Years Beneath the Surface

The depth and emotion John Steinbeck engraves in his interchapters of The Grapes of Wrath is stunning. There is little need for dialogue in these chapters to really flesh out a wide scale of human emotion and vivid imagery. Instead of a standard narration, Steinbeck opts for digging below the surface to give his readers insight to meaning behind what goes on in his story.

Chapter nine in particular secured my fascination. As the family attempts to sell its household belongings, Steinbeck uses this chapter to give us a sense of the impact the move is having on the characters. His narration "recalls" the memories that are tied with each item for sale, and how painful the sales are when they are cut way below what the owner values of them. It is not just plow they are selling; it's a plow that farmed the land their family was born on, grew up on, and lived on for generations. When the buyer walks away with the plow for a deal close to robbery, he takes with him some bitterness of the soul that remains with it (Steinbeck, 86).

The quote about the two horses and the wagon being sold as a package is my favorite of the chapter, as it really transports one into the world of the Dust Bowl, with an image as vivid as if it was one of our own memories. "You're buying a little girl plaiting the forelocks, taking off her hair ribbon to make bows, standing back, head cocked, rubbing the soft noses with her cheek," (Steinbeck, 87). How often have I myself felt like a part of myself was leaving with things I gave away, or sold at a yard sale? Perhaps parts of our souls really do remain in those former possessions.

Steinbeck's descriptions create a whole new depth to his story and characters. Instead of just reading about their personalities and adventure, we are treated to an inside look to the roots of the old American families' sense of belonging and value, giving us a deeper understanding of their pride.