Problems In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath
This novel takes place during the great depression where a farmer named Jeeter Lester, his wife Ada, and two out of all of his children (Ellie May and dude) live in a beat up home on Tobacco Road. Their home had ran in Jeeters family for many generations where all who owned the place were farmers. Jeeter, however, falls to a very unfortunate lifestyle and becomes lazy and doubtful. He is incapable to grow and sell his crops for several years. When the bank stops by one day to collect rent, Jeeter is unable to pay. They tell him he has a week to give the bank the money owed or they must leave the property. Shortly after, Lov Bensey walks past the Lesters house carrying a bag of turnips. He decides to stop and talk to Jeeter for some advice on
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his relationship with one of his daughters. When Lov is distracted by Ellie May, Jeeter takes the opportunity and steals the bag of turnips for his family and self who are desperate. The next day Jeeter tries to sell cut wood to get money for seed, but he fails. He and his son stop by sister Bessies house for a prayer. After sister Bessie is done praying with them she gets very caught up with Dude and soon after forces him into marriage. She buys him a new automobile to bribe him into staying with her. Dude gets very excited and accepts, leaving his parents to struggle by themselves. Jeeter gets very angry at what his life has come to and decides to burn the field for planting even though he has nothing to farm with for it. The fire looked as if it were fine and would go out soon enough so he goes back inside to rest. During the night, the fire spreads and burns down the house where Ada and Jeeter were sleeping. The following morning Dude comes by the house and finds his parents dead. He buries them, has Bessie pay the bank rent on the property, and decides to use the land for himself.
The story was told from a life of poverty point of view which gets the reader emotionally engaged in the story.
The Lesters, not even able to afford food makes you think twice about how grateful everyone should be in their life for all they have. When Lov stops by the Lesters home carrying a sack of turnips, the daughter feels tortured, “She could sometimes stand the pain of it in her stomach when she knew there was nothing to eat, but when Lov stood in full view taking turnips out of the sack, she could not bear the sight of seeing food no one would let her have.” And so she manipulates Lov for the turnips by seducing him ( Caldwell 18). After Jeeter goes through the city in desperation for money or help and leaves with nothing returns home to Ada “Though it sometimes looks like a rich man will never help the poor; whereas the poor people will give away everything they has to help somebody who ain’t got nothing. That’s how it looks to me. Don’t seem like it ought to be that way, but I reckon the rich ain’t got no time to fool with us poor folks.” He says in doubt of any hope (Caldwell 36). They looked up to god a lot in a story as their only hope “The Lord knows everything. He has his reasons” Jeeter tells his family (Caldwell 54). This shows the reader that when in doubt to turn to
god.
None of the characters in this book developed; positively atleast. They all either remained the same, ran away from their problems, or became even worse of a person. For instance, Jeeter the main character did live in poverty but that is partially his own fault. He was a very lazy, doubtful, and a dependent man but he did have the opportunity to change that “Working in cotton mills might be all right for some people,he says, but as for him, he would rather die of starvation than leave the land.” he said when the banker offered the solution (Caldwell 97). Yet he still complained about how miserable his life was and how he had nothing to do about it “He still could not understand why he had nothing, and would never have anything, and there was no one who knew and who could tell him. It was the unsolved mystery of his life.” he did not take any responsibility for how his life was and he always blamed it on other events or people “He sometimes said it was partly his own fault, but he believed steadfastly that his position had been brought about by other people.” and due to this, caused him and his wife to die (Caldwell 123). Mr. Bessie was also a strange character who claimed to be so religious but at the same time, she showed signs of being very uneducated on the subject “Good preachers don’t preach about God and heaven, and things like that. They always preach against something, like hell and the devil. Them is things to be against. It wouldn’t do a preacher no good to preach for God. He’s got to preach against the devil and all wicked and sinful things. That’s what the people like to hear about. They want to hear about the bad things.” She says giving advice to Jeeter (Calwell 70). After Jeeter and Dude say a prayer with her asking for forgiveness to god she asks if they still have any of the turnips they stole from Lov. Jeeter pulls only one out of his pocket, she takes it and eats it herself.
After reading this novel I have learned a few things. One of those things is that complaining about a situation when doing nothing at all to fix it won't change a thing. I also learned that you can not depend on only god in a situation when he is the one most likely giving you the problem to work it out yourself. In the story when Jeeter comes to no hope he says “maybe god intended it to be such way” (Calwell 116). He thinks god will take care of his situation for him basically “That's why I ain't leaving the land and going to Augusta to live in a durn cotton mill. He put me here, and he ain't never told me to get off and go up there.Thats why i’m staying on the land!” he claims as a kind of excuse (Caldwell 107).
Overall the book was a good read. Though there was not much happening in the story it seemed, it didn't bore me enough to stop reading. Though the solutions majority of the characters had come up with through the book could've been a little easier resolved since some weren't as big as then they made them seem. Nevertheless, in the end, the book does give a good message. I could never imagine living a lifestyle like the Lesters did. I would recommend this book to others, especially people who are not grateful for all they have in life.
his relationship with one of his daughters. When Lov is distracted by Ellie May, Jeeter takes the opportunity and steals the bag of turnips for his family and self who are desperate. The next day Jeeter tries to sell cut wood to get money for seed, but he fails. He and his son stop by sister Bessies house for a prayer. After sister Bessie is done praying with them she gets very caught up with Dude and soon after forces him into marriage. She buys him a new automobile to bribe him into staying with her. Dude gets very excited and accepts, leaving his parents to struggle by themselves. Jeeter gets very angry at what his life has come to and decides to burn the field for planting even though he has nothing to farm with for it. The fire looked as if it were fine and would go out soon enough so he goes back inside to rest. During the night, the fire spreads and burns down the house where Ada and Jeeter were sleeping. The following morning Dude comes by the house and finds his parents dead. He buries them, has Bessie pay the bank rent on the property, and decides to use the land for himself.
The story was told from a life of poverty point of view which gets the reader emotionally engaged in the story.
The Lesters, not even able to afford food makes you think twice about how grateful everyone should be in their life for all they have. When Lov stops by the Lesters home carrying a sack of turnips, the daughter feels tortured, “She could sometimes stand the pain of it in her stomach when she knew there was nothing to eat, but when Lov stood in full view taking turnips out of the sack, she could not bear the sight of seeing food no one would let her have.” And so she manipulates Lov for the turnips by seducing him ( Caldwell 18). After Jeeter goes through the city in desperation for money or help and leaves with nothing returns home to Ada “Though it sometimes looks like a rich man will never help the poor; whereas the poor people will give away everything they has to help somebody who ain’t got nothing. That’s how it looks to me. Don’t seem like it ought to be that way, but I reckon the rich ain’t got no time to fool with us poor folks.” He says in doubt of any hope (Caldwell 36). They looked up to god a lot in a story as their only hope “The Lord knows everything. He has his reasons” Jeeter tells his family (Caldwell 54). This shows the reader that when in doubt to turn to
god.
None of the characters in this book developed; positively atleast. They all either remained the same, ran away from their problems, or became even worse of a person. For instance, Jeeter the main character did live in poverty but that is partially his own fault. He was a very lazy, doubtful, and a dependent man but he did have the opportunity to change that “Working in cotton mills might be all right for some people,he says, but as for him, he would rather die of starvation than leave the land.” he said when the banker offered the solution (Caldwell 97). Yet he still complained about how miserable his life was and how he had nothing to do about it “He still could not understand why he had nothing, and would never have anything, and there was no one who knew and who could tell him. It was the unsolved mystery of his life.” he did not take any responsibility for how his life was and he always blamed it on other events or people “He sometimes said it was partly his own fault, but he believed steadfastly that his position had been brought about by other people.” and due to this, caused him and his wife to die (Caldwell 123). Mr. Bessie was also a strange character who claimed to be so religious but at the same time, she showed signs of being very uneducated on the subject “Good preachers don’t preach about God and heaven, and things like that. They always preach against something, like hell and the devil. Them is things to be against. It wouldn’t do a preacher no good to preach for God. He’s got to preach against the devil and all wicked and sinful things. That’s what the people like to hear about. They want to hear about the bad things.” She says giving advice to Jeeter (Calwell 70). After Jeeter and Dude say a prayer with her asking for forgiveness to god she asks if they still have any of the turnips they stole from Lov. Jeeter pulls only one out of his pocket, she takes it and eats it herself.
After reading this novel I have learned a few things. One of those things is that complaining about a situation when doing nothing at all to fix it won't change a thing. I also learned that you can not depend on only god in a situation when he is the one most likely giving you the problem to work it out yourself. In the story when Jeeter comes to no hope he says “maybe god intended it to be such way” (Calwell 116). He thinks god will take care of his situation for him basically “That's why I ain't leaving the land and going to Augusta to live in a durn cotton mill. He put me here, and he ain't never told me to get off and go up there.Thats why i’m staying on the land!” he claims as a kind of excuse (Caldwell 107).
Overall the book was a good read. Though there was not much happening in the story it seemed, it didn't bore me enough to stop reading. Though the solutions majority of the characters had come up with through the book could've been a little easier resolved since some weren't as big as then they made them seem. Nevertheless, in the end, the book does give a good message. I could never imagine living a lifestyle like the Lesters did. I would recommend this book to others, especially people who are not grateful for all they have in life.