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As vinhas da ira by John Steinbeck

35 reviews

surdiablo's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was my first fully fledged novel Steinbeck novel and honestly, I had my doubts. Sure, I loved The Pearl and Of Mice and Men but they were novellas, and I wasn't sure if he could keep me enthralled in its entirety when it comes to a 500+ page novel. I am happy to say he actually pulled that off, and it was really impressive considering half of the book is about a

'road trip'

while the other half mainly involves

people moving around and working in farms.

Those are generally not the most exciting events for me to read about, but somehow this one was a page-turner. It was a ruminative experience, something so poignant yet hopeful at the same time. Not sure if I can do justice to this book with my thoughts ( might edit this review later ), but I can't talk further without getting into spoilers as well so feel free to stop reading here if you mind those.

So Grapes of Wrath focuses on the Great Depression and the mass migration that happened during that era. We read about the Joads family embarking on such a long journey towards California after losing their land and the several hardships faced by them during and after the aforementioned journey. It's definitely one of the most immersive novels I have ever read, since as I felt as if I was with them throughout the whole time, witnessing everything first-hand, sharing their pain. The prose is nothing short of amazing ( ofc it's bloody Steinbeck we are talking about so that was never in question! ) and everything just felt so raw and real. I have never empathized with a family so swiftly and wholeheartedly like I did in this novel, and I think Steinbeck nails the characterization, dialogue and atmosphere in such a way that even the people that appeared for a short time managed to instill such a keen sense of sadness in me due to how real it felt. I never really cried at any part ( which is extremely rare when it comes to books anyway ) but there were several moments that left me either shocked or devastated, like when

the Joad family left Wilsons behind, Preacher's sudden brutal death, the ending itself which felt a bit weird at first, but fitting if you ask me now considering what it truly conveys.

I liked the biblical parallels, and regardless of how depressing things were, there was always light at the end of the tunnel. Tom, Ma Joad and Preacher were my favorite characters and the strength and iron-will exuded by Ma Joad throughout the story is nothing short of inspiring. The ending is a bit abrupt for sure and makes you wonder

what happened to everyone after, but I think that's intentional and apt. Did the Joads survive or did they starve to death? How can they possibly survive winter without money and food? We do not know. They are just one family like the hundred thousand others remaining stuck there without any financial means. But they will always help each other no matter what ( Except for Al perhaps, screw that horny boy! 😄). I think both Tom and Rose of Sharon's arcs help to move us from caring about Joads family only to the plight of everyone in general.

Tom's arc was also great considering

the novel pretty much started with him and the preacher, and he eventually follows the road paved by the latter.

The only thing I would consider as a drawback ( which personally isn't a drawback for me since I find it powerful and it fits the theme very well ) is that the somewhat 'meta commentary' can occasionally feel a bit heavy-handed. I can see people considering this book simply a tirade against Capitalism or as Communist propaganda only, but I think there's more to it than all that. For me it's about the everlasting hope and persistence, that innate goodness within us, helping people even during our worst moments ( signified further by that ending ). It also shines light upon how hard people suffered back then, how hard refugees these days may suffer, and how easily they can be dehumanized ( I feel like we could always use more empathy when it comes to these matters in general anyway ). Steinbeck acted as a voice for those unfortunate souls back then, and considering the current affairs, it remains eternally relevant. This quote below is a favorite of mine and conveys the message way better than I ever could.

"Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live—for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died. And fear the time when the strikes stop while the great owners live—for every little beaten strike is proof that the step is being taken. And this you can know—fear the time when Manself will not suffer and die for a concept, for this one quality is the foundation of Manself, and this one quality is man, distinctive in the universe."

I think it's safe to say this novel is gonna stay in my mind for a while.. Can't wait to read East of Eden one day but I will get to Cannery Row and other novellas before that, saving the best for last.

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gabriella_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

God, what a great read.
Let me start with the problems.

I have some critiques. First - I felt like it didn’t capture the breadth of displaced Americans for the time. Second - It was very white-centric and seemed to buy into Manifest Destiny shit. I take major issue with both of these. These are my narrative issues

Clearly not as pressing but the pacing at point was inconsistent and dragged on. But I know at points that was the point.

Now the pros.
I really loved the way Ma and Tom were characterized throughout. The family relations at points felt complex. There were really moving moments throughout, and great commentary that’s still relevant now.

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gewrgia_lightwood's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

One of the best books I’ve ever come across
Beautiful writing, brilliant story. Touching, hard, raw.

It deals with a very real problem, a problem as relevant now as ever. The consequences of capitalism, of greed, of money as a ruler are spread thought out this book.
If there is one thing to take away from this book is that solidarity and kindness will always be the weapon of the people. It’s at the darkest times, the people come closer, the people speak up, the people rise up.

Μόνο ο λαός σώζει τον λαό.

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mondovertigo's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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emilymhb's review against another edition

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adventurous dark hopeful slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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kaitoro_walker13's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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arszania's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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carpetconcretecrocodile's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

(4.5 Stars)

One of John Steinbeck’s greatest writing strengths, to me, is his ability to craft realistic scenarios that connect with people and encourage examinations of human life. And despite my love for East of Eden, I find that The Grapes of Wrath truly exemplifies that strength the most, and it makes perfect sense that it was banned upon release.

The way economic and social disparity is described in this book is often harrowing. The way each character in the Joad family portrays different personalities’ reaction to these disparities is part of what makes it so harrowing, as often times you can relate these characters to people that may be in your life, or perhaps even yourself. And I believe that’s how Steinbeck riled so many people up with this book- showing average, realistic people taking on the horrors that the Great Depression befell onto them, which allows for a much deeper connection and emotional response to the themes.

I found this book amazing, and it’s hard to describe in detail why that is. So I implore anyone who hasn’t to read it, and find out themselves.

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another_dahlia's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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thecriticalreader's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I bought The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck because I enjoyed reading Of Mice and Men in high school.

Blurb:

In this novel, Steinbeck alternates between macro and micro views of history. The bulk of the book follows the Joad family as they are forced out of their farmland by corporate landowners during the manmade environmental crisis known as the Dust Bowl. They pile their large family and most important worldly possessions into a sedan-turned-pickup truck and make the arduous drive from Oklahoma to California in search of work. In the alternating shorter chapters, Steinbeck outlines the migration of sharecroppers and other poor farmers from regions affected by the Dust Bowl to California, where they struggled due to low wages, inhumane business practices, and hostile locals. These chapters frame the story of the Joads as part of a larger historical movement.

Review:

There is no getting around the fact that The Grapes of Wrath is a slow-paced read, description-heavy, and full of small details. However, this appears to be intentional—any boredom or frustration the reader feels helps them empathize with the main characters, who must tediously travel halfway across the country in an old, rickety sedan-turned-pickup truck that could break down at any moment. Herein lies the genius of The Grapes of Wrath: Steinbeck writes his narrative and characters so realistically that I actually felt as though I was along for the ride with the Joads as they drove to California and searched desperately for work. Every character in this novel feels like a real human being, and Steinbeck avoids falling into the common trap of depicting lower-class characters as either monstrous or angelic. I rooted for the Joads every step of the way: their victories were my victories, their defeats my defeats. Their dialogue is full of wisdom: if I were a person who annotated my books, I would have highlighted and starred several phrases per page.

The realistic portrayal of the migrants and their travails as well as the intelligent, brilliantly written social commentary transforms this book into a powerful anti-capitalist work. I have never read a book that so effectively made me despise capitalism and the American police institution. Steinbeck achieves this without appearing preachy or sacrificing the realism of his story. The Grapes of Wrath absolutely deserves its status as a Pulitzer Prize winner and American masterpiece.

Sidenote:
The Grapes of Wrath contains several instances of sexism and racism (including the occasional use of the n-word). The racism is restricted to a handful of off-hand remarks made by the characters, while the sexism shows up more frequently. However, these instances serve mainly to accurately reflect the attitudes of the people it follows, and I personally did not get the feeling that the author was championing such views. The story itself contains several strong, capable, well-written female characters and the book’s overall message champions human dignity. However, every reader will have their own interpretation of these aspects of the book, and it is important to keep in mind if you are sensitive to these topics in literature.

The Run-Down:

You will probably like The Grapes of Wrath if:

· You have enjoyed other works by Steinbeck (if you have not read any of his other work, I recommend starting out with a short story or novella by him first to see if you like his writing style)

· You are a fan of the artistic movement known as realism and/or you enjoy stories that realistically portray the lives of everyday, working-class people

· You want to learn more about the human side of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl

· You are interested in anti-capitalist and anti-police literature

· You have experienced displacement from your home due to environmental, political, or social factors

You might not like The Grapes of Wrath if:

· You dislike description-heavy, slow-paced books where “nothing happens” for pages on end

· You dislike stories with ambiguous/open endings

· You want to read a cheerful story

A Similar Book:

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906). Similarities between The Jungle and The Grapes of Wrath include:

· Stories that follow migrant working-class families who attempt to build a life for themselves in a harsh, cruel capitalist system

· Pro-socialist messages

· Realistic depictions of working conditions in American history

Content Warnings

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