What is the purpose of the intercalary chapters in Grapes of Wrath?
What is the purpose of the intercalary chapters in Grapes of Wrath?
As Steinbeck wrote, the intercalary chapters are in place to evoke an emotional response from the readers of The Grapes of Wrath. Whether they are explanatory, sermon-like, or metaphorical, they approach the reader in a ‘big picture’ way that the narrative chapters cannot.
What is the purpose of Chapter 3 in The Grapes of Wrath?
Chapter Three of ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ focuses on a turtle as it climbs an embankment and crosses a street, overcoming various obstacles along the way. This is a famous chapter in the book, both for its attention to detail and because it works as an allegory for the Joads’ struggles throughout their journey.
How does the use of intercalary chapters enhance the novel?
Steinbeck successfully used intercalary chapters to inform the reader of the historical and societal background, broaden the scope of the novel, expose others with experiences similar to the Joads, provide his own opinions of the situations, and imply possible solutions or outcomes to the problems.
What is the effect of the intercalary chapters that come between the narrative about the Joads?
Some people see the intercalary chapters as a waste of time or, even worse, as digressions. The truth is that these chapters affirm and intensify the Joad’s experiences.
What does Chapter 7 imply about used car salesman?
Like the turtle, which strengthens the theme of the Joad’s connection to nature, the car salesman reflects the greed associated with capitalism. Chapter 7 reads like a monologue of a used car salesman instructing his employees on how to rip off potential buyers.
How does Chapter 9 contribute to the point of the book so far Grapes of Wrath?
Chapter 9 shifts focus away from the Joads and instead describes the preparations that tenant farmers in general are making for the exodus to California. It is mostly told from the general perspective of a farmer, who is trying to sell all his extra possessions before his family sets out westward.
How many intercalary chapters are in the Grapes of Wrath?
sixteen intercalary chapters2
Some critics have pointed particularly to the sixteen intercalary chapters2 in The Grapes of Wrath—chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, and 29—as a major structural weakness of the novel. They see those chapters as irrelevant, repetitious, and excessive.
What happens in chapter 2 of Grapes of Wrath?
Lesson Summary Chapter 2 of Grapes of Wrath starts outside of a dinner with description of a fancy truck. The driver of the truck is inside swapping gossip with the waitress. When the driver leaves, he picks up a waiting hitchhiker by the name of Tom Joad. The two head down the road while the driver gets a bit nosy.
What is the plot of The Grapes of Wrath?
The Grapes of Wrath centres on the Joad family, hardworking farmers who have lost everything in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in the 1930s. Seeking better opportunities, they decide to make the arduous trek to California. Their situation, however, fails to improve as the Joads struggle to find work.
