Reading John Steinbeck’s »Grapes of Wrath«, as a non-English mother tongue reader – anybody?

[Timmy]

Found it quite challenging to accept all that »Okie« slang (sorry!) at first, but got acquainted to it by now.

Still astonished though about the frequent usage of the term »she«. Even car engines and a pretty lot of other phenomenons are »shes«.

It’s totally fine with me, but it makes me wonder why ...

 

[Doodski]

Found it quite challenging to accept all that »Okie« slang (sorry!) at first, but got acquainted to it by now.

Still astonished though about the frequent usage of the term »she«. Even car engines and a pretty lot of other phenomenons are »shes«.

It’s totally fine with me, but it makes me wonder why ...

She is a common way to label something and some other things are a he. If I understand things right in the South American countries the preferred label is a he. I don't really know why other than it being a tip of the hat or a nod to women.

 

[Timmy]

She is a common way to label something

Is or was? That Steinbeck novel is based on times and lives about 90 year ago.

 

[Doodski]

Is or was? That Steinbeck novel is based on times and lives about 90 year ago.

Both... Then and now the she and he labelling has been common.

 

[Timmy]

Your reply makes me suspect that you never read the book ...

Shame on you if I’m right

 

[pjug]

interesting question. I feel not very curious because I have never wondered about this myself. Googling, I see because these objects are caregivers or providers. Another says because these objects are possessions. I bet there are lots of other ideas but no certain answers.

 

[kemmler3D]

Found it quite challenging to accept all that »Okie« slang (sorry!) at first, but got acquainted to it by now.

Still astonished though about the frequent usage of the term »she«. Even car engines and a pretty lot of other phenomenons are »shes«.

It’s totally fine with me, but it makes me wonder why ...

I read the book a while ago, but in American vernacular it was (and still is) common to refer to inanimate objects (especially vehicles) as "she". I think it's still very common with boats for whatever reason. My gut says it would have descended from nautical use, but I didn't even google it.

I will say that even as an American reading the accents / slang as written is jarring at first. At some point it was common to write accents out phonetically in novels... with varying results.

 

[Jim Taylor]

This looks like it's as close as we'll come to answers:

Referring to objects as "she"

Sometimes people are referring to mechanical objects as "she": I love my car. She always gets the best service. Are there any rules when it is appropriate to use "she" instead of it, and is "he...

english.stackexchange.com

 

[kemmler3D]

This looks like it's as close as we'll come to answers:

Referring to objects as "she"

Sometimes people are referring to mechanical objects as "she": I love my car. She always gets the best service. Are there any rules when it is appropriate to use "she" instead of it, and is "he...

english.stackexchange.com

Apparently it dates back to the 1300s with ships, and nobody knows exactly how it got started.

 

[Doodski]

Your reply makes me suspect that you never read the book ...

Shame on you if I’m right

I read the book a couple of times long ago and so am answering without referencing the book because I don't remember the book very much..

 

[dualazmak]

Reading John Steinbeck’s »Grapes of Wrath«, as a non-English mother tongue reader – anybody?​

Yes, I have-been/will-be doing so!

I also very much love his very short story "Breakfast"; highly recommended.
https://www.unifr.ch/tmf/fr/assets/public/files/courses/PsyLove/Steinbeck_Breakfast.pdf

 

[GD Fan]

I read some Steinbeck over the past couple of years and it all struck me as a little antiquated at this point.

 

[Doodski]

Reading John Steinbeck’s »Grapes of Wrath«, as a non-English mother tongue reader – anybody?​

Yes, I was/am/will-be doing so!

I also very much love his very short story "Breakfast"; highly recommended.
https://www.unifr.ch/tmf/fr/assets/public/files/courses/PsyLove/Steinbeck_Breakfast.pdf

Other excellent reading by Steinbeck is, The Pearl.

 

[JSmith]

Still astonished though about the frequent usage of the term »she«. Even car engines and a pretty lot of other phenomenons are »shes«.

It’s totally fine with me, but it makes me wonder why ...

It's quit normal in many English speaking Countries... many here will refer to a boat as a she for example.

It's called personification.


JSmith

 

[Timmy]

Some quotes:

Uncle John ducked his head under the water. »Well, we’re here. This here’s California, an’ she don’t look so prosperous.«

»Well, if you truly wanta know. I’m a fella that’s asked questions an’ give her some thought. She’s a nice country. But she was stole a long time ago. You git acrost the desert an’ come into the country aroun’ Bakersfield. An’ you never seen such purty country— all orchards an’ grapes, purtiest country you ever seen. An’ you’ll pass lan’ flat an’ fine with water thirty feet down, and that lan’s layin’ fallow. But you can’t have none of that lan’. That’s a Lan’ and Cattle Company. An’ if they don’t want ta work her, she ain’t gonna git worked. You go in there an’ plant you a little corn, an’ you’ll go to jail!«

»Got the desert yet,« said Tom. »An’ I hear she’s a son-of-a-bitch.«

The last one’s for sure the cutest one

 

[DavidEdwinAston]

A wonderful, powerful novel from a past period.
Had me in tears, as a late twenties serviceman, when I read it.

 

[Astoneroad]

Two things to consider are the language of the time/place and the author. Any reading of Mark Twain will jar our modern sensibilities with the casual way segments of society are slurred. "She" isn't necessarily that type of derision but does follow the changing fashion and superstition of a given era. Steinbeck, like Joyce's Ulysses or Kerouac's novels, uses language that his contemporaries "get", but future generations will post threads about. "Ya Dig"?

 

[Vacceo]

I didn't find it particularly challenging when I did as a kid learning English. Kurt Vonnegut (who I still absolutely love till today!) felt, surprisingly more challenging; at least for Slaughterhouse 5 and Breakfast of Champions.

 

[Chrispy]

Wow haven't read that in 50 years. The she / he thing I don't even think about in English particularly, never tried to put much logic into it. When I tried to learn Spanish, tho, I had to get used to the predominantly male part of the language. Always assumed it was just basic sexism.

 

[Astoneroad]

I still find Shakespeare (pen name for Edward de Vere ) beyond challenging or anything in middle English (Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur) to the point that reading it is a chore and therefore not entertaining. @Vacceo, I'm guessing that as a historian, you're more comfortable with the original Cervantes in the Spanish of the time, than a student in the 21st century. Give Steinbeck another 400 years, and I suspect a similar gap in understanding will evolve.

Translations always lessen the intent of the author, especially over time. I have a friend that works for a company that sells translations of the bible into all sorts of arcane languages, which makes me laugh that translating Koine Greek into English, then Navaho, Mandarin, or any tribal language of the world, is thought to be an accurate depiction. Steinbeck's use of language offers us immersion into his times, if not pressed for precise intent, imo.