Reader Response Dubious Battle

In my reading of, In Dubious Battle,  by John Steinbeck, I found this book to be a turn page by page without any hesitation of putting it down due to sleepy eyes, boredom , or plain uninterested feelings. I enjoyed this book so much that I couldnt wait to wake up and continue my reading. I found myself imagining and picturing the scenery, the era, the people that was spoken about, the main characters, etc.

I felt there were many characters in the book that stood out but the two that stood out the most was John Nolan and Mac McLeod. John Nolan's character was more of a follower in the book, but with a deep sense of leadership just waiting to come out and take charge of everything. John was the new member of a political development which was the main theme of the story. Mac McLeod, more of a mentor to john and somewhat the closest thing to him than family that he had lost long ago was a character who was not only a mentor but who was the leader behind the scenes, someone who organized the movement that took place for the apple pickers.

In the beginning of the book, John Nolan was ready to change his path in life, leaving everything in the past which he had already lost and be apart of something that made a difference. He went to Mr Nilson's office to apply for the Party. After speaking with Mr. Nilson who finds himself in the present of the son of Roy Nolan. It seems that his fathers name, and history made a difference in his application and John was enlisted into the party. He was taken to a place where there were other men all sharing a space and there is where he met his mentor Mac McLeod.

Together they were inseperatable in the book, it was a father and son bond in my mind, but in the book it was a mentor and the follower looking to answers to questions trying to gain as much knowledge and experience as possible to help in anyway possible. Mac takes John on his first mission to a town where apple pickers were loosing a good amount of pay for their pickings. Together they accomplish many things with the help of other party members to get a picket started. There were many tasks needed and with the help of people who believe in the party they were able to get the apple pickers together and unite them as one group instead of individuals.

They meet a lot of characters along the way who are in the dark of the movement by helping with food, medicine, and money to help the men along their journey for their rights.