Why do you guys think John Steinbeck wrote "The Grapes of Wrath"?

Question

I just finished reading it and i think it was a pretty good book, I think that he was trying to say that when a nation is faced with social problems we need to stick together. What do you think?

Answer 1

Stienbeck's family lived in the part of California that the migrants moved to. I agree that he is suggesting that we need to help each other through hardship but there is much more than this in the novel. There is a strong anti capitalist theme throughout the novel, the family being forced off because they cannot afford the land which is theirs at the start, the 'market forces' keeping labourers' wages low etc. I think he wrote it as a form of protest novel. The theme of capitalism is again discussed in Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent.

Steinbeck's major novels are generally about those who do not have a unified strong voice, Of Mice and Men is effectively Lennie's story and at the time it was written disabled people were very badly treated, in Cannery Row he writes about a group of bums and shows that they have more compassion for others than most sections of society.

Answer 2

STeinbeck was sent with a photographer Horace Bristol to write about the Migrant workers. His job was to write the photoblurbs . He saw these people, followed them and saw their story and humanity and expanded on it. If you can find the pictures you will see it.

Answer 3

Yes. He might also have been touching on the positive and negative aspects of human nature, such as morality, love and greed. He explores frustration and perseverence, loyalty.

Answer 4

But I do know why he wrote 'of mice and men'