When Does "The Grapes of Wrath" (1939) Take Place?
"The Grapes of Wrath" is a historical fiction novel written by John Steinbeck that released April 14th, 1939. So when is "The Grapes of Wrath" set?
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It takes place in the year:
We know this because it depicts the devastating effects of the worldwide economic Great Depression, which lasted from the Wall Street stock market crash on October 29th 1929 AD to roughly 1939 AD.
1938 AD
We know this because it depicts the devastating effects of the worldwide economic Great Depression, which lasted from the Wall Street stock market crash on October 29th 1929 AD to roughly 1939 AD.
Furthermore, a little more than halfway through the book a character only referred to as Black Hat says, "Fella tol' me what happened in Akron, Ohio. Rubber companies. They got mountain people in 'cause they'd work cheap." ... "Well, sir, hell jes' popped." The Akron, Ohio rubber plant strike happened in the real world on February 14th, 1936 AD and lasted until March of 1936 AD. So it must be after March of 1936 AD.
More specifically, just a quarter in, the narrator tells us that the song "Thanks for the Memory" by Ralph Rainger with Leo Robin plays twice on a jukebox in a hamburger stand along Route 66. The song was recorded and released in 1938 AD. It debuted in a movie titled "The Big Broadcast of 1938" (1938) which indeed opened in theaters on February 11th, 1938 AD. It’s most likely playing on quick rotation because it is popular and it’s popular because it’s very new. So it’s currently 1938 AD.
It was adapted to film in 1940, to the stage in 1990, and as an opera in 2007.
