Top 30 Modern Classics - XIV

The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck

The Grapes of Wrath, written by American novelist, John Steinbeck, was published in 1939. The book won the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Tom Joad, on his parole from prison, returns to his home. On his way he meets Jim Casy, a former preacher. They find their home deserted. Their neighbor, Graves, informs them that Tom's family had moved to his uncle's home. Graves tells them that the banks have evict all the farmers, but he refuses to leave the area.

On reaching his uncle's home next day, Tom finds his family loading a truck with the remains of their possessions. The family had lost their crop and were unable to pay the banks back. The banks had taken possession of their land. Tom, with his family and Casy, leave for California for earning their livelihood.

They find the road crowded with other migrants. Along the road, Grandpa dies and they bury him in a field. Grandma dies close to the California state line. Tom,s eldest son, Noah, and Rivers, husband of pregnant Joad go their separate way. The remaining family continue to move towards California.

Reaching California, they find the state oversupplied with labor, so wages are low and workers are exploited. The big corporate farmers, collaborating edging out the small farmers. 

In response to the exploitation, Casy   becomes a labor organizer. The Joads work as strike breakers. Casy is involved in a strike that turns violent. When Tom Joad witnesses Casy's fatal beating, he kills the attacker and flees as a fugitive. The Joads later leave the orchard for a cotton farm, where Tom is at risk of arrest for the homicide.

He bids farewell to his mother, promising to work for the oppressed.

Let me not spoil by divulging the ending.

Please read the book. You will love it.

Namaste

Prabir