Discussion Question 1-The Grapes of Wrath

1. The writing reveals that the author has very strong values. One main value is perseverance. The family showed perseverance throughout the story by never giving up when the times became very rough. When food was getting low, when money was gone, when there was no work, when floods came, and everybody turned on each other, the family never gave up. If anything, their trials made them stronger. Hard work is also a value that is repeated in the story. Each person had specific jobs and in order to survive, each person had to fulfill their jobs in order to keep the family and themselves alive. The work was very strenuous for very little pay, but they pay they earned helped them with their hunger and helped them become stronger. The writing also reveals the author's strong value about family. During the entire story, the family stuck together and helped each other out. When it was easier for some of the family to go away, they stayed and made themselves beneficial to the family in some way. Each person played an important role in the survival of the whole family. Even the death of the grandmother and grandfather pulled the family closer together and made them stronger as a whole. The attitudes of the author vary in this story. In the very beginning, the story starts out very slow. The family is doing very well, and they have been awaiting the arrival of their son from prison. As the book continues the author picks up the speed of the book and also the attitude has changed. The characters have become more developed and have started to turn on each other and come out of their shells, revealing the person that they rally are. The end of the book is almost humorous. Although there is a lot of suspense in the overall attitude of the book, there are certain parts that can be picked out that just make you laugh. The author writes in third person. You can see each of the family member's perspectives in the story and really get a feel for what each one thinks in the journey to California and after they reach California.