Techniques - The Grapes of Wrath

Throughout the book, The Grapes of Wrath, the author uses many techniques that keeps the reader intrigued with the book.  There are two major techniques that I picked out that kept me and others (most likely) into the book.  Those two things were description and suspense.  John Steinbeck, the author, does a very good job of describing the land and the surroundings to the reader, so that they can get a picture in their head of what life must have been like.  "TO THE RED COUNTRY and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth.  The plows crossed and recrossed the rivulet marks.  The last rains lifted the corn quickly and scattered weed colonies and grass along the sides of the roads so that the gray country and the dark red country began to disappear under a green cover...(Steinbeck, 1).  The description goes on, but I stopped due to the length.  Right away you get a picture in your ahead of the surroundings of the area that they are living in.  It goes on to tell about the dust that comes up because their is no rain, and I believe that using this as a technique, Steinbeck helps the reader. 
The last technique that I thought was a good one, was suspense.  Throughout the book, you are always thinking what is going to happen.  Will they find a place where they can work and live?  Will Tom be found?  “Seems like it’s my fault. This here goddamn wreck’s give me trouble right along.You folks been nice to us.Now you jus’ pack up an’ get along. Me an’ Sairy’ll stay, an’ we’ll figger some way. We don’t aim to put you folks out none (Steinbeck 167).”  Will they move on without the family?  All of this contributes to helping the book.  It gives the book an edge over others, because it does get you thinking of what is going to happen next.

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 2002. Print.