Fantastic...

Grapes of Wrath was a terrific book, depressing, but terrific. I found the union references quite timely considering what is happening in Wisconsin right now, and believe that those who are currently working as union members should understand what individuals experienced during the economic depression depicted in this novel.

An area I found especially interesting was the attitude of the Californians to the "Okies" who moved into their state as migrant workers. I find it interesting that the attitude toward migrants is much the same as it is today. Pay them as little as possible to ensure a strong profit and hold no responsibility to their well being.

The government camp described in the novel is something I am very much interested in learning more about. I am curious if these camps really existed during this time period and if they ran as they are depicted. I see these camps as a sort of commune, less the shared development of some sort of cottage industry that would keep them self-sufficient. I will look into the existence of these camps and hopefully learn more about their role in the salvation of those migrants that moved to California to survive.

I really enjoyed Grapes of Wrath. Tackling the entire book in a little less than two weeks even with a full work load is not something I usually do, but I found that I could not easily put it down. I especially liked how nearly every other chapter painted a picture of the every day Americans the Joad family may have encountered on their journey west. Steinbeck created strident images of these individuals and did so with honesty and empathy. I believe these people really did exist and probably still do. These interludes also propelled me to read on to find out what trauma would next affront the family.

All that being said, I have to find a book to read that isn't so depressing. I am still mulling over the final scenes of Grapes of Wrath with discomfort, which was probably Steinbeck's intention. I can't get the image of the family huddled in the barn clinging to a shred of hope out of my mind, not to mention the smile that spread across Rose of Sharon's face as she nursed a full grown man. Steinbeck's ability to paint a picture is fantastic and those images are still (unfortunately) burned into my mind.

While I am looking for a more upbeat, less sullen novel, I will tackle some Dostoeevsky. While I am fully aware that I will not escape a depression with Notes from Underground, it is at least short and will give me an opportunity to regroup and find a book that will lift my spirits.