Monday, August 31, 2009

Grapes of Wrath-Post # 2

Objectives:
*Recognize thematic parallels between Woody Guthrie’s music and Steinbeck’s novel
*Develop an appreciation for The Grapes of Wrath and the music of Woody Guthrie, as works of art and historical documents
*Explore the idea of the “American spirit"
Task:
Comment on your thoughts about Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springstein's lyrics/ Music. Do you notice any thematic parallels? Feel free to comment on other aspects of the music/ lyrics as well.
Link:
http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Tom_Joad.htm
http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/107356/review/5940604/dustbowlballads
Listen to songs from Bruce Springsteen’s 1995 album The Ghost of Tom Joad. Why would Springsteen use that allusion?
Link:
http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/TheGhostOfTomJoad.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DEtA5fhk4k

53 comments:

  1. http://www.treehugger.com/dust-bowl-climate-migration.jpg
    I think that the artist took this photograph because he or she wanted to capture the ferocity and destructive capability of the dust bowl. This picture portrays a town being enveloped in an enormous cloud of dust, and there appears to be no escape or hope. I think the people in this picture are somewhere in Oklahoma however, there are no people present because they are probably in their houses. The photographer captures an image of the inevitable destruction that people felt alongside the fear for their lives. You can tell because there is so much dust that it blocks out the sun. The dust is moving in a wave of animosity striking a warning in the peoples heart of the impending doom that is about to befall them. The angle that the photographer uses draws you into the photograph and gives you a much more three dimensional idea of what happened. Even if there was no color film, I would still have cast it in black and white to capture the simple destructive nature of the event.
    Nick Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  2. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dust+bowl+era&FORM=BIFD&adlt=strict#focal=ccf61b42fbf914fa7fda2b196888fd0e&furl=http%3A%2F%2Fcache.gettyimages.com%2Fxt%2F3231460.jpg%3Fv%3D1%26g%3Dha%26s%3D1
    Cat Period 7

    This picture really conveys the pain and severity of the living conditions during this time. In this picture a tenant farmer's wife is doing laundry with her toddler. They're both so dirt covered and have to live that way because they don't have the means to take a shower. The mother has an intense look of desperation in her eyes with no trace of hope. Her baby is playing in the dirt with an old jar because she has no toys to play with, and nowhere to play. The buckets the clothes are being washed in look dirty themselves and in the right corner behind her you can make out the flimsy pieces of wood that make out a shed, presumably her home. The woman is so skinny you can see her bones, she obviously malnourished. The photographer really captured the essence the time and was we can so easily see the pain behind her eyes. The black and white really makes the grime and dirt stand out. Just looking at this picture can make a person feel so much sympathy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. http://weareca.org/images/period05/b-dust-bowl/oakies-car.jpg

    I believe that the photographer took this picture because he or she really wanted to show how people travel when they were going west and to capture what their living conditions were like for the week or so they were traveling. I know that they are in California because of the writing on the picture. Also in this picture you see a bunch of kids and some adults crammed into the cab of the car and if you look closely you can see some more adults in the back as well. As for the people and how they look it is hard to tell because you can really only see one man clearly. The one man that you can see looks like he is a young father. His clothing looks pretty nice and doesn’t seem to look as though he is in total debt.


    grace k period 5

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think that the Woody Guthrie song is directly based on The Grapes of Wrath, it is retelling the exact story in a song summarized version, while Bruce Springsteen's song is a modern day story of Tom Joad. He tells of the way a person like Tom Joad would be living now, talking about sleeping in city aqueducts and highway patrol choppers..Which are things that didn't exist back then or weren't in the book. I think that both Guthrie and Springsteen used this allusion of stuggle and being under hard circumstances because it is a common situation in the world. There's always someone struggling so the songs are therefor good to relate to.


    Nicole period 3

    ReplyDelete
  5. The similarities between Woody Guthrie’s lyrics on Tom Joad and John Steinbeck’s novel would be the lyrics are exactly out of the book. The lyrics can pretty much be found in the first chapter of Grapes of Wrath because the lyric “he met a truck driving man” was found in the first or second chapter of the book. This song was also more of an upbeat kind of blues song but it did state things from the book. The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen relates to the book because it’s about Tom Joad and can mean the hardship he went through like in the lyric “…Hole in your belly and a gun in your hand.” It can mean they were starving from little food and they used the gun to protect themselves from others wanting to take things from them. Also the lyrics of “Going someplace there’s no going back.” Is like Tom Joads family moving to California knowing once they go they won’t come back.

    Mary period 3

    ReplyDelete
  6. this song is definitely inspired by The Grapes of Wrath. many times in this song, things from the book are referenced. This song is definitely inspired by The Grapes of Wrath. Many times in this song, things from the book are referenced. For example, the entire “theme” of this song is the fact that there are people travelling on and on from campfire to campfire, in search of something they think is there. In other words there is a place that they are going, but have yet to reach it. “Got a one way ticket to the promised land,” can definitely symbolize that California is like the promise land in the bible. It also mentions a “cop beatin’ a guy,” and that can go back to when Casey dies and Tom lashes out on the cop, and once again fights. And lastly, the song says, “Look for me Mom I’ll be there,” which I think is very important because at the end of the book we leave Tom saying Goodbye to his mother and telling her that he will find them after thing’s get settled. So we end a song in the same way as the book which I think says a lot about them being similar.

    And the second song is the actual book, simply in song form.

    Emily P. 3

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Grapes of Wrath influenced many song writers. Bruce Springsteen was one of the artists who was influenced. He wrote a song about the book and how people acted back then. In the beginning of the song Bruce Springsteen sang about Tom and the Joad Family without saying their names. He talked about what people did then, for example, people sleeping in their cars and hot soup on a campfire. These are actual activities that people did back then. Towards the end of the song he actually wrote about Tom and what he believed in. Bruce Springsteen wrote about how strongly Tom felt about human rights. The Grapes of Wrath had a great impact on Bruce Springsteen.

    The Tom Joad song by Woody Guthrie was a condensed summary about all of the events in the book. He sang about everything that happened from when Tom was released from prison to when he hit the police officer over the head and ran away. This song could help people understand the book better. The Grapes of Wrath also helped influence Woody Guthrie.

    Nicole C. Period 3.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This song definitly was written about The Grapes of Wrath. It mostly relates to Tom Joad in this song and also relates to the dustbowl in the 1930’s. The song shows how during the dustbowl families moved place to place and how they couldn’t turn back. The first couple lines in the lyrics of the song shows this: “Men walkin' 'long the railroad tracks Goin' someplace there's no goin' back Highway patrol choppers comin' up over the ridge Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge Shelter line stretchin' round the corner Welcome to the new world order Families sleepin' in their cars in the southwest No home no job no peace no rest.” Also in this song the lyrics “Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries,” we can say that this relates to the book when the baby in the book died. Another part of the lyrics could be “Look for me Mom I'll be there Wherever there's somebody fightin' for a place to stand.” You can say that this part of the lyrics relates to how Tom Joad fought all the time.
    Cheyenne Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  9. BRUUUUCEE’s song probably used the reference of Tom Joad because it also could illustrate the time when he wrote it. He is literally writing about what happened with tom joad, the struggle they went through and what they had to go through. Yet he also adds a new age twist, how people are now commonly found trying to survive under highway overpasses, trying to be in shelters, yet there are full to the max with people already in there. Just as people were trying to seek refuge in California people are trying to do the same thing with shelters. In Grapes of Wrath people left with their hopes in dreams trying to find better ones somewhere, yet Bruce describes the people leaving now having a hole in their belly and a gun in their hand not trying to fill their heart and soul, but their belly anyway they could, with use of their gun. I find it quiet odd and funny that Bruce uses a “direct” quote from the book.
    Willies song is basically just an overview of the book and doesn’t really affect anyone with emotion. You would only find the song interesting if you had read the book, or used it to read the summary of the book.

    -christina p3

    ReplyDelete
  10. Woody Guthrie’s music and John Steinbeck’s novel are similar in a few ways. First of all, both the song and the novel are very sad and depressing. Also, Guthrie used the Joad family from The Grapes of Wrath to describe the hardships of the dust bowl. Guthrie and Steinbeck’s work should be considered as historical documents because of the information that they both include. Bruce Springstein’s music is similar to Guthrie’s music for the same reasons. The mood is the same, they both use the Joad family, and they both describe the lives of the families in the dust bowl.

    Billy Per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think that Woody Gutherie's song is based on the Grapes of Wrath becaue it tells of what exactly happned in the story. The description of what happened is shown in the song. Bruce Springstein's song is more of a modern day version of the Grapes of Wrath that compares modern times and the depression. Both songs show a similar situation.

    Anjali period 3

    ReplyDelete
  12. http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rage+against+the+machine/the+ghost+of+tom+joad_20113507.html

    The reason I did my response on the Rage Against the Machine version of, The Ghost of Tom Joad, is because they are notoriously rebellious towards authority. This song explains, in a way, the life of Tom Joad. At the end of the song, Tom truely looks like a superhero. He is a man who symbolizes the fight against all that is wrong and corrupt in the world. "Wherever somebody is strugglin to be free
    Look in their eyes ma,
    Youll see me!" This is only a section of the song that shows how Tom cared for the hungry people in the world. He is in everyone who want to fight all the wrong in the world. He is a true superhero. Captain Joad lives on. lolz

    Jeff, Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  13. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rageagainstthemachine/theghostoftomjoad.html

    I did my response on Rage Against The Machine's "Ghost of Old Tom Joad". In this song, the story of the fictional character Tom Joad is told, his traveling to California from Oklahoma. More inportant than the actual story, however, is how Tom represents fighting for equality. At the end of the song, the lyrics say "Now Tom Said;
    "Ma, whenever ya see a cop beatin' a guy
    Wherever a hungry new born baby cries
    Whereever there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
    Look for me ma'
    I'll be there
    Wherever somebodies stuglin' for a place to stand
    For a decent job or a helpin' hand
    Wherever somebody is strugglin' to be free
    Look in their eyes ma,
    You'll see me!"
    This verse shows that representation.

    Matt p. 3

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like the Springsteen song, “Ghost of Tom Joad”. I like the beat, and the lyrics were very well written and put together. I think he would use that allusion because Tom Joad’s story about looking for better living is well known to many people and I’m sure many people can relate to it in some way.
    Woody Guthrie’s song, Dust Bowl Ballads was a little hard to follow for me, so I didn’t quite understand much of what he was sinigng.
    Woody Guthrie’s other song, “Tom Joad” was a good song. I like how it had the quotes from the book in the song as well. It was well put together.

    Jessica Per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  15. I agree with what Mary said, the lyrics can be found in the back. Also, the hole in the belly button could mean that they were starving and they only had a little bit of food. In addition, once they went to California there was no going back home.

    Nicole C. Period 3.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Task #2

    I think that Bruce Springsteen used the allusion to Tom Joad because it conveys how Tom Joad was always the positive one urging the family to move on. He also always knew how to solve every problem and if he didn’t join the family on the trip I don’t think they would have made it to California. The tone of the song is giving the world an impression of how depressing and struggle some it was for the people and how there was a positive spirit in Tom Joad and the lyrics implies how people should look to him and try and have the same attitude he did.
    I didn’t really get to follow the song by Woody Guthrie. I wasn’t able to hear the tone but the lyrics were describing their trip and how Tom Joad always wanted to be where people were fighting for their rights because he wanted to help those people gain them.

    Kendra p.3

    ReplyDelete
  17. I would like to comment on Jeff from period 3's comment. I agree with everything he has to say, especially the past paragraph. I think that he accuratly represents the path of the "american hero" and i think that he might have found america's first true hero. Jeff really has looked past a book to the true meaning of it. lolz

    Matt p. 3

    ReplyDelete
  18. I agree with what Emily from period 3 said about the Bruce Springsteen song. It is very much alike the story of Tom Joad with the “cop beatin’ on a guy” and the ending. It also talks about a highway which is something that both the story and the song include. And I also agree that the other song is completely based on The Grapes of Wrath. It is like a summary song, using the exact events and things that happened. The idea of searching for a place but never knowing where exactly it is or what exactly it is is common too.

    Nicole period 3

    ReplyDelete
  19. I agree with Nick, Period 3's comment. The artists angle and style really makes that picture special. It shows the destructiveness of the dust bowl era.
    Jeff, Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  20. Just the mood of Bruce Springsteen's song about Tom Joad makes me feel like I'm in the book. It has a sort of country rual sound and it's in a minor key which makes it sound anything but happy. The quote used in the song is perfect. It shows how Tom changed throughout the book. I think it puts a more modern spin on the Grapes story, meaning that the same type of spirit Tom Joad had gained at the end of the book is still needed in some places today. I think woodie Guthie's song is way to happy to really capture the feel of the book and it doesn't change at all. It does sound very country though. It's so litterly just a summary of the book put into song form.

    Cat Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  21. It is obvious that Woody Guthrie's song is very parallel to the Grape of Wrath. I agree with Billy's comment from period three that he has a way of bringing the depressing aspect to the song that was there during the period.Bruce Springsteen song is more about the essence of Tom Joad in the present day. Both songs are about the struggle of poverty and troubling circumstances.
    Margaret Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  22. Both Woodie Guthrie and John Steinbeck used their talents to recount the hardships of families who lived in the dust bowl. Guthrie’s song, Tom Joad, is a retelling of Steinbeck’s classic novel. Guthrie manages to show many of the major themes that Steinbeck did, such as mechanization, and biblical themes. He also quoted the book, singing "Ever'body might be just one big soul, Well it looks that a-way to me. Everywhere that you look, in the day or night, That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma, That's where I'm a-gonna be. Wherever little children are hungry and cry,
    Wherever people ain't free. Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma. That's where I'm a-gonna be." which was spoken by Tom when he was forced to leave his family again to protect them. Woddie Guthrie did an excellent job of conveying the central themes of Steinbeck’s award winning novel.

    Kevin Per. 5

    ReplyDelete
  23. The song by Bruce Springsteen and Woody Guthrie both relate to The Grapes of Wrath. I feel that each song describes what the people in The Grapes of Wrath went through on their trip to California. The emotions of the characters greatly are expressed. One example is when Woody Guthrie talks about how the grandparents didn’t want to leave their original land and how they wanted to die on it. “He picked up a handful of land in his hand, Said: "I'm stayin' with the farm till I die.Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm till I die." The extremities of their travels are also expressed really well. An example of this is when Bruce Springsteen says, “Welcome to the new world order, Families sleepin' in their cars in the southwest, No home no job no peace no rest.” Both of these songs explain the book very well. Listening to these songs helps a person get a better understanding for what the characters in The Grapes of Wrath went through on the way to California and when they arrived in California.

    Maria p.5

    ReplyDelete
  24. I agree with cat's post, in that Bruce Springsteen wrote a song that brings the same feelings and themes as Steinbeck's original work, however i disagree with her opinion on Woddie Guthrie's song. His song, while just retelling the story of the Joad family, still manages to tell the central themes of the Grapes of Wrath. Both songs are very good interpretations of Steinbeck's novel.

    Kevin Per. 5

    ReplyDelete
  25. I agree with anjali that the Bruce Springstein version of this song is more modern day than that of Woody Guthrie. I agree with this because the lyrics in Bruces song are more explainatory of the novel Grapes of Wrath than that of Guthries. Furthermore the genre of Bruces song is very different. Guthries version of the song deffinetly sounds more like the times of the dust bowl era while Bruce's song sounds like a modern day song without the folky and country sound to it. Therefore I think that Guthries version is a much better representative of the dust bowl era.

    Lucy Per. 5

    ReplyDelete
  26. The amount of influence The Grapes of Wrath had on society at the time is incredible. Perhaps the most influence is evident in the music that came out of this era. Two artists that were greatly influence by The Grapes of Wrath were Woody Guthrie and Bruce Springsteen, who both wrote songs portraying the story of the Joad Family.
    Woody Guthrie’s song “Tom Joad” relates directly to the story. He even uses exact lines straight from the book in his song. He gives a summary of Tom’s journey, starting at his return from prison all the way to the end in California. His song was able to shed light on what real people during this time were going through to those who had not read the book about the fictional Tom Joad.
    Bruce Springsteen’s song “The Ghost of Tom Joad” portrays The Grapes of Wrath in a less straight forward way. Even though he is telling Tom Joad’s story, just like Woody Guthrie did, he is doing it in a more elusive manor. We as an audience don’t know that he is talking about Tom Joad until “his ghost” is mentioned, where as in “Tom Joad”, we are informed that we are listening to his story from the very beginning. This allows the audience to connect identify more with the real issue of the book and realize that it is not just a made up story by John Steinbeck.

    Allie p.5

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think that the songs that Bruce Springstein and Guthrie sang both displayed the book very well. In Springstein’s song it almost paints a picture for me to see and if I close my eyes it’s almost like I’m watching a movie because he describes it so well and really relates it to the book a lot. I liked Bruce’s song better then Guthrie’s. However Guthrie’s background music had more of a southern feel to it then Bruce’s. "Ever'body might be just one big soul,
    Well it looks that a-way to me.
    Everywhere that you look, in the day or night,
    That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma,
    That's where I'm a-gonna be.
    Wherever little children are hungry and cry,
    Wherever people ain't free.
    Wherever men are fightin' for their rights,
    That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma.
    That's where I'm a-gonna be." This quote towards the end of Guthrie’s song really made me think and it was my favorite thing said in both of the songs because it really depicts what that characters are like in the book and it also just touches me because that is what most of the events in the book were like for the people. I think American Spirit can mean something different for everyone. For me American Spirit is waking up everyday being whatever and whoever you want to be cause America is free and we have the right to be whatever our heart desires.


    Jessica- Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  28. Both Woody and Bruce retold the story of The Grapes of Wrath in their songs. I think the song writers decided to write songs about this because it shows a young mans struggle between the law, his family, and finding himself. Bruce tried to add a little bit more of a temporary twist onto Tom Joad's story by saying how some people live under highways and what not. Woody's song was more about Tom's fight for his rights. The tone of Woody's song was very folk and it didn't really seem to send off any type of serious message to me.

    grace k p.5

    ReplyDelete
  29. I believe Woodie Gutherie’s song “Tom Joad” is a little bit more straight forward than Bruce Springsteen’s song “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. Woodie Guthrie’s song basically summarizes John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath. He uses the harmonica in this song which relates to the story because in the story, the harmonica is described as such a valuable instrument. It is valuable because it is very small and you can carry it in your pocket wherever you go and when you’re bored or lonely, you can just take it out of your pocket. I also noticed that Woodie Guthrie’s song doesn’t use any drums; I think he did this to relate to the music in the dustbowl because all they had was a harmonica, a guitar and a fiddle if you were fortunate. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Bruce Springsteen is more depressing than Woodie Gutherie’s song. I think it is sung in such a sad tone in order for people to be able to relate to the hard times that these people were going through. Bruce Springsteen really puts you in their shoes when you listen to his song because it’s in such a sad tone. I think both songs some up the novel very well. Bruce Springsteen’s is more relative with it’s lyrics and Woodie Guthrie’s is more relative in the way he plays the instruments.
    -Jerry G, P.5

    ReplyDelete
  30. The song The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen focuses on the struggle and how hard it is to survive without knowing what is going to happen next. One line in this song that really stuck out to me was, “Sleeping on a pillow of solid rock, bathin’ in the city aqueduct”. That line represents the heartache that the people lived through. One other line that popped out at me was “Now Tom said "Mom, wherever there's a cop beatin' a guy. Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries. Where there's a fight 'gainst the blood and hatred in the air. Look for me Mom I'll be there”. This line shows how most families came together when they were in danger and in desperation. - Kaitlin Pelazza p. 5

    ReplyDelete
  31. Woody Guthrie’s song “Tom Joad” is basically a summary of what happened in the book. The words worked perfectly with the story because this is the type of music that I think the Joads would have listened to. The song would work very well with a Grapes of Wrath movie. I could picture a section of the song playing after every part of the movie. It is interesting that musicians have used this story for inspiration for their music. Steinbeck used the fictional story of the Joads to illustrate the true story of the American people. These musicians have used the same tactic by using Steinbeck’s story to tell the story of the dust bowl migration. Woody Guthrie tells the story exactly as it was written in the book, while Bruce Springstein used a more symbolic approach in “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” Sprinstein still used more of a folksy feel in his song. In “The Ghost of Tom Joad” Springstein uses examples from the novel, but presents them in a way that it is universal to the whole dust bowl migration. Guthrie is to the Joad section in the book as Springstein is to every other chapter that described the migration.

    Ryan B. Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  32. The lyrics of Woody Guthrie’s song, “Tom Joad”, and the lyrics of Bruce Springstein’s song, “The Ghost of Tom Joad”, summarize the story of The Grapes of Wrath. At the end of the Guthrie’s song, Tom states,“Wherever little children are hungry and cry, Wherever people ain't free.Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma.That's where I'm a-gonna be." A thematic parallel I can draw between the two songs is the end of Springstein’s song. He ends the song, “"Mom, wherever there's a cop beatin' a guy, Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries, Where there's a fight 'gainst the blood and hatred in the air, Look for me Mom I'll be there, Wherever there's somebody fightin' for a place to stand, Or decent job or a helpin' hand, Wherever somebody's strugglin' to be free, Look in their eyes Mom you'll see me." These particular parts of the songs have strong emotion captured from the text of the book. Tom Joad has become an immortal symbol of the Dustbowl, because of Steinbeck’s novel. The direct reference to Tom Joad in both Woody Guthrie’s and Bruce Springstein’s songs show how Tom Joad has become an immortal symbol. The symbolism of the character of Tom Joad is similar to the symbolism of the character Big Brother from George Orwell’s 1984.Whenever someone hears their names, a certain image or event is brought to mind.
    Grace H. Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  33. Woody Guthrie’s song about the Grapes of Wrath is basically a summary of the story, mentioning all of the major events. If someone had never read the book, they probably wouldn’t have any idea what the song was talking about. Bruce Springstein’s song is about a man in modern times that is just like Tom Joad in many ways and is in a similar situation. When it says that he “Got a one-way ticket to the promised land” it is just like Tom Joad on his way to California. Also, when it says that he will be there fighting and helping someone that he believes needs and deserves help he is acting just like Tom. Throughout the book Tom gets into trouble many times for his belief that he should fight for those people.

    Buddy, Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  34. (Shrija.Period: 3)
    Woody Guthrie song is straightly based on The Grapes of Wrath. The song is basically a summarization of the novel. The main ideas/concept of the book is all put together and is presented to the audience in the form of a song. Bruce Springstein's is basically telling a story of Tom Joad in modern version.He explains all the struggles/conflicts Tom faces in the novel in theform of song.

    ReplyDelete
  35. This song must have been inspired by Grapes of Wrath, in the songs it talks about going from place to place just like the Joads did in the book. Also the song makes Tom out to be a hero, he says he’ll be there fighting for his right and fighting for what he believes in, just like in the book where Tom kills a cop fighting for his rights. Also it talks about “the promised land” in The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen, and in the book Tom led his family, like Moses did in the Bible. The Grapes of Wrath compares Tom and Moses a lot. For instance, just like Tom killed a cop, Moses killed a person in a position in authority. All in all it is obvious the song was based on the book Grapes of Wrath.

    Paul Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  36. Both Woody Guthrie and Steinbeck’s novel capture the real essence of the time period in the dust bowl. I believe that Woody Guthrie’s song could be a great tool for learning about the book, due to the fact that he has major details from the book in his song. Also, both Grapes of Wrath and the song Tom Joad are very sullen and depressing. Springstein and Guthrie both had very good details in the way their song described “Tom Joad”. I found that both of these songs were very slow and had a country feel to them. I think that they both did this to get the listener to listen closely to the lyrics and feel the pain that Tom Joad went through. I also felt that both the songs were an artistic way of applauding the novel that Steinbeck wrote. When I looked at the cover for Springstein’s album, I couldn’t really decide what was happening. I think that it showed a beaten man running into the woods, which could be Tom Joad.

    Jonathan P.5

    ReplyDelete
  37. Woody Guthrie’s song basically sums up The Grapes of Wrath in a condensed form. This song is perfect to show the struggles of Tom Joad because the lyrics are actually what happened in the book. The central themes of the book are portrayed through entertainment, which makes the audience enjoy the story all that much better. Next, Bruce Springsteen too showed The Grapes of Wrath through song. This song was different though because this song wasn’t as straight forward but I believe more powerful due to its lyrics. The lyrics were sad and had a more depressing tone which speaks to emotion of the listener. Also, I believe this can be related to modern times in the world we live in today like living under the highway underpass. All in all, Bruce Springsteen truly shows the pain and suffering suffered by this people in the dust bowl which can influence many people today.

    Nikin period 5

    ReplyDelete
  38. I think the Woody Guthrie song summazizes The Grapes of Wrath. Guthrie and Springstien even take quotes straight from the book. I think Springteins song is more about people like Tom Joad these days. Basically Tom Joad became a fugitive in the book when he kills the deputy so now a days people like that sleep under highways and have choppers looking for them. The meaning of these songs are struggle which so many people are struggling so it is relatable

    Vinny P.5

    ReplyDelete
  39. Upon listening to the song “Tom Joad” by Woody Guthrie, not only do I notice that the lyrics are almost identical to the books theme and text; but also the feeling of the song practically screams “Grapes of Wrath” at you! In both Steinbeck and Guthrie’s case do they exclaim their feelings for the dust bowl and how hard it must have been during that era. Woody Guthrie did a great thing by creating “The Grapes of Wrath” into a song, by doing so he showed his awareness for all those who suffered and how strong they truly were.

    Alex A. - Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  40. I like what Billy from period 3 had to say, because I never thought of how well the moods of each song match up with the mood of the story. Mood is very important in songs and books because it helps us determine how we interpret certain things that happen, and certain things that are said by the author, as well as the characters. Also, I like how he said that these things should be used as historical documents because they really are that important and do tell us so much info that they would be legitimate historical documents.

    Buddy, period 5

    ReplyDelete
  41. Guthrie is to the Joad section in the book as Springstein is to every other chapter that described the migration.

    I agree with with Ryan about this a lot. I didn't really come to notice this until he pointed it out either. When you really break down the songs and read the lyrics you can see that Guthrie legit put everything he knew about Tom and wrote that song about him, as for Bruce he took the approach of writing how the migration went and yes about Tom too but really just but the emphasis on the moving part.

    grace k p.5

    ReplyDelete
  42. After the second time hearing both of these songs I really began to understand them. Personally, I liked the song by Bruce Springsteen much better than the one by Woody Guthrie. I felt that “The Ghost of Tom Joad” had more of a meaning, while “Tom Joad” was just a long seven minute wrap up of the book in an country tone that after 10 minutes could give you a headache. My favorite line in the Springsteen song was “Waitin' for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last”. I felt this quote was a major theme in the book, of wanting everyone who didn’t have anything to rise to the top and push the greedy rich people to the bottom. I also like how Springsteen used quotes from the book while Guthrie summed up the quote in country language. I do like about the songs that they both end just about the same as the book ended, with Tom telling Ma that everything will be alright and he will be in everyone’s hearts.

    Erica. Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  43. I found Bruce Springsteen’s, “The Ghost of Tom Joad” to be a poignantly accurate song. The lyrics are partially referring to the on-going hardships experienced by migrant workers. Many people fail to realize that The Grapes of Wrath does not only allude to events in the past, but also in a way warns future generations to be aware of the difficulties of people in the rural West. The adversity of these laborers has not yet become another chapter in American history; it is a continuing tragedy. The song also pays homage to the strong-willed resolute character of Tom Joad. The passage, “Wherever theres a cop beatin a guy, Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries, Where theres a fight against the blood and hatred in the air,Look for me mom Ill be there”, is perhaps the most moving in the entire song. Tom Joad was in some ways a symbolic character used to represent every man overcoming the harsh conditions he has been forced to face; every man who reaches the brink of tolerance and can no longer endure his place in society. The song’s powerful lyrics invoke vivid imagery in one’s mind. The poverty, and helplessness that some individuals undergo is often unbearable. To these people, Tom Joad’s character could be seen as a representation of the power, however minimal, they possess.
    Though Woody Guthrie’s song is not nearly as evocative as Springsteen’s, it is still a meaningful retelling of the novel’s plot. I found his style to be particularly interesting because the song is written in such a way that it reminds one of the Joad family. There is no usage of so-called “fancy talk”. This was perhaps the intention of Guthrie, to show that the speech of one group of people does not make them inferior to others.

    Delaram Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  44. The two songs seem to both show how each singer portrayed a part of the Grapes of Wrath, in the case of Woody Guthrie it was, basicly, a summary of how he interpreted the story, though there are someinaccuracies between the story and the song it's basicly a summary of most of the story. While in Bruce Sprinsteen's song it seems to be what he thinks happens to Tom after he leaves the family, or maybe it's just simply from the point of view of one of the people that protested alongside Tom, like the people that were with Casey the night he died.

    Amber period 3

    ReplyDelete
  45. I agree with what Jeff from period 3 said. He was right when he made a connection to Tom Joad being in everyone who resented the government

    Austin per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  46. Guthrie’s “Tom Joad” is pretty much a summary of the entire Grapes of Wrath novel. Guthrie and Steinbeck describe the hardships of living during the dust bowl. I think that “The Ghost of Tom Joad” has a stronger meaning than just a summary. This song describes the same fight that many Americans still have everyday. And Tom Joad lives on through these people as a symbol of hope.

    Austin per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  47. In both artists' songs, the alliteration to the novel is quite evident. In both songs, themes are often picked right out of the novel itself and put into the lyrics. However, Mr. Guthrie's song was more of a summation of the novel itself; the themes were literally the same as the novel, which I think provides no insight into the novel other than a quick summation of the major points in the plot. However, Mr. Springsteen's lyrics are more alliterative in a sense in that he conjures up a more modern version of the plot. Springsteen's lyrics offers a more modern and relate-able image to those listening to it today.

    It is evident that The Grapes of Wrath has influenced the American world since its inception; these are only two examples that have been highlighted in the media. The lyrics in both are quite powerful, pointing out the strong, forged will of Tom Joad and his counter-part in Springsteen's lyrics. Guthrie's lyrics emphasize on the major thematic and symbolic points of the novel, from the death of Grandpa Joad to the river and finally to the last lines that Tom ever says to his family. Springsteen's lyrics grab me at the fact that they are so well written as to how they relate to our world now; the amount of people in our society who are living in poverty is staggering. Springsteen does a surprisingly well done job of highlighting the social evils of being impartial to those living in poverty. He points out that those who are poor are the only ones who will help. This was a major theme in the book, where the poor were the only group of people to lend a hand. they were the only ones to experience hardship and know what it feels like in order to give help to those who were suffering as well.

    Will, Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  48. When listening to Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad", I immediately painted the exact picture I saw when reading the novel just by hearing the first two lines of this song, "Men walkin' 'long the railroad tracks. Goin' someplace there's no goin' back." There is no doubt in my mind that these two songs used Grapes of Wrath as an inspiration. There are constant uses of symbolism and even names and direct references to the text. Bruce Springsteen's version of this song seems to be a very direct story to what happened to Tom Joad and his family. I feel very strongly that if a director made a movie on The Grapes of Wrath in this generation, Bruce's song would be the basis of the soundtrack. There is a way that he wrote the music that really just makes you feel the hardships and the sadness in your heart. This song really assists people into realizing what the people back then experiencing this history went through. Overall I would comfortably say that, to me at least, the lyrics are very important, but just imagine this song without the lyrics for a second. The music alone says it all. I can just listen to the melody and the music and very easily put that melody into many situations in the novel. Bruce did an amazing job on picking lyrics and writing such captivating music to accompany such a powerful and captivating novel.

    Tom - Period 3

    ReplyDelete
  49. Both songs clearly relate to the Grapes of Wrath. The parallels are unmistakable especially in “Tom Joad” by Woody Guthrie. It is simply a summary of the events of the novel. It doesn’t contain anything new in the lyrics which, for me, dilutes its power. It is simplistic straightforward version of the story. Woody Guthrie’s song’s value lies in its ability to bring you back to the story literally, even the choice of words is reminiscent of those of the Joad’s. I liked Bruce Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad” much more because it creates a larger picture. It’s easy to visualize life and relate to this songs message. The song focuses on the struggle to survive. One line I particularly liked was, “No home no job no peace no rest.” This was something evident in the novel with the Joad’s constant struggle, and was the prominent theme in the song. It was a clever way to connect the novel and the song together without summarizing the story or saying it blatantly. Additionally, I like the fact that Springsteen’s song allows listeners to make their own connections between the novel and song. The themes are still clearly visible but I think the lyrics’ way of inspiring thought is of value. The way Springsteen brought the lyrics back to the Grapes of Wrath at the very end with Tom Joad’s final message was a great way to end the song. That ending note sends the message that Tom’s idea of fighting for a better life for all people is something that should be applied to life today. Both songs, clearly connected to Grapes of Wrath but I preferred Springsteen’s song by far.

    Ella Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  50. I definitely agree with Maria from Period 5 on the point that the emotions of the characters were clearly displayed in the songs. I think the depressing undertone to the novel was visible within the songs and strengthened the connections between song and book. I also agree when she states that the difficulties of life were evident in the songs. It was clear to me that the novel was a basis for both songs and could be used as an aid to the meaning of the story.

    Ella Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  51. The Woody Guthrie song seems like it was mainly based on the Grapes Of Wrath in the beginning of the book, it describes what Tom Joad did once he got out of prison. I think that these lyrics make it easier for people to understand what has happened in the book better.

    The Bruce Springsteen song describes I believe a man from a time like today that is almost like Tom Joad and lives and thinks the same way he does. Bruce takes the book writing and puts them in his lyrics, like about the promised land.. which is California in the book. He describes the man in modern terms by having almost the belief in human rights, which is what Tom believed in. Bruce is almost like being simple in the beginning of the song and building more and more up to the end to get his point acress more.

    Both of these lyrics describe important aspects in the book and take them so you can understand them more.

    kayla m. period 5

    ReplyDelete
  52. Both Woody Guthrie and Springsteen's songs are alike in that they both describe the plot of “The Grapes of Wrath”. Woody Guthrie's version literally parallels the plot and gives a event-to-event summary. It doesn't symbolize or compare, rather it just tells the story as it was already told. Bruce Springsteen retells the story and emphasizes it's deeper meaning. For example, he writes: “The highway is alive tonight/But nobody's kiddin' nobody about where it goes.” Which explains how every person the Joad's met in their travels told them exactly what they were headed for. Like a well written essay, he didn't include any plot summary but expressed his own thoughts and views of how the story went. Instead of changing the entire story to be more likeable to listeners, he added his own spin to the words, while keeping the themes alive. What I found very clever is how he ended the song. A few other students explained how the ending made you feel as though Tom Joad's final message was something you should remember, because it's something that can be applied to life today and something you shouldn't so easily forget. I did like both songs, but I think I could find myself listening to Springsteen's more often. Guthrie's would just remind me or reading the book all over again!
    -Alyssa E; Period 5

    ReplyDelete
  53. The Bruce Springsteen song is very good at describing what life was like for the Joads in The Grapes of Wrath. The lyrics are about how hard the migrant families had to work to stay alive, and the sad condition they live in. The interesting thing about the song is that it ties into to the life of homeless people nowadays, instead of just the early 1900s. They face similar struggles as the Joads, and use Tom Joad as their motivation to continue. As the song says, they are “searching for the ghost of Tom Joad”. Tom never gave up in the book, and they use that as their example for perseverance. Springsteen also includes a quote from The Grapes of Wrath, which makes the song even more meaningful. The Woody Guthrie song is basically an outline of the book, but in song. Interestingly enough, Guthrie uses the same quote as Springsteen in his song. Also, they both seem to revolve around Tom Joad. Both songs do a good job telling not only about the books, but shed a light on the hard times that surround so many people – both now, and then.

    -Siena, period 3

    ReplyDelete