Grapes of Wrath
I hate to confess that I have not read this book. This seems like an insult to literature or at least high school English teachers everywhere. Nate read this book for the challenge two years ago. The thing I remember from his description of the Grapes of Wrath was a scene at the end of the book where a grown man was breastfeeding. While watching this film all I could think of was if they were going to portray this scene in the movie. I doubted it would make it past the censors, but…maybe?
From this description, I knew that the ending was a dark one. The characters did not find the Promised Land in California and they became so desperate that breastfeeding was necessary for survival. This is not the ending in the film. The closing scene is a speech given by Ma Joad where she basically says they aren’t giving up and these unfortunate events will make them stronger. The viewer comes away thinking that just maybe if they persevere, they will survive and maybe even thrive.
I liked the film and the story, but the ending was a little sentimental and contrived. Although I haven’t read this book, I think I prefer that ending no matter how depressing it might be.
From this description, I knew that the ending was a dark one. The characters did not find the Promised Land in California and they became so desperate that breastfeeding was necessary for survival. This is not the ending in the film. The closing scene is a speech given by Ma Joad where she basically says they aren’t giving up and these unfortunate events will make them stronger. The viewer comes away thinking that just maybe if they persevere, they will survive and maybe even thrive.
I liked the film and the story, but the ending was a little sentimental and contrived. Although I haven’t read this book, I think I prefer that ending no matter how depressing it might be.
posted by Bethany Clarke at
8:42 PM
1 Comments:
Two thoughts.
1. It was eerie how much some of this film was like being back in Africa. From the transient camp which is so much like slums in Nairobi to the vicious circle people without landrights are in, Grapes of Wrath was like seeing into the future. Maybe this gives hope in that the US found a way out of that type of economic deadend, but my guess is that the type of poverty seen in Africa is a little more widespread and a little more complex.
2. They screwed up the ending. What in the book was a dark and cynical ending was optimistic and hopeful in the film. Granted showing a girl nursing an old man would probably not have gotten past censors, but at least if they could have kept the spirit of the ending.
By
Nate Clarke, at 11:50 AM
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