The Grapes of Wrath is to be admired because it was a widely read book that exposed what was happening in California at the time. It revealed the atrocities shown by Californians to the immigrants. Although it was a great topic to write about and written for the right purposes, I did not like the book. The author is trying to show that the "Okies" are as smart and human as everyone else, yets he creates the stupidest characters. They repeat the same thing over and over and will not listen to reason. Although they show humanity they do not show common sense.
I dislike the Ma because she is so aggravating. She acts like without her, the family would sit around doing nothing, because she makes them have family meetings about things they all know and saying it out loud changes nothing. She constantly repeats herself like saying I knew Pretty boy Floyd over and over, even though Tom shows no anger management issues. Also, she constantly says they have to keep in the future and adjust, and claims she changes easily, but all she does is look at the past and whine that others are, too. Ma tries not to let the family change at all, not even letting them marry and start their own family in their own house like they did in Oklahoma. It seems she doesn't want anyone to grow up or evolve in the slightest. It is annoying how Ma refuses to tell Rose of Sharen that Connie is a jerk who left her and no-good, but whenever Rose of Sharen complains about Connie being gone Ma yells, but doesn't say anything to stop the whining and threatens to hit her, and then she is exasperated when Rose of Sharen continues whining even though she was given no reason to stop. Ma scolds everybody if they are regrettful of somethings they have done, but Ma constantly complains of becoming mean when the children speak and act worse than her.
I like how Steinbeck has a chapter about the family, and then a shorter chapter about all the migrants in a related scenario to the Joad chapter. It helps show other possible outcomes, including the worst scenario, without making the actual story gloomy and depressing. General information given in the short chapter helps to understand some of the things people say. Unfortunately, because the book was written in 1939, I don't always get the particulars people back then would have found obvious. Money is an example. Because prices are so different now, I can't tell just how poor 30 cents in hour is, or how big a change 30 cents to 20 is back then. Although I get it is enough of a difference for one to be able to scrape by and the other not, I cannot figure how much food the money can buy. Also when businessmen are selling stuff, I do not know how badly they are ripping the person off.
Grapes of Wrath have two contradicting ideas. One is that we have to change to live and be human, and so change is a good thing. This is shown in numerous conversations that state the family needs to move on from the past to the present in order to survive. The other is that the Industrial Revolution should never of happened. The author shows this with his narrative saying that the growing machine industry causes the problems and makes people cruel and cold. Also it describe machines as dead and destroying the farmer's understanding of the land, making the land unappreciated. This suggests that the changing, evolving world is a bad thing. The novel also states many a time that the changes are like a step forward and you never lose ground and go backwards. He makes this out as a good thing. This makes the ideas contradicting because the book says all change is a step forward which is a good thing, but also advancements in machines is not good.
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I love your post because I have so much to say, but I won't. I am only going to focus on one or two things. First, I must say common sense is not that common. I love that phrase because it is so true. We only use the common sense we have because our common sense is based on our experiences. Education is a key factor to creating common sense, and not just a formal education. Many people are edcuated on the streets and what their definition of common sense is will greatly differ from my definition (trust me, I've experienced that discussion). But I digress...
ReplyDeleteYour last paragraph struck me the most. I would like for you to read the short story "Arrival at Auschwitz" when you have a chance (don't worry it's not more required reading). This passage is told from the point of view of a 'prisoner' in the camp. The one thing that struck me in this story was that man can get used to anything. Do you agree with this statement? Your last paragraph suggests that The Grapes of Wrath offers the idea that the Industrial Revolution should have never happened. Of course I don't agree with that, because I think change is good and can be healthy; but fast forward 70 years, do you see the same thing being said about the age of technology? Just like the machines cause problems and make people cruel and cold, don't you see that happening now because of technology? Think of the way we communicate and how we don't have to deal with each other in person if we don't want to (i.e. texting, on-line dating, Facebook, blogging). Can technology be destroying people's understanding of each other?
I know you can't fathom the prices and costs of things, but look at the situations from 70 years ago. Do you think history is repeating itself only in a different way? Just curious about your thoughts.
Yes technology can make people cruel and cold, but what I mostly meant by that is the author makes that seem like that was the only result from technology, and did not mention how it can be beneficial too. I don't believe technology destroys understanding. If you wish to understand people you can easily do so. I think some people do not wish to understand people, like the business men in Grapes of Wrath because then they would feel bad about the way they treat them, but they cannot understand with or without technology, like the bankers sending other men for them. What aspect of history do you mean of repeating itself? If your talding about taking advantage of people and some thinking they are superior to others, it never stopped.
ReplyDeleteNot necessarily people taking advantage of others, because you are correct about that. What I was thinking was the economic state of the country. Can you see the Grapes of Wrath occuring now in our 21st century?
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about people understanding people. How do we, though, begin to try to understand people? Where does it start? Your generation is known as the "Now Generation", even though many of you don't fit the definition. Your generation is seen as not having time nor giving time to try to understand others. One study out of Michigan Univ. suggests that students are 40% less empathetic than their peers of 20-30 years ago. Do you agree with that? Or is that an unfair statement to make toward your generation? I find the study and its results very interesting, especially as a teacher of the "Now Generation".