Personal Review

The main reason I chose this book is because of the author, John Steinbeck. I like his writing style because it is very straightforward and is not too flowery like other classics I have read like The Scarlet Letter and A Tale of Two Cities. However, The Grapes of Wrath is comparatively long compared to Steinbeck's other books but is, nevertheless, able to stay to the point. As I stated in the text connections entry, I liked Steinbeck’s use of dialogue to drive the story. This gave me a real understanding of what his characters were like, and kept the book moving. On the other hand, this book was different from Steinbeck’s other books because it is not as concise and thoroughly edited, so it dragged in the middle. One reason I like this book is its connection and accuracy to history. While reading this book, I was studying the Great Depression in History class. My knowledge from History gave me a much better understanding of the social problems during the Great Depression and enhanced my reading experience and, in turn, enhanced my knowledge of History. Tenant farmers were perhaps the hardest hit portion of society during the Great Depression, and John Steinbeck explores how they were exploited, excluded from society, and unfairly looked down on, very accurate to actual history. The Grapes of Wrath is such a highly regarded book because of its vivid yet accurate portrayal of an important part in America’s history.