When i first picked up the book, The Grapes of Wrath, it seemed long and boring. I didn't have the least bit of interest in it, but as i started to read further and further i didn't mind it so much. I do have to say it was a very sad book, but it definately opened my eyes. I personally like the character of Tom Joad. The way he moves on from the tradgedies in life and always makes do with what he has shows how much of a family oriented person he is.

This book demonstrates very well how tough things really were. All the deaths in Jim's family and the deaths of the people he befriended, the scarce amount of jobs there were in California, and how the natives of California didn't particularly like the newcomers and gave them nicknames such as "Okies" gave me a clear description of what life was really like. One thing in the book that i thought was extremely sad was when the migrant told Pa that his own children starved to death because he couldnt afford food because of the lack of jobs.

Many parts of this book made me feel compassion for the Joad family and others, but one part in particular kind of grossed me out. On the last page, when Rose of Sharon had to breast feed the man to save him from starvation, i was a little grossed out. Especially when she "looked up and smiled mysteriously", that didnt make reading that part any more enjoyable. It was a smart move and probably helped the man along but i hope i dont have to read that part ever again.

All in all i would have to say it was a good book. I would recommend it to someone who could sit down and just enjoy the book. I am not one of those people though. I made it through it and im glad i did.