AO5 - Critical Interpretations

Question 1

What does Crocket say about California?

Answer 1

‘Not a promise land but a blighted eden’ - appearance vs reality.

Question 2

What does Motley say about the family structure?

Answer 2

‘Joad family shifts from a patriarchal structure to a predominantly matriarchal one’.

Question 3

What did a Congressman in Oklahoma say about the novel?

Answer 3

‘Exposes nothing but the total depravity, vulgarity and degraded mentality of the author’ - Book was banned and seen by many as Communist.
People did not want to be made aware of the reality of the situation.

Question 4

What does Yanhong Fan say about Casy as a character?

Answer 4

‘His messages…considerably broaden man’s sense of spiritual community’.

Question 5

What does Hughs say about Steinbeck and the frontier?

Answer 5

“Steinbeck countered the idealism of the frontier”.

Question 6

What does Kronenberger say the novel is?

Answer 6

“Document of protest and compassion”

Question 7

What does Blades say the novel picks apart?

Answer 7

“The novel picks apart the wilful optimism of the pioneer and questions the limits of individualism”.

Question 8

What does Lisca say about Rose of Sharon’s breastfeeding?

Answer 8

“Out of the profoundest depth of despair comes the greatest assertion of faith”.

Question 9

What did Kunitz say about the book in 1939?

Answer 9

“It had to be written”