The Grapes of Wrath balances a number of broad stories about the dust bowl farmers, and one family's problems in particular during the novel. Almost every other chapter followed this zoomed in and zoomed out pattern, and it always gives new perspective about what was going on, sometimes this would even foreshadow an upcoming event. You were easily able to notice these two perspectives throughout the book and the impact it has on the reader.
One of the first zoomed out chapters is about a turtle and its journey crossing a road. "The turtle entered a dust road and jerked itself along, drawing a wavy shallow trench in the dust with its shell. The old humorous eyes looked ahead..." This zoomed out perspective foreshadows the Joad family who is slowly moving west to California. A couple of chapters later, the Joad family is on the move and they begin their slow journey west. The chapter helped to keep the story moving, preparing for what is to happen next.
Before Casy and Tom even make it to the farm, there is a zoomed out chapter that fits perfectly into the story. Chapter five was about the owners of the land, banks, tractors, and the "monster" they have created."You’re on land that isn’t yours. Once over the line maybe you can pick cotton in the fall. Maybe you can go on relief. Why don’t you go on west to California? There’s work there" This is good for people who don’t know much about the dust bowl, this chapter gives you an idea about the situation so many people were in, and eventually learn how the Joads are in this place too. This chapter impacted the novel and gave the reader background information about what story they were really getting into. You get to see this from the families’ perspective, this helps the reader to understand how the dust bowl farmers felt even before meeting the Joads. It made their situation more relatable and it showed how many people were in the same place.
Another zoomed out chapter that kept the book flowing was during chapter 27."I aim to pick some cotton. Got a bag? Well, no, I ain't. Coast ya a dollar, the bag. Take it out o' your first hunderd and fifty" This chapter was about the cotton pickers, how the people worked and what cotton picking was like. Steinbeck kept the dialogue vague and he mixed thoughts, conversations and descriptions together. This chapter impacted the novel through the way it was written, and because it gave the greater perspective, and helped me to realize that everyone at that point was going through the same thing on the cotton farms. This also kept the book moving and also added some new twists to it.
Without the zoomed in, zoomed out chapters, the book would not have given the reader the same understanding they got from the balance of the two. The metaphors, foreshadowing, generalized thoughts and perspectives had an impact on the balance of the story with the Joads. The way Steinbeck wrote the book caused you to read more mindfully. This wasn’t just a novel about a family going through The Great Depression, it was about the whole country going through the same problem. The whole novel was impacted in a positive way that made you become a more involved and thoughtful reader.
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