The Grapes of Wrath - Question 6

Why do we still read this book? What is so timeless about its message and characters?

Just like any other book on a summer reading list, there is always a reason for reading the story. This book did not just come out on the best seller's list, so we don't read it because it is the next big hit of a novel. I really found this story quite boring, but there are obvious reasons that we still read the story. This story translates the timeless message of the importance of family. The Joads learned that together, they were much stronger than if they were apart. They needed each other to stay strong through out their difficult journey. The story depicted actual lives during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, and that is partially why it is such an important story to read. The reader can easily relate to the main message of the story, and that would be the importance of family. Steinbeck was able to create a scenario that was much like one that actually happened, and that is why the book was so popular. It was a fictional story that depicted the actual way that people lived during the Great Depression, and people loved that. It could even possibly be called historical fiction because of its historical content mixed with fictitious characters.

My writers block is killing me right now, but this book has such a clear message that nothing can stop me. The book almost put me to sleep reading it, but the profound message of lies and deceit is clear throughout the book. This story tells us that we can't believe everything that we hear. Even stuff written in the news papers isn't always true, and that came back to haunt the Joads when they traveled to California in search of life and work. It was all a show put on by the farm owners in California, and the story helps to show us to make sure we know what we're getting into before we do it.

Steinbeck, John, and Robert J. DeMott. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.