The Grapes of Wrath

Otherwise known as Nerdlings, part II.

The Academic Decathlon is coming up. Abram is not on the team this year because of his newfound talent at debate and interpretive reading. He's actually heading for Berkeley tonight for a tournament this weekend...

But I love the Academic Decathlon, and I love the nerdlings. And I really, really love teaching. Especially when it involves an excellent classic piece of literature. Like The Grapes of Wrath.

The Academic Decathlon this year is themed from the Great Depression. All the history, art, music, essay and literature sections follow this theme. Of course, the literature is mostly Steinbeck-based, and the kids are supposed to know The Grapes of Wrath inside and out, including being prepared to write an essay on a Grapes prompt.

I am helping the team get ready to take the lit section of the exam and to write their essays. So I have been reading the book again, and this time digging deep into the symbols, allusions and themes of it. Although the ending of the book disturbs me visually, it is a very lovely symbolism of selflessness, community and the over-soul. Still, it makes me gag. Yuck. Yet unforgettable.

I sort of prefer the movie to the book, because it entirely leaves off the disturbing ending. Plus, I'm a sucker for anything with Henry Fonda in it.

Get ready for Sunday School, kids. It's going to be fun. Not as fun as Dickens was last year, but I am very excited for the new batch of Nerdlings.