In John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, the lives of small hold farmers are shown to be uprooted not only by the forces of nature, as well as the forces of progress. One feels sympathy for the plight of farmers locked in a battle against a drought and an even more terrible “monster”, the bank. At the same time, one feels admiration for the stoicism which hallmarks these bleak lives. Both sympathy and …showed first 75 words of 1132 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1132 total…tenant farmers as well. Throughout the first third of the novel, Steinbeck develops the reader’s sympathy and admiration for those experiencing revolutions in their lives through his intercalary chapters, use of language, and depiction of nature. Steinbeck shows the great anguishes and achievements of families in a time of confusion. He shows a world in which men rise above the obstacles of life. He shows a world of hope. Written by: Emily Ann Kessler