart Republican who lives in Massachusetts, says: “This is exactly the problem with American politics. Everyone is just playing the political game. Romney’s selfless actions should serve as an example to all others.” Another avid Romney supporter, Arnold Snicklefritz, also said: “Who is Gingrich to question Romney’s ethics? Is this the man who had more than 80 ethics violations brought to him?