Perform a close reading of any passage or short chapter in The Grapes of Wrath, examining its use of theme, setting, tone, figurative language, allusions, etc.
The Grapes of Wrath not only criticizes the socio-economic problems provoked by capitalism, but advocates (moral courage) as the answer to conflicts and hostilities. In Chapter 29, Steinbeck emphasizes that although nature’s omnipotent power of destruction is beyond human control, moral courage can sustain hope and faith in life. This theme is successfully achieved in this short but significant intercalary chapter through the effective use of figurative language and diction, leading to the memorable ending in Chapter 30 where Rose of Sharon selflessly suckles the dying man.
The narration paints a vivid setting of the destitute land. The clouds, wind and rain are personified as the destructive forces of nature. The gray clouds are ‘march[ing] in from the ocean’. The aggressive verb ‘march’ presents the military nature of the clouds, foreshadowing how this strong army overpowers humans and land. Contradicting auditory images describe the wind that ‘swished in the bush’ and ‘roared in the forests’. The auditory verb ‘swished’ depicts the swift, stealthy action of the wind as it passes the bush; whereas the contrasting auditory verb ‘roared’ reminds us the wind has a violent impact on the land. The adverbs ‘fiercely and silently’ are oxymoron describing how the wind overwhelms humans brutally without announcing its arrival.
Rain is also personified as it ‘whipped the shining water’ and ‘whipped up the surfaces [of the fields]’. The repetitive use of the relentless verb ‘whipped’ illustrates the rain’s physical force and portrays it as a powerful tormentor of land and humans. The action of the rain and its impact on the land are emphasized by the parallel structure ‘the streams and the little rivers edged up to the bank sides’, ‘worked at willows and tree roots’, ‘bent the willows deep in the current’ ‘cut out the roots of cottonwood’ and ‘brought down the trees.’ This parallel structure consists of phrases starting with a powerful verb that inflicts misery on
The narration paints a vivid setting of the destitute land. The clouds, wind and rain are personified as the destructive forces of nature. The gray clouds are ‘march[ing] in from the ocean’. The aggressive verb ‘march’ presents the military nature of the clouds, foreshadowing how this strong army overpowers humans and land. Contradicting auditory images describe the wind that ‘swished in the bush’ and ‘roared in the forests’. The auditory verb ‘swished’ depicts the swift, stealthy action of the wind as it passes the bush; whereas the contrasting auditory verb ‘roared’ reminds us the wind has a violent impact on the land. The adverbs ‘fiercely and silently’ are oxymoron describing how the wind overwhelms humans brutally without announcing its arrival.
Rain is also personified as it ‘whipped the shining water’ and ‘whipped up the surfaces [of the fields]’. The repetitive use of the relentless verb ‘whipped’ illustrates the rain’s physical force and portrays it as a powerful tormentor of land and humans. The action of the rain and its impact on the land are emphasized by the parallel structure ‘the streams and the little rivers edged up to the bank sides’, ‘worked at willows and tree roots’, ‘bent the willows deep in the current’ ‘cut out the roots of cottonwood’ and ‘brought down the trees.’ This parallel structure consists of phrases starting with a powerful verb that inflicts misery on