The True American Spirit of The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath is an excellent portrait of ordinary, true Americans. While obviously a book of deep thought and incredible symbolism, above all The Grapes of Wrath gives these ordinary American workers a distinct voice and identity, and does not simply turn them into a stereotype or cliché. Steinbeck's book could be considered one of the best American books and perhaps the best on the topic of the Great Depression. It doesn't focus at all on the stock market crash or from the perspective of the upper classes; instead it shows its effects on the common man. And, like all great fictional stories set in historical events, it uses the situation as the basic structure of the story and only at a certain point is the real theme revealed. In this case the setting is during the Great Depression but (and I don't want to sound too banal) the theme is obviously about the struggle for life, the ever captivating human spirit and the hope for better opportunities. The reason I chose The Grapes of Wrath (beyond the obvious that the characters are the heartland of America) for my American patriotic debasement is because even though the characters already live in America, they begin to dream of a new land of opportunity and this accompanies them on a journey to rediscover the country. Like the recent tragic situation in America, the Great Depression is a seminal event in our history and was a period that tested the strength of our country. We triumphed over that obstacle and it only made us stronger, which we are undoubtedly doing with our current situation. Most of us know that... the middle of the paper... works for the banks, comes with a bulldozer to bulldoze the house of his old family friends, right before their eyes. I know, it sounds depressing but hey, there are some comedic moments and let's remember that the story is about the Great Depression. And so… The Grapes of Wrath is probably the best book written on the subject of the American Great Depression. It was a depressing time and full of fear for the future, as it is now with the attacks. Hopefully we can look back on these days as another part of history that only made us stronger, as we do with the Great Depression. But even in these tough times there's no need to always be afraid, because you can look at the Joads and even while they were wallowing in the poorest and most depressing situations they still managed to have fun dancing to the hoe. . True American spirit.