I used to hate when our club picked old books but 'The Grapes of Wrath' changed my mind

Our club in Phoenix chose it last month and I was sure it would be boring. But the whole fight about whether the ending was hopeful or just sad got everyone talking for like two hours. I learned that a book doesn't have to be new to make people feel something big. Has your club ever had a huge argument over a classic you thought would be quiet?

3 comments

3 Comments

allen.cole3mo ago

Totally get that feeling. We read "The Great Gatsby" last year and I thought it would be a snooze. But people got HEATED over whether Gatsby was a hopeless romantic or just a creepy stalker. It turned into this huge fight about love and obsession. I went in expecting a quiet chat and left with my head spinning. Classics can really sneak up on you like that.

grant7283mo ago

That debate really gets to the heart of the book. It's wild how a character can be seen as both tragic and toxic. Which side did you end up on?

william_taylor1mo ago

Is it just me or does this happen with almost every classic character once you really look at them? I've noticed the same thing in real life, too. Like when people argue about whether a friend was actually helping or just making things worse. It's never just one side, you know? You start seeing that most people are both the hero and the villain in their own story, depending on who's telling it. That's probably why these old books still get people riled up.