And voila, there lies one of my favorite quotes from the novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. The Grapes of Wrath has long been regarded as a centerpiece part of American literature –and with good reason. While it may not be the most exciting or thrilling book you’ll come across (I admit, it wasn’t for me), it handily and evocatively accomplishes the task of spinning the migration of working-class Americans due to the Dust Bowl in the ‘30s into an unforgettable story and piece of literature. Few could accomplish what John Steinbeck has done with this book. I urge you to take a crack at this novel so you can more completely understand what made America the nation it is today and be immersed in the touching tale of one American family engaged in the struggle for survival in the Dust Bowl era.

 But first, allow me to give you a brief rundown of the story. The family at the center of our story is one from Oklahoma known as the Joads, and our protagonist is Tom Joad, who is described at the beginning of the novel as having recently gotten out of prison on parole. Tom and his mother, Ma, are the leaders of the Joad family, while Grandpa and Pa are its unofficial heads. Al, Noah, and Rosasharn Joad are all siblings of Tom who will be somewhat significant throughout as well. After getting released from the prison, Tom hitchhikes to the spot of his family’s home only to find that it has been demolished. Soon, however, he’s able to locate his family, whom he finds has just been preparing to set off for California to escape the looming starvation and hardships caused by the Dust Bowl. The only thing is is that the road to California and California itself are no refuges from the existing hardships faced by the Joads; rather, they ultimately amplify the family’s misery. 

What I find to be the best quality of this novel is Steinbeck’s emphasis on and theme of human perseverance and kindness in the face of hardship. Examples range from the Wilsons, a couple the Joads encounter on their trek to California, offering their tent and blanket for the sick Grandpa to rest on; a waitress selling candies to a migrant family with kids for a penny rather than a nickel; and a migrant family in the government camp that appears later in the story sharing their expensive meal of bacon and eggs as well as a scarce job opportunity with Tom. Steinbeck, I think, really explores what it means to be human in this novel, as well as the values of perseverance and kindness, which make this novel into the masterpiece that it is. 

I find that when readers come across “classic books,” they often try to read too deeply into them. While this is not necessarily bad because it can allow you to see cool elements of the book that the author has put in, it can easily discourage you from actually getting through the book since that takes a lot of time and effort, not to mention that you can get frustrated if you don’t understand certain aspects of the book. For your first time through a classic book, I recommend that you treat it like any other book that you’d read for pure enjoyment and relaxation. If you’re truly bothered by not understanding a certain part, Google it, but try not to do this too often. As written above, The Grapes of Wrath isn’t the most exciting book, but it wasn’t meant for that purpose. Rather, it was a piece of literature created to document a part of American history in a deeply moving way. 

But getting away from that tangent, with The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck truly captures the raw emotions and struggles of working-class Americans who were forced to migrate due to the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. The Joads will experience everything from the death or loss of some of their family members to car breakdowns and dilapidated living conditions throughout the novel The little details, the “showing and not telling,” throughout the novel that Steinbeck does also help to make this book great. For example, take the following excerpt: “Inside the screened restaurant a radio played, quiet dance music turned low the way it is when no one is listening. A small outlet fan turned silently in its circular hole over the entrance, and flies buzzed excitedly about the doors and windows, butting the screens… Now and then the flies roared softly at the screen door. The coffee machine spurted steam, and the waitress, without looking, reached behind her and shut it off.” From this, we as readers get some great and relatable imagery of the roadside restaurant and are able to tell that the waitress has done her job at the restaurant for quite some time now. 

I think it would be difficult for anyone who is not a young adult or older to truly appreciate this novel, but that doesn’t mean that if you are younger, you shouldn’t give it a whirl. And while it may not necessarily be engaging or super interesting to those of you who don’t really enjoy historical fiction, I believe what will pull you in is the powerful and moving scenes throughout the book depicting relationships and interactions between characters in the face of immense challenges. I highly recommend that you at least try reading this great American classic.