Gwynn and Steinbeck

In the poem "The classroom at the Mall", again was difficult to read but the in class disscusion really helped. I think he was sarcastic in his poem. He exaggerated a hair-do and then mentioned that it was attached to a women. A girl walks by and he thinks of Helen of Troy. He compares himself to an academic Santa Claus. The situation in the poem is there's a classroom in the mall that has big glass windows looking out to the rest of the mall, which he mentions distracts him from teaching his students. Its during Christmas time so he gets to see all the people out shopping. He is somewhat flusterated by the fact that he has to teach his students in a mall. He thinks that is mocking the structure of education. The speakers attitude toward his teaching assignment is flustration because his boss thought it a good idea to put a classroom in a mall, also its hard for him to concentrate because its Christmas time. He thinks he's undervalued and the people in the mall value wealth while he values proper education. By the end of the day he is ready to go home.

Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath was long and confusing. I would have to re-read it a couple times to fully understand it but right now I dont have time. maybe one day I will get a chance to read it all. I dont want to even try and explain it cause I have no clue on whats going on.