The Grapes Of Wrath By William Roth: Chapter Analysis

Now I know what you are thinking, babies are born and they are immediately loved more than the parents love themselves, so they have to have meaning. However, if you think about it, no matter how sad and horrendous it may seem, there are millions of babies born every year that are unloved and practically and sometimes quite literally thrown away like garbage. So babies, something so innocent, really isn't even born with “meaning” to someone until their parent or guardian gives it to them. This is where Roth makes a valid point, “…of course her daughter has meaning, however, the meaning Sheri gives her daughter is not preordained,” (Roth, 19). His entire point in chapter one is not that the things you hold dear and prize don’t have value, but

The example that quickly comes to mind is the first sentence in chapter one, “Your life has no meaning”, (Roth, 15). He practically starts off the entire book with a statement that makes you unsure if you want to slam it closed to never be opened again, or read and soak up as much of his “wisdom” before it slips through your fingers. He sets up a tone of authority because you are immediately somehow compelled to be front and center to the lesson you're about to be taught. He sorts of singles out the struggling college student who isn't sure where or how they fit and how their choices will affect them. His statement is like a reality check to the senses and a cold slap of truth that I feel everyone at my age including myself needs to hear. Yet, his viewpoint isn't that revolutionary, “Here's the truth. We exist on this earth for some undetermined period of time. During that time, we do things. Some of those things are important. Some of them are unimportant”, (Mason, 7 Strange Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose). Mason also makes a roundabout point that you will do things that will be both important and unimportant, and that it doesn't really matter either way or how they happen because sooner or later they will both