For this class instructor, Mary Engelhardt, will facilitate a discussion of John Steinbeck’s novel and John Ford’s 1940 film adaptation, with ample time to process both what we read and what we see. Considered to be Steinbeck’s masterpiece, The “Grapes of Wrath” is a story of human unity and love, confirming the need for cooperation rather than individualism during hard times.

Please secure and read the entire 455-page novel. First published in 1939, the novel takes place during America’s Great Depression, which lasted from the Stock Market Crash of October 1929 until the beginning of World War II. During this time, a long period of drought and high winds impacted large parts of the American Midwest, creating what was called the Dust Bowl. Many people in the lower Midwest moved elsewhere, hoping to find fertile land on which to make a living.

The novel was #12 on the list of the 100 most-loved books in PBS’s The Great American Read.

Instructor, Mary Engelhardt has a BS degree in elementary education with a minor in Language and Literature from Eastern Michigan University. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Degree from Oakland University. Steinbeck is Mary’s favorite author.

This study group will meet on Tuesday, November 30 and Wednesday, December 1. Preregistration is required via the OLLI website or phone. A link to access the study group will be e-mailed prior to the first session.