I just finished reading John Steinbeck's 1939 novel "The Grapes Of Wrath" and I wept very hard. The novel tells the story of the Joad family who were forced to migrate from their native Oklahoma to California in search of work,  and is a heart wrenching depiction of the numerous hardships and disappointments that many families were forced to endure during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The story is also a reminder of man's inhumanity to man as well as the tenacity of the human spirit in the face of tremendous hardships in the context of a system which is designed to impoverish the masses while further lining the pockets of the privilged few.

The character of Ma Joad was the most fascinating and inspiring as her remarkable strength held the family together and she never demonstrated any weakness of character despite the tremendous load of responcibility placed  upon her.  Also, I found the character of the preacher- Casey - and his unique theology to be fascinating as he provides a demonstration of how a person's religious beliefs become transformed in order to come to terms with their everyday realities. For Casey, the old belief system he adhered to and preached did not hold up in the face of what he saw around him and he was thus forced to disavow it. Yet despite this, he re-interpreted the scriptures in a new way to make sense   of what was taking place - in this case people being forciblly driven from their homes and lacking the means of procuring a livelihood. What unfolds in his mind is a kind of liberation theology or social gospel with a twist of Emersonian transcendentalism. His idea of being connected  to one big soul  drove him to want to help   others, yet in the end that desire got him killed. Nevertheless, he had no choice to act upon what he believed and thus he is an admirable character.

Traditional notions of right and wrong - or sin and righteousness- are challenged in Steinbeck's novel  as people are pushed to do things that they would not otherwise do. Yet in the face of all these hardships many of the characters - especially Ma Joad- stuck to their beliefs  and continued to help others as well as maintain their honour and human dignity.

I guess what really affected me when I read this novel was not only the many depictions of human suffering- which never seems to let up- but how things could potentially lead to this scenario again in my own little part of the planet. In fact, although I don't like to dwell upon it - due to it being so frightening - the story of the Joads is the reality of millions of people in this world who are the victims of grave injustices and I am actually personally benefiting from this. Although I read about these injustices on a daily basis, I am forced to desensitize myself in order to maintain my sanity. Alas, I am no Ma Joad.

The human cruelty and subsequent suffering in the face of such rapacious evil and injustice, as outlined in this novel, is a sad reminder of the depths of depravity humans can sink to. But at the same time  the novel is also a reminder that people will continue to resist injustice right to the bitter end because, as Ma Joad says to her son Tom, "why Tom, us people will go on livin' when all them people is gone. Why Tom, we're the people that live. They ain't gonna wipe us out. Why, we're the people, we go on."

The final scene with Rose of Sharon- who hours before had miscarried her child - breast feeding a starving man was riveting and heartbreaking. But as she offers up the life-saving milk from her own suffering body the subsequent smile which purses her lips is a  reminder that nothing is more soothing than offering help to a fellow human being in their greatest time of need.

This book is as relevant today as it was at the time it was written and should be read by all social justice and human rights advocates. If you have a roof over your head, enough food to eat, are in good health and live in relative security, then you will be doubly thankful  when you read this book.

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Yahya Abdul Rahman is the Editor of Montreal Muslim News and is an avowed bookworm. He can be reached at montrealnews@gmail.com . He may not write you back right away as he is reading a book.