tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post2496132910046597534..comments2024-02-10T04:59:03.138-05:00Comments on Mrs. Baker's English Classes: Article of the Week Period 5Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639907284018599784noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-75462664602835211672014-09-03T21:49:14.034-04:002014-09-03T21:49:14.034-04:00I completely agree with Remi's comment disagre...I completely agree with Remi's comment disagreeing with the idea that "The Grapes of Wrath" is just a simple story about weather and bank debt systems. In my opinion this novel is anything but simple. Although there are a few pages where Steinbeck just rambles about corn, I believe the reason this book is considered such a great piece of literature is because of all the emotion put into it. I felt sadness and heartbreak after reading about the hardships families such as the Joad's faced during this time. <br />Abby Atkinson Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-52176024791566531592014-09-03T21:37:27.319-04:002014-09-03T21:37:27.319-04:00I completely agree with Remi's comment explain...I completely agree with Remi's comment explaining the book is more than just a simple story about weather and a bank's debt system. I believe this novel is such a great piece of literature because Steinbeck's emotions are throughout the book. Although there are some pages where Steinbeck is just rambling about corn, the majority of the book kept my attention threw the sadness and heart break that I felt reading about the hardships that many families such as the Joad family had to face. <br />Abby AtkinsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-87655299851394161152014-09-03T11:35:39.068-04:002014-09-03T11:35:39.068-04:00Steinbeck is “not the best or most brilliant write... Steinbeck is “not the best or most brilliant writer America ever had”, according to Yuhas; and so I agree. However, Yuhas says “The Grapes of Wrath tells a simple story: devastating weather and a bank's debt system force the Joad family off their farm”, and this, I disagree with. ‘Grapes’ is a story that is more than just “a story”. It is a novel that covers more than just a time period, the struggle of a family, or weather. There’s something emotional about Steinbeck’s literature. A major theme among The Grapes of Wrath is humanity. This novel is about how humans treat one another and about being a human who is surviving in the world. Yuhas sates, “it's got plenty of flaws – weak characters, flat style, blunt symbolism and melodrama, the list goes on.”, and that may be true, but the literature of this novel goes far beyond story telling. <br />Remi S.<br />Period 5Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-50077902578431806202014-09-03T11:28:09.728-04:002014-09-03T11:28:09.728-04:00There are so many problems in the world; not all o...There are so many problems in the world; not all of them can be solved within the span of 75 years. It is troubling that so many people go to bed hungry or do not know where they will spend the night, but progress is most definitely being made. There hasn't been a depression as bad as the Great Depression (hence the name) thanks to the efforts of communities (remember the Girl Scouts volunteering at the food kitchen?) or the financial security plans now implemented, etc. Progress is slow, yes, but an issue as big as this with the numerous people in need, it is going to be take a long time. It's the little things that will help those in need. <br />Meredith J. Period 5Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-36543035451694413272014-09-03T11:27:38.940-04:002014-09-03T11:27:38.940-04:00I agree with your point that The Grapes of Wrath p...I agree with your point that The Grapes of Wrath proves that a book doesn't need sophisticated words, a "happy ending," or unnecessary detail used to make it more appealing. And since Steinbeck wrote his book with the purpose of getting his point across, and he accomplished that very well, I believe that he should be considered one of the greatest authors of all time (even if the article does not see him that way).Gabby Dnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-14824299399857519342014-09-03T11:27:13.636-04:002014-09-03T11:27:13.636-04:00I definitely appreciated how your comment talked a...I definitely appreciated how your comment talked about the other side of the issue; I thought it was refreshing because Steinbeck's novel and the article were both essentially one-sided, which causes the reader to be biased without even any thought about what the opposing viewpoint might be. I think you make really good points, and although I think that the reasoning behind some of these injustices doesn't exactly excuse the behavior, I appreciated the explanations. It definitely made me think a little more about how nothing is as "right" or "wrong" as it seems.Lily Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-48596827114926000112014-09-03T11:25:10.700-04:002014-09-03T11:25:10.700-04:00auto correct^^^
jessieauto correct^^^<br />jessieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-39812482128196872732014-09-03T11:24:22.419-04:002014-09-03T11:24:22.419-04:00umm steinbeck***umm steinbeck***Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-11049872363776983192014-09-03T11:23:26.819-04:002014-09-03T11:23:26.819-04:00Immigrants often take the low paying "dirty w...Immigrants often take the low paying "dirty work" that no American citizen would want, so competition is not an issue. They suffer as much from the problems in America as anyone else, and they aren't really the cause. We've always been a country of immigrants and we've always been able to handle the flow of people; obviously a bigger problem is at work here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-25160017219743587912014-09-03T11:23:16.610-04:002014-09-03T11:23:16.610-04:00I definitely would agree with a lot of what you sa...I definitely would agree with a lot of what you say here. It bothers me, too, how we can't seem to fix the incessant problems of hunger and poverty that have plagued us for so long as a country and before. It seems to me that we continually try to address these problems in shallow, surface-only ways, that don't actually get down to the root of the conflicts. And maybe these conflicts and problems are kind of eternal: maybe that's what makes this novel so good and so relevant, because these social issues will always hold true, no matter the time period.Lily Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-77196665616706420522014-09-03T11:21:46.403-04:002014-09-03T11:21:46.403-04:00Some say that John Steinbeck was not one of the br...Some say that John Steinbeck was not one of the brightest or best writers in America, but I disagree. If we had listened to what Steinbeck was saying in Grapes of Wrath we would not be in the predicaments we are in now. In the article The Grapes of Wrath is 75 years old and more relevant than ever the author writes a brief summary of the major topics in the book. He/She says, “The Grapes of Wrath tells a simple story: devastating weather and a bank's debt system force the Joad family off their farm; they go west, for work and good weather in California. They discover thousands of other migrants living in desperate poverty, exploited by the rich, abused by police, and abandoned by the government; they suffer, fight back and endure.” They say that because of the dust bowl people had to move to the west to California, and then there in California there were terrible floods. Well today that is almost reversed. The west coast has been going through the worst dry spell it has had in almost 100 years. The number of wildfires has increased to scary numbers. By mid-May of 2014 over 1,400 wildfires were putout but the fire department in southern California alone. In the East coast there have been horrifying hurricanes that we have all personally witnessed. We know the effects of Sandy and how much it hurt or town, state and entire East shoreline. The second topic has to do with small, family owned farms being forced into debt, out of business, and off their land do to the bank system. Now there are big named “megafarms” that have put small, family owned farms into debt, out of business, and off their land. And banks have not stopped playing their role in this problem. They still evicting people from their homes. People scrape for a few dollars while others are rich. the book also tells about the police and their violent ways. today not all police aren't mean they are here to keep us safe but sometimes what they do to keep us safe is considered harsh and unjust. in the article there is a picture of people being dragged away by police during the occupy Wall Street march. this article points out all the ways that our society today is like the one in Grapes of Wrath, a book that we should have learned from, and maybe now we will.<br />Marissa S Period 5marissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14381628647284267698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-14169396685448778492014-09-03T11:20:36.083-04:002014-09-03T11:20:36.083-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.marissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14381628647284267698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-62567803013297437212014-09-03T11:18:02.777-04:002014-09-03T11:18:02.777-04:00I enjoyed this short article on the Grapes of Wrat...I enjoyed this short article on the Grapes of Wrath, for one major reason. The article helped illustrate the novels relevance in today’s society, which may not always be clear to people. The article brings up banks, and how they still abuse and exploit migrant workers, evict families with debt, and disband unions. Also, they talk about the mega farms which control the market in a very aggressive manner, by eliminating other farms through debt. The following is a quote from the article. “The Grapes of Wrath, published 75 years ago today, means just as much to the US now as it did in 1939, when the Dust Bowl destroyed the American west, the economy lay in tatters, a minority held the keys to the bank, and a vast migrant population wandered without homes or rights.” For me, this helped me see the value in the book, and why it has remained relevant in society for so long, which shows me the true value in The Grapes of Wrath.<br /><br />-Rome McCollAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-53108590926727771402014-09-03T11:12:22.574-04:002014-09-03T11:12:22.574-04:00I enjoyed this short article on the Grapes of Wrat...I enjoyed this short article on the Grapes of Wrath, for one major reason. The article helped illustrate the novels relevance in today’s society, which may not always be clear to people. The article brings up banks, and how they still abuse and exploit migrant workers, evict families with debt, and disband unions. Also, they talk about the mega farms which control the market in a very aggressive manner, by eliminating other farms through debt. The following is a quote from the article. “The Grapes of Wrath, published 75 years ago today, means just as much to the US now as it did in 1939, when the Dust Bowl destroyed the American west, the economy lay in tatters, a minority held the keys to the bank, and a vast migrant population wandered without homes or rights.” For me, this helped me see the value in the book, and why it has remained relevant in society for so long, which shows me the true value in The Grapes of Wrath.<br /><br />-Rome McCollAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-31102297883327483272014-09-03T08:29:40.660-04:002014-09-03T08:29:40.660-04:00“Steinback’s “monster” banks still evict families,...“Steinback’s “monster” banks still evict families, still take bailouts, and still indenture Americans with debt…” This quote really goes with the articles title “The Grapes of Wrath is 75 years old and still more relevant than ever”. Now more than ever I think Americans are struggling in the economic world. As the quote said, banks still evicting families and still indenture Americans with debt. We Americans experience this today just as the Joads did in Grapes of Wrath. For example when the bank evicted the Joads off their farm, we relate to this when a bank evicts a family from their home. Obviously the circumstances aren’t the same that they were 75 years ago, but I think that’s what makes the authors point, 75 years later and as relevant as ever. <br />Lexie E - period 5Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-66067501954393899112014-09-03T07:37:54.254-04:002014-09-03T07:37:54.254-04:00Sorry replace: the 2008 Great Recession caused man...Sorry replace: the 2008 Great Recession caused many people "to scrape by, losing homes and jobs, with millions still struggling six years later"Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16254271513239021485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-75488540812198439632014-09-03T07:34:36.096-04:002014-09-03T07:34:36.096-04:00I agree, while most immagrants come to America wit...I agree, while most immagrants come to America with good intentions the american economy just cant handle the massive flow of illegal immigrants. American school systems are being over packed with non english speaking kids. In this economy jobs are already hard to come by, and if an immigrant cannot find work then they are stuck trying to live in a ghetto and having a very hard life. Etta H period 5Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16254271513239021485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-50155368134074416362014-09-03T07:18:39.236-04:002014-09-03T07:18:39.236-04:00While this article makes many good points about th...While this article makes many good points about the “monsters” in Steinbeck’s novel and makes solid comparisons to today’s society it excludes many of the details that make what big businesses and the government do seem more practical. For example, this article details in how the 2008 Great Recession laid off many Americans and drove many others into debt. What it excludes to say that the reason for this was that the banks were literally on the verge of collapse. The government had to preform massive bailouts to ensure that many of the nation’s largest banks didn't go under, taking the people’s money with it. Without this action there would have been much worse of a disaster that the American people faced. The “monster” was attempting to save America from total bankruptcy, and while this caused a loss of jobs and many people suffering it benefited the greater good. Ettanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-44696319534963483152014-09-03T05:50:57.047-04:002014-09-03T05:50:57.047-04:00I agree with your point that Steinbeck, "wasn...I agree with your point that Steinbeck, "wasn't trying to make everything sound depressing; he was describing a reality that people needed to know about." I think many people view this book as an exaggerated depressing story, however what we don't realize is that this was an actual way of life for some families This really reveals how uneducated we are about families living in poverty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-4114380756837993742014-09-02T23:17:00.988-04:002014-09-02T23:17:00.988-04:00Repeatedly the article emphasizes the comparisons ...Repeatedly the article emphasizes the comparisons between Steinback's society and American society today. an important quote from the text is, "Steinbeck's "monster" banks still evict families, still take bailouts, and still indenture Americans with debt."Raissi B. -period 5noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-72292013645490893782014-09-02T23:05:15.917-04:002014-09-02T23:05:15.917-04:00I agree with Erika's comment and the idea that...I agree with Erika's comment and the idea that we as individuals can overcome great hardships. Perhaps our own will power, work ethic, and refusal to surrender to pain can take us much further than we think. This is a comforting thought. <br />Raissi B. -period 5noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-13285734678560563832014-09-02T22:57:13.845-04:002014-09-02T22:57:13.845-04:00In my opinion, the author of this article does a t...In my opinion, the author of this article does a tremendous job of showing the relevance of Steinback's novel to the lives of modern-day Americans. He links the character's struggles to those of president day US citizens. Just as the book opens with a period of drought and dust, California residents today are experiencing record breaking wildfires, drought, and smog. Similarly, the book closes with a period of heavy flooding that may be compared to the recent hurricanes that have left the Gulf and East Coasts in long-lasting devastation. Additionally, the author comments on the many abuses of power in our society. Just as the bankers and the businessmen slowed the progress of the impoverished in the book, megafarmers and meat companies continue to dominate the agricultural world today. Raissi B. -period 5noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-20464645736851497632014-09-02T22:47:08.013-04:002014-09-02T22:47:08.013-04:00I like that you mentioned several aspects of the a...I like that you mentioned several aspects of the article. It was nice that you didn't comment on just one point the author brought up. When you said, "Overall this author stated a lot of good and true points on America now and 75 years ago and how it didn't change that much at all", it reminded me that there are many themes in the Grapes of Wrath that are still relevant today.<br /><br />Katey Y.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-56632826645280186522014-09-02T22:24:42.870-04:002014-09-02T22:24:42.870-04:00I think that Steinbeck was calling attention to th...I think that Steinbeck was calling attention to the people who worked so hard for so little. People who lived in the middle to upper class had no idea that the clothes on the backs and the food in their homes were being produced by people living in such extreme poverty. He had to make the book depressing, or people wouldn't have paid attention to it! He wasn't trying to make everything sound depressing; he was describing a reality that people needed to know about. If Steinbeck or anyone else hadn't wrote this book, so many people who were good of heart just wouldn't have ever been acknowledged for the work that they did. "Steinbeck's "monster" banks still evict families, still take bailouts, and still indenture Americans with debt". We can't deny that these issues plague us today, and a modern-day "Grapes of Wrath" could easily be written. Just because there were a few able to to successfully pursue and accomplish the "American dream" does NOT mean we get to ignore the fact that at the time way more people were living in poverty and just barely getting by than were really living. Steinbeck also made it clear that there were those who were successful, but there were few of those people, especially in the south. I'd also like to add that Steinbeck himself did not live in squalor, he took a fascination with the dynamics of the lower class and wrote a powerful book about people's hardships at this time, in this area.<br />--Cleo K P5Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33822704.post-66991906435053884762014-09-02T21:58:30.155-04:002014-09-02T21:58:30.155-04:00I agree with your views on the social disadvantage...I agree with your views on the social disadvantages of the people of the book and of the lower classes of modern society. The same parties have been in power for too long, because when they received their positions they let their greed for control grasp the power, and have no reason to let go. The government holds the people down, refusing to let them rise up, which people are beginning to realize. The seeds of anger are planted; but the seeds are, in fact, growing. They are growing due to the people's growing individuality and strength, and their greed. It is human nature to always want more, and "Wrath sprouts when one person chooses greed over equality, and it grows anytime self-interest wins over compassion." <br />Shannon H. ~Period 5Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com