Grapes of Wrath Project

The Grapes Of Wrath Name:_____________________________

Regents / Honors English 11 Period:____ Date:___________________

The Grapes of Wrath WPA Project 2008

As you have been learning in U.S. History and in background research of To Kill a Mockingbird, the Great Depression was a time when the Federal government had to take drastic measures to combat the nation’s rising unemployment rate. Through an initiative of Roosevelt’s New Deal, thousands of unemployed Americans were put to work on a variety of projects, helping to strengthen the nation’s economy while simultaneously strengthening the infrastructure and aesthetics of federal and local government buildings.

As we follow the plight of the Joad family on its epic journey West, we see the devastation caused by the dust bowl and the stock market crash, and what it does to the family… we constantly hope the Joads can become employed and continue to follow their American Dream.

With this in mind, the final project of The Grapes of Wrath parallels the work of the WPA in the great depression. Our grade-level project involves creating an aesthetic improvement to Granville High—a replacement for the tired old portrait of Shakespeare that resides in the weight-room stairwell.

GOALS:

1. To create a three-dimensional artwork that celebrates a classic American novel: The Grapes of Wrath, to be permanently installed as an aesthetic improvement of the school

2. To involve every member of the Junior Class who is reading the novel in question

3. To create an artwork that reflects the individual work of each student involved

SPECIFICS:

• Each member taking grade 11 English (regardless