Grapes Of Wrath-Structure Essay, Research Paper

Authors often use many styles and techniques in their novels. They use certain methods

in order to make their stories seem more real. John Steinbeck uses many literary

techniques in The Grapes of Wrath to help the reader better understand the story.

The interchapters in The Grapes of Wrath often foreshadow the regular chapters.

They are more of a general picture as to what went on during that time period in

America. The regular chapters are meant to represent a specific family, the Joads, and

document their journey to California and usually the interchapters have something to do

with the story line of the Joads? adventures. The interchapters became predictable as the

story progressed, and after awhile the two different types of chapters gave the story a

rhythmical pattern.

John Steinbeck uses a certain dialect throughout the whole story which makes the

reader see how people talked during that time period. This also aids the reader in feeling

like they are part of the story, and it helps him to understand the way things were back

then. Many slang words and phrases typical of the early 1900s are used to make the

conversations true to life. For instance, in the first chapter at the roadside diner, the

conversation between the customer and the waitress right away tell the reader the kind of

dialect that will be used during the story.

Steinbeck has a very distinctive style of writing. He uses many descriptive

phrases and words to help give the reader a clear picture as to what is happening in the

story. His use of alliteration and repetition makes the sentences and paragraphs easier to

follow because of the rhythm and flow that is added to them. Steinbeck uses symbolism

in order to show the importance of some ideals and main themes of the novel. For

example, the turtle that was walking across the road represents the long, treacherous

journeys that many families took to get to California. The dust that settled over the crops

symbolizes the harshness that fell over the many farms, therefore forcing the people off

of the land. Rose of Sharon?s stillborn baby shows the reader that long, painful journeys,

filled with many problems along the way, sometimes amount to nothing in the end.

In order to understand the story and its many hidden meanings, the reader must

pick up on Steinbeck?s style of writing. These writing techniques of Steinbeck aid the

reader in his analysis of The Grapes of Wrath.