How Does Steinbeck Overcome Homelessness In The Grapes Of Wrath

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Steinbeck strikes at the fear in every man’s soul, with his portrayal of the poverty stricken life of the Joads as they travel from one stage of abandonment and what would seem like a helpless state to a journey of enduring perseverance. The Joads, Steinbeck’s creation in the Novel Grapes of Wrath is a large close-knit family living in Oklahoma during the “Dust Bowl” era. Steinbeck documents their journey beginning with their homelessness due to the crop failures to them surviving in a box car at the end of their journey. I think Steinbeck’ intention is to illustrate to the reader that being poor doesn’t always equate with being helpless. The Joads demonstrate this by their resilience to overcome homelessness, death, and prejudice. To begin with, …show more content…

The armed and intoxicated group of men let the Joads know in no uncertain terms that they aren’t allowing any Okies in their town. Steinbeck shows the frustration and anger of Tom Joad as he deals with this internal struggle to strike out against the men, “Tom shivered all over…And Tom tried to restrain his hard smothered sobbing” (382). Furthermore Steinbeck expresses the Joads support of one another with the comforting actions of Ma Joad towards Tom as she tells Tom “You done good,” Ma said tenderly. “You done jus’ good’” (382). Steinbeck concluded this event with the prejudice men with a rather emphatic statement by Ma Joad proclaiming that “...people like us will go on livin’ when all them people is gone…they ain’t gonna wipe us out…” (383). In conclusion the Grapes of Wrath is a literary masterpiece that portrays the struggles of man as he overcomes the adversity of homelessness, death, and the wrath of prejudice. Steinbeck fully explores each faucet coherently within the boundaries of the Joad family’s trials and

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