Literary Analysis #6

1. For my sixth literary analysis I chose Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. This novel is a fictional story based on the historical dust bowl event that took place in the United States during the 1930's. In the story a family, called the Joad family, is kicked out of their home by the banks and forced to travel around California working various low paying jobs including field workers. Through out the course of the story the family cases many tragedies including financial hardships, depression, and death.
2. The main theme of the novel is the importance of family despite all the hardships the Joad's are forced to face they remain strong due to each others physical and emotion support. They prove that family is all that you really need in this world.
3. Steinbeck's tone within the novel is strong willed and persistent. He continual brings up topics and relationships relating those back to previous analogies. Through this repetition he makes Tom Joad, the main character, experience my experience in a literary sense.
4. Steinbeck incorporates numerous literary devices into the novel Grapes of Wrath including tone, imagery, figurative language, symbolism, allegory, allusions, similes, hyperbole, motif, and personification.
"Sure - I seen it. But sometimes a guy'll be a good guy even if some rich bastard makes him carry a sticker." Chapter 2, pg. 9
  "sleeping life waiting to be spread and dispersed." Chapter 3, pg. 17
 "Muley's got a-holt of somepin, an' it's too big for him, an' it's too big for me." Chapter 6 , pg. 61
"He'd come to our house in the night sometimes, an' we knowed he come 'cause jus' as sure as he come there'd be a pack of gum in the bed right beside ever' one of us. We thought he was Jesus Christ Awmighty." Chapter 8, pg. 87
  "It ain't kin we? It's will we... As far as 'kin.' We can't do nothin', not go to California or nothin'; but as far as "will,' why, we'll do what we will." Chapter 10, pg. 130
 "66 is the path of a people in flight, refugees from dust and shrinking land, from the thunder of tractors and invasion, from the twisting winds that howl up out of Texas, from floods that bring no richness to the lnad and steal what little richness is there." Chapter 12, pg. 150
  "refire the faith forever." Chapter 12, pg. 155
"the quality of owning freezes you forever into 'I,' and cuts you off forever from the 'we.'" Chapter 14, pg. 193
"Now look-a-here, fella. You got that eye wide open. An' ya dirty, ya stink. Ya jus' askin' for it. Ya like it. Lets ya feel sorry for yaself. 'Course ya can't get no woman with that empty eye flappin' aroun'. Put somepin over it an' wash ya face." Chapter 16, pg. 229 
"They hate you 'cause they're scairt. They know a hungry fella gonna get food even if he got to take it. They know that fallow lan' s a sin an' somebody' gonna take it." Chapter 18, pg. 262
"The cop was right. A crop raised - why, that makes ownership. Land howed and carrots eaten - a man might fight for land he's taken food from." Chapter 19, pg. 302
 "And now the great owners and the companies invented a new method. A great owner bought a cannery. And when the peaches and the pears were ripe he cut the price of fruit below the price of raising it. And as cannery owner he paid himself a low price for the fruit and kept the price of canned goods up and took his profit." Chapter 21, pg. 363
 "Wisht I knowed what all the sins was, so I could do 'em. The migrants looked humbly for pleasure on the roads." Chapter 23, pg. 421
 "Goin' away ain't gona ease us. It's gonna bear us down...They was the time when we was on the lan'. They was a boundary to us then. Ol' folks dies off, an' little fellas come, an' we was one thing - we was the fambly - kinda whole and clear. An' we ain't clear no more." Chapter 26, pg. 500
  "Well, this fella don' want no hangin', 'cause he'd do it again. An' same time, he don't aim to bring trouble down on his folks. Ma - I got to go." Chapter 26, pg. 509
 "Use' ta be the fambly was fust. It ain't so now. It's anybody. Worse off we get, the more we got to do." Chapter 30, pg. 566

 Characterization:
1. Steinbeck uses both direct and indirect characterization when establishing his characters and relationships. A few examples of indirect characterization would be when the family responds to seeing Tom after his stay in prison or when they arrive in California. He uses direct characterization when depicting Tom's inner feeling and emotions which lead to his physical actions.
2. Yes the authors syntax and diction definitely changes when he switches the focus from character to character. Especially between the two main characters Tom and Jim. His use of this technique better defines the characters and their personalities.
3. After reading the book I do feel as if I've met some of these people rather than just read about them. In my opinion I think this is due to the author's repetition of facts and topics that truly drills the concepts of sorrow and sadness into my mind.