According to wartzmans book, obscene in the extreme, he addresses the banning of the novel and the publics condemnation of steinbecks. The book was not banned in the entire usa, only in a few towns in the west, primarily california. In this lesson, well explore the various reasons why john steinbecks the grapes of wrath 1939 was banned, challenged, and burned. Since its publication in 1939, the novel has been banned in kern county, california. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck 510 words bartleby.
According to the banned book awareness website, the grapes of wrath was a new york times bestselling novel at the same time that protests were being held around the nation and copies were being burned. During this time, steinbeck was dealing with financial problems and the death of his brotherinlaw. Written by, john steinbeck, this novel went on to receive many awards. Steinbeck is not the only author to use the title the grapes of wrath for a book. The grapes of wrath the grapes of wrath and censorship. The grapes of wrath, by john steinbeck, was first published in 1939 and would achieve both the national book award and pulitzer prize that same year. In august 1939, by a vote of 4 to 1, the board approved a resolution banning the grapes of wrath from county libraries and schools.
Excessive violence, negative portrayals of female characters, and antisemitic references. The novel is set during the great depression and follows a family, the joads, as they are driven from their home in oklahoma. The screenplay was written by nunnally johnson and the executive producer was darryl f. On this day in 1940, john steinbeck is awarded the pulitzer prize for his novel the grapes of wrath the book traces the fictional joad family of oklahoma as they lose their family farm and move. The banning of steinbecks the grapes of wrath ufcw 324. In any case, banning, challenging, and burning books is tantamount to censorship, the suppression of objectionable material. The grapes of wrath, by john steinbeck burned by the east st. The great depression and the grapes of wrath john steinbecks, the grapes of wrath portrays how the great depression affected the lives of industrialists and the common people of the era in both positive and negative way. Rick wartzman, author of the new book obscene in the extreme.
The grapes of wrath was burned and banned because of its realistic portrayal of the hardships that the joads endured during the dustbowl, economic hardships, and the journey for a new life in california. While writing the grapes of wrath, steinbeck had many doubts about the work. The most volatile criticism, not surprisingly, came. The kern county, california, board of supervisors action to ban john. The grapes of wrath 1939, a book many claim is his masterpiece, was both critically acclaimed and denounced for its strong language and apparent leftist politics. The grapes of wrath and the great depression freebooksummary. Grapes of wrath by john steinbeck has been fighting book bans, domestically and internationally, since the late 1930s. Grapes of wrath 1939 1st ed april second printing before publication by john steinbeck and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In 1917 boyd cable 18781943 wrote a book of stories under that name, subtitled twenty. It was publicly banned and burned by citizens, it was debated on national radio. The banning was political, of course, and it illustrated the differences between the le. Generally viewed as steinbecks best and most striving novel, the grapes of wrath was published in 1939. The grapes of wrath is arguably the most eyeopening novel written in the 20th century.
I asked my friends to recommend a banned book and my friend toni suggested the grapes of wrath by john steinbeck, which was. The book won the national book award 3 and pulitzer prize 4 for fiction, and it was cited prominently when steinbeck was awarded the nobel prize in 1962. Uses the names of god and jesus in a vain and profane manner. The grapes of wrath has put the great depression in a different perspective. The grapes of wrath is a 1940 american drama film directed by john ford.
When the grapes of wrath was published in 1939, the residents of kern county were immediately enraged by steinbecks portrayal of their county. There are more than three hundred examples of obscenities in the book. The grapes of wrath, the bestknown novel by john steinbeck, published in 1939. If we compare 1930s to modern times where the novel is still banned, it is safe to assume that huxleys arguments about what brave new world means still sound controversial.
Wartzman says that what happened in kern county illustrated the profound divide between the left and right in california in the 1930s. The banning was political, of course, and it illustrated the differences between the left and right in 1930s california. The picture of dorian gray is about a young man who is wealthy, cultured and impossibly beautiful. John steinbecks the grapes of wrath wasnt so beloved by one california county john steinbecks novel was banned by kern county in 1939, a prohibition that would stay in place for a. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck the grapes of wrath was a book written by john steinbeck and portrayed life during the great depression and the dust bowl. The book won the national book award and pulitzer prize for fiction, and it was cited prominently when steinbeck was awarded the nobel prize in 1962. Labor history on august 24, 1939, three men stood above a small metal trashcan with a copy of john steinbecks the grapes of wrath in. Typically books are challenged or banned in an attempt to protect certain people, usually children, from problematical ideas and information. The associated farmers of california dismissed the novel as a pack of lies and communist propaganda. Ive read the book the grapes of wrath written by john steinbeck. Many of the novels points and implications were condemned across the country, but particularly in california.
The grapes of wrath, describes the difficulty of migrant labors during the great depression. Grapes of wrath resonates as heroic tale of human struggle. The grapes of wrath image courtesy of penguin modern classics. The grapes of wrath is an american realist novel written by john steinbeck and published in 1939. Kern county illustrates the deep divide between left and right in california in the 1930s. John steinbecks the grapes of wrath wasnt so beloved. Grapes of wrath, adapted from the steinbeck novel, not be com pleted by. When steinbeck was awarded the nobel prize in literature in 1962 the novel was referenced frequently. During that era, tragedies occurred such as, inhumanity, selfishness, and poverty. The steinbeck classic was banned and burned in a number of cities, including kern county, calif. Steinbeck won the pulitzer prize, the national book award, and the nobel prize for this great novel. Writers and consultants in this volume include preeminent steinbeck scholar robert demott, editor of working days, the journals of the grapes of wrath and author of steinbecks typewriter. Why was john steinbecks novel the grapes of wrath banned in. Set during the great depression, the story centers on the joad family, poor tenant farmers driven from their oklahoma home by drought, the dust.
The film tells the story of the joads, an oklahoma family, who, after losing their farm. Steinbeck received the national book award and the pulitzer prize for fiction for it in 1940. Common objections include its use of profanity, sexual content, and was even. When this novel was released in 1939, it faced equal amounts of criticism and praise. It sold more than 430,000 copies in february 1940, and it went on to become one of the most widely discussed books of the 20th century. Although the wildly successful book was met with much praise, it also met much controversy. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck 1189 words 5 pages the grapes of wrath shortly after being released john steinbecks book the grapes of wrath was banned because many critics viewed the novel as promoting communist propaganda, or socialist ideas. The grapes of wrath won both the national book award and the pulitzer prize in 1939. The grapes of wrath is a book made into a movie, based on the great depression of the 30s. Steinbeck has a grandiose style of storytelling and has become one of the nobel prize winners for a reason.
Bucks novel the good earth was published in 1931, several years into the great depression when many americans. In august 1939, the board of kern county, california banned grapes of wrath from libraries and schools in a 41 vote. John steinbeck wins a pulitzer for the grapes of wrath. Well learn about the objections that parents, teachers, and.
Specifically, objections raised against john steinbecks the grapes of wrath cross the spectrum from foul language and communist implications to religious themes and sexuality. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck 631 words bartleby. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck 1079 words 123. In august 1939, the residents voted to remove the novel from public libraries and schools. The book evokes the harshness of the great depression and arouses sympathy for the struggles of migrant farmworkers beset by adversity and vast impersonal commercial influences.
John steinbecks 1939 book the grapes of wrath humanized the okies, captured history as it was happening, and earned its author so much personal trouble that he started carrying a gun for. We hope you will exercise your right to read whatever you choose by reading some books that have been banned and challenged, compiled on. John steinbecks 1939 classic, the grapes of wrath, which chronicles an. In dubious battle 1936, of mice and men 1937, and the book considered by many his finest, the grapes of wrath 1939.
The book was published in 1929, and i read it as a teenager in the 1940s, when it was just another book in the school library. After the grapes of wrath was published, first lady eleanor roosevelt defended the book in her writings and assured readers that steinbeck had not exaggerated the conditions of poverty in the book. The grapes of wrath is listed number 10 on modern librarys top 100 novels of the 20th century, and the film adaptation ranks number 21 on the american film institutes list of 100 greatest american. What has made this book classic is a detailed description of human immoralities as individuals painfully strive for a new world and freedoms. The book was banned in russia under nicholas i, as the ideal of equality that it presented. It follows the joad family, who has been forced off their family farm by the government, as they try to find a new settlement and head west to california after. It evokes the harshness of the great depression and arouses sympathy for the struggles of migrant farmworkers. Steinbeck describes the hardships, readers, moods and developments very forcefully. At the time it was published, the grapes of wrath had some scenes that werent considered appropriate for children. Always shunning publicity, steinbeck headed for mexico in 1940, where he made the forgotten village, a documentary film about conditions in rural mexico. The burning and banning of john steinbecks the grapes of wrath wartzman.
The banning of the book was supported on one side by the local associated farmers who opposed organized labor. The complete fairy tales of the brothers grimm, by jacob and wilhelm k. Set during the great depression, the novel focuses on the joads, a poor family of tenant farmers. Why is the book grapes of wrath by john steinbeck banned. Bill camp, the leader of the associated farmers recruited clell pruett pictured below to burn the book. He meets a painter called basil hallward who asks him to sit for several paintings, where he often portrays him as a mythological greek god or hero. It followed a family of oklahoma tenant farmers as they traveled westward to california while undergoing dark and gruesome circumstances.
A comparison between the novel and movie, the grapes of. Grapes of wrath legacy on book censorship the art of. The grapes of wrath is an american novel written by john steinbeck during the 1930s, and it was published in 1939. The grapes of wrath is an american realist novel written by john steinbeck and published in. Brave new world 1932 murder in the cathedral 1935 the hobbit 1937 their eyes were watching. Stating the story of an expelled oklahoma family and their fight to form a reestablished life in california at the peak of the.
The following books may seem harmless to most readers, but they all made it onto banned books lists at one time or another. Three powerful novels of the late 1930s focused on the california laboring class. Besides, banning books is so utterly hopeless and futile. The grapes of wrath by john steinbeck, paperback barnes. Grapes of wrath and the politics of book burning the steinbeck classic was banned and burned in a number of cities, including kern county, calif. The banning of steinbecks the grapes of wrath 24 august 1939. At one point, he wrote that he feared the book was going to pieces. Steinbecks story, published april 14, 1939, is immortalized as one of the greatest american. Published early in 1939, the grapes of wrath soon became the new york times bestselling book of 1939.
Louis, il public library 1939 and barred from the buffalo, ny public library 1939 on the grounds that vulgar words were used. For the most part, the grapes of wrath was met with praise when it appeared. The grapes of wrath and the great depression common core. Controversy of the grapes of wrath the grapes of wrath. In most parts of the country, it was an immediate bestseller. It was based on john steinbeck s 1939 pulitzer prize winning novel of the same name. The grapes of wrath is a pulitzer prizewinning novel written by john steinbeck in 1939. Not only was this book a landmark social commentary in its day and a major publishing success, it became an awardwinning and profitable hollywood film, and also inspired at least two rounds of music one by woody guthrie in 1940 and another by bruce springsteen in the 1990s. Grapes of wrath and the politics of book burning valley public.