Common Core Standard For English Language Arts Page 14
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43Common Core State StandardS for engliSh language artS & literaCy in hiStory/SoCial StudieS, SCienCe, and teChniCal SubjeCtS
Mae moved down and looked in. “Which ones?”
“There, them stripy ones.”
The little boys raised their eyes to her face and they stopped breathing; their mouths were partly
opened, their half-naked bodies were rigid.
“Oh—them. Well, no—them’s two for a penny.”
“Well, gimme two then, ma’am.” He placed the copper cent carefully on the counter. The boys ex-
pelled their held breath softly. Mae held the big sticks out.
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath.
New York: Viking, 1967 (1939).
Figure 6: Annotation of The Grapes of Wrath
Qualitative Measures
Quantitative Measures
Levels of Meaning
The quantitative assessment of The Grapes of Wrath
demonstrates the difficulty many currently existing
There are multiple and often implicit levels of meaning
readability measures have in capturing adequately the
within the excerpt and the novel as a whole. The surface
richness of sophisticated works of literature, as vari-
level focuses on the literal journey of the Joads, but the
ous ratings suggest a placement within the grades 2–3
novel also works on metaphorical and philosophical
text complexity band. A Coh-Metrix analysis also tends
levels.
to suggest the text is an easy one since the syntax is
uncomplicated and the author uses a conventional
story structure and only a moderate number of abstract
Structure
words. (The analysis does indicate, however, that a great
deal of inferencing will be required to interpret and con-
The text is relatively simple, explicit, and conventional in
nect the text’s words, sentences, and central ideas.)
form. Events are largely related in chronological order.
Reader-Task Considerations
Language Conventionality and Clarity
Although the language used is generally familiar, clear,
These are to be determined locally with reference to
and conversational, the dialect of the characters may
such variables as a student’s motivation, knowledge, and
pose a challenge for some readers. Steinbeck also puts a
experiences as well as purpose and the complexity of
great deal of weight on certain less familiar words, such
the task assigned and the questions posed.
as faltering. In various portions of the novel not fully rep-
resented in the excerpt, the author combines rich, vivid,
and detailed description with an economy of words that
Recommended Placement
requires heavy inferencing.
Though considered extremely easy by many quantitative
measures, The Grapes of Wrath has a sophistication of
Knowledge Demands
theme and content that makes it more suitable for early
high school (grades 9–10), which is where the Standards
The themes are sophisticated. The experiences and per-
have placed it. In this case, qualitative measures have
spective conveyed will be different from those of many
overruled the quantitative measures.
students. Knowledge of the Great Depression, the “Okie
Migration” to California, and the religion and music of
the migrants is helpful, but the author himself provides
much of the context needed for comprehension.
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