SPOILER: CHAPTER 28 TO END/ innocents lost

[vivico1]

Helloo, did everyone get food poisoning and leave??? LOL Guess we are done here huh?

[fanuzzir]

Vivico, if we are, it is not because of any effort on your part. You have been a wonderful reader and a true source of ideas throughout this conversation. I think that many people might have come to terms with Sinclair's ending, and accepted it for its political purpose while wincing at its literary value. I think a follow-up conversation might be, what part of Sinclair's politics are still with us. (Look for another thread!)

[PaulK]

I finally finished the book. I think Vivico's first comment in this tread pretty much sums things up. I thought the first half of the book was great writing. Once Ona died it started to become matter of fact and I started to find myself just reading it to finish rather than have much interest. And, of course, the last three chapters would have been better included as an essay on socialism rather than trying to insert them into the story. Sinclair obviously had great talent but I don't find this book great literature. It is also extremely depressing. I know people in this group have opinions of what makes a classic. This doesn't do it for me. An important book for sure since it had a real impact but not a classic.

[vivico1]

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PaulK wrote:
I finally finished the book. I think Vivico's first comment in this tread pretty much sums things up. I thought the first half of the book was great writing. Once Ona died it started to become matter of fact and I started to find myself just reading it to finish rather than have much interest. And, of course, the last three chapters would have been better included as an essay on socialism rather than trying to insert them into the story. Sinclair obviously had great talent but I don't find this book great literature. It is also extremely depressing. I know people in this group have opinions of what makes a classic. This doesn't do it for me. An important book for sure since it had a real impact but not a classic.

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Paulk,
I agree that I dont see this book as an American Classic either. A good book, did some good things but maybe its my definition of a classic. I thought that too when I was reading it, and especially after I finished it. To me, an American Classic, would be something like The Grapes of Wrath. Now that IS a classic and also not only showed the plight of the farmers about the same time but how they were literally put into "slave labor" camps in California for the cheap labor. That was a gripping classic.