Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, course: Novel and Film (HS), language: English, abstract: This paper deals with John Steinbeck's groundbreaking, Nobel Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939). Causing a public uproar at the time of its publication, it arguably marks the pinnacle of Steinbeck's work and is widely regarded as one of the great classics of American literature. At first, some background information concerning the making and reception of The Grapes of Wrath is presented. This is followed by a closer analysis of the novel with regard to such crucial aspects as setting, structure, characters, themes and symbolism. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of whether the novel lends itself to a film adaptation and how famous director John Ford handled the subject in his critically acclaimed film version from the year 1940.