Chapter twenty-five is central to John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. In addition to containing the book's title, this chapter clearly, forcefully, and elegantly carries Steinbeck's central message: the injustice of life in the Depression-era American West. Without a doubt one of Steinbeck's strongest attributes as a writer is the way he makes the reader feel his words. Chapter twenty-five is an excellent example of this technique. Through his overall structure, graphic appeal to the senses, and rhythmic, accessible sentences, Steinbeck allows the reader to experience chapter twenty-five, and in doing so gives them no choice but to connect with its theme. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Steinbeck presents the reader with two contrasting main sections joined by a third transitional section. The former, which portrays the lush generosity of nature, is juxtaposed with the latter, which portrays human suffering. Steinbeck's point is simple and ironic; “Men who have created new fruits in the world cannot create a system whereby their fruits can be eaten” (448). The way Steinbeck chooses to structure his point is also simple, yet incredibly effective. He simply presents the reader with the first section of verdant crops and contrasts it with the second section of hungry humans. This way of presenting information is strong because it allows the reader to discover the point on their own by implying the question “what's wrong with this picture?” Chapter twenty-five is filled with vivid adjectives that bring the reader into the image. Steinbeck paints. It is correct to say "paints" because Steinbeck uses color quite freely. The palette is initially dominated by light pastels, white, pink, yellow and especially green. These are the colors of spring; suggest growth and fertility. You can almost taste the "pale green lettuce" (445), or the "grey-green artichoke plants" (446). Later, when the chapter shifts to less pleasant topics, Steinbeck employs harsher colors, primarily black and red. The reader is disgusted by the "red cherries" in which "yellow jackets" buzz, leaving only "black shreds" (447). Other adjectives have a similar animating effect. Steinbeck describes the crops and the land with words like “fragrant,” “soft,” “level,” “fertile,” “sweet,” “tender,” and “round” (445-446). Paralleling the aforementioned color shift, Steinbeck shifts to adjectives such as “canned,” “hot,” “hungry,” “drained,” and “heavy” (447-449) to accommodate his change in topic. All of these descriptive words create a raw, tangible image for the reader, allowing them to feel the difference between the two sections. Steinbeck also makes the chapter felt through his powerful imagery. The dominant image is that of crops. Fruits and vegetables are mentioned forty-five times in the chapter, with ten references to grapes alone. Whether it is the "fragrant pink and white waters in a shallow sea" (445) that are the flowers of the fruits, or the "grapes of wrath that grow heavy for the harvest" (449) in the souls of people, plants and the soil on which they grow is described over and over again. In addition to providing a powerful unifying element to the chapter, Steinbeck's use of the land and its products as the primary image connects with the reader. Steinbeck realizes that humans are capable of relating to nature; establishing some of the most touching natural images ever written, Steinbeck exploits this characteristic. For example, Steinbeck states that “the decay [of suffering.