The Grapes of Wrath
Steinbeck wrote the great American novel about economic injustice — the Joad family's migration from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to the false promise of California.
“Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there.”
Why It Matters
Steinbeck wrote the great American novel about economic injustice — the Joad family's migration from the Oklahoma Dust Bowl to the false promise of California. The book outraged the powerful, moved the public, and directly influenced New Deal policy. It won the Pulitzer Prize and remains the most visceral portrayal of poverty in American literature.
Notable Quotes
“In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.”
“There ain't no sin and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do.”