The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is considered a classic novel by many in the literary field. The trials and tribulations of the Joad family and other migrants are chronicled in this novel. To gain perspective into the lives of the "Oakies", Steinbeck uses themes and language from the difficult times of the Great Depression. Some of these aspects are criticized due to their vulgarity and adult nature. In some places, The Grapes of Wrath has been edited or banned. These challenges undermine Steinbeck's attempts to add reality to the novel and are unwarranted. In 1939, The Grapes of Wrath was published and was criticized for its content. Vulgarity and the misrepresentation of a preacher were the major complaints that led to the banning and burning of the novel from libraries in St. Louis, Missouri, in September 1939. Profanity may be prevalent in the book, but it serves its purpose. Steinbeck used some vulgar terms to accurately represent the jargon and slang used by the people of the 1930s. Most terms that are considered vulgar may be a little off-putting, but there's nothing you can't hear on the streets today. Extreme foul language is no stranger to the novel, in fact, it is tame compared to the slang terms used today. Casy, the former preacher who traveled with the Joads, is not given the connotation of a most holy man. Casy did not consider himself a minister at the time The Grapes of Wrath is set. "But I'm not a preacher anymore" is said many times by Casy while denying that he is a churchman. Indeed, Casy is brutally killed in the novel, but he doesn't go into the graphic, violent details. Again, Casy's feelings against employers and the government were common at the time and were used to assert that idea. Another point of contention concerns the final sequence of The Grapes of Wrath. In this ending, an old man nurses Rose of Sharon, a young woman whose baby was stillborn. Some believe this is pornographic, sexual and inappropriate, especially for young children. In some states, in fact, the sequence is eliminated. This sequence may seem vulgar, but it is an essential element of the novel and is in no way pornographic.