The Legacy of Steinbeck’s Interchapters: The Effects of Palimpsest on Group Consciousness and Universality

This article explores the palimpsestic nature of Steinbeck’s classic novel The Grapes of Wrath by comparing it to the modern multimedia play House/Divided. Though The Grapes of Wrath was written before the invention of the literary device of palimpsest, Steinbeck’s interweaving of different prose styles and subject matter in the novel’s intercalary chapters substantiates an organic form of the contemporary device. By comparing the corresponding characteristics of Steinbeck’s defining intercalary chapters and the play’s palimpsestic techniques, this essay discusses how both works utilize palimpsest to achieve the same ends: to draw connections between the individual and the group, illuminate historical patterns, and most importantly, raise their audiences’ group consciousness and highlight the texts’ shared narrative.