Entry H (Ch 1-10): Repetition of "New" and "Cheap"

Repetition of "New" and "Cheap"

        "The man's clothes were new--all of them, cheap and new. His gray cap was so new that the visor was still stiff and the button still on, not shapeless and bulged as it would be when it had served for a while all the various purposes of a cap--carrying sack, towel, handkerchief. His suit was of cheap gray hardcloth so new that there were creases in the trousers...He wore a pair of new tan shoes of the kind called "army last," hobnailed and with half-circles like horseshoes to protect the edges of the heels from wear." (6)

        In writing this passage, and in many other passages in The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck repeats a particular word or phrase many times. In this case, the repetition helps to emphasize the degree to which the clothes are new and cheap. Because of the repetition, it becomes obvious that Tom Joad's clothes are brand new, almost as new as they can possibly be. When visualizing this passage, the description becomes so much more vivid, knowing that the suit was still creased from being so new. One can now envision the crispness of the suit, and possibly even stimulate some olfactory sensations, smelling the smell that a fresh-off-the-rack suit has.

        The repetition of such vocabulary also suggests its prevalence, perhaps not just in one's clothes, but in the culture of the time. In a period such as the Great Depression, one is forced to live with less available money. Therefore, cheap is usually the only way to go about purchasing new items. Also, having new items is a novelty--it doesn't happen very often. The repetition of the word in the description of Tom Joad's clothes suggests his excitement for possessing new items despite the time of such hardship. Having new items is often the little spark that is needed to push one to keep on going through tough times, providing a sense of hope for the future.