BOOKWORM TIP OF THE MONTH
John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath”
John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” is a classic so ‘What are you waiting for?’ For the Cliff’s Notes crowd it might suffice to say that this story, set among the agricultural valleys of California’s central coast during the 1930’s Depression, is a concise encapsulation of capitalism’s history, and its effects on both its players and its environment. Understand the economics and tactics at play within The Grapes of Wrath and you will be a long way toward seeing the tragedy of blind obedience to any dogma: Just as ‘pure communism’ is an impossible dream which relies on the benevolence of our fellow workers and ignores that we are all lazy to varying degrees, ‘pure capitalism’ is a just-as-impossible scheme which relies on the benevolence of our fellow capitalists and ignores that we are all greedy to varying degrees. Steinbeck paints human portraits, with connect-the-dots and coloring lessons for us to follow. Will we see and will we listen? (By the way, for the non-readers in the audience, Henry Fonda stars as Tom Joad in the classic movie version of this tale.)