The Grapes of Wrath is an important commentary on society and humanity, and is intended to evoke intense feelings from readers. John Steinbeck, the author, attempts to create many true emotions about the book and the reality that it was based on. Steinbeck uses images that are very effective and have a large impact on how the characters are perceived. Some of the images show the dismal abyss that the Joad family survived in, and others show hope, endurance, and strength. Some of the most effective images are those of sadness, failure, and devastation, which cause the connection between the unforgiving and tormented land and the anguish and persecution which the resolute Joads must face constantly throughout their lives and the many obstacles they must face over time.
The beginning of the book is full of damage to the earth, and how the connection between man and earth causes the characters to reflect the images of the world around them. The men have become part of the land, which they gain their livelihood from, and it is important that the men are strong and sure, even though Mother Nature is fickle and is devastating them. The dust storm had not even become to slow, and the farmers were unsure and waiting, "the dawn came, but no day" (2). The men were afraid, even though they could never say that they were, yet their strength was as sure as the storm which surrounded them. "In the morning the dust hung like fog and the sun was as red as ripe new blood" (3), the strength of the characters is understood as they come out of their houses and quietly survey the damage of the storm. No words are needed, and survival is the prevailing goal, the strength of the men, and of their women, ...
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...en she gives the sick man milk from her breast; she redeems herself and the other characters. "She looked up and across the barn, and her lips came together and smiled mysteriously.
The images of the earth, and how devastated it was, affected the characters significantly; the Joad family proved, throughout the novel, that they were a passionate and intense family. They were willing to go against the precedents and expectations that were set before them in order to achieve their dreams and to fill their hearts with kindness and set an amazing example for humanity. The characters show that strength comes from inside, and that faith and patience are some of the most important components of survival.
Work Cited
Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. Web. 25 September 2014.
In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck illustrates the Joad’s endurance by his use of extended metaphors in intercalary chapters. Steinbeck uses intercalary chapters to provide background for the various themes in the novel. He effectively foreshadows upcoming events by telling of the general state of the local population in the intercalary chapters. He then narrows it down to how it effects the main characters of the novel, which are the Joads. Setting the tone of the novel in the reader’s mind is another function of Steinbeck's intercalary chapters.
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which the migratory farm families of America during the 1930's live under. The novel tells of one families migration west to California through the great economic depression of the 1930's. The Joad family had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tractors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possession of their land because the owners could not pay off their loan. The novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to California. How they survive the cruelty of the land owners that take advantage of them, their poverty and willingness to work.
While many people may have good intentions, reality is harsh and does not always work in the favour of those who wish to do good. This jarring reality causes for unexpected outcomes that can take anyone by surprise. In the novel The Grapes of Wrath, sticking together and being there for one another is a key objective of the Joad’s. Reality ends up forcing its way in, illustrating that despite one’s ambitions, reality can deter one’s goals.
Throughout the novel, The Grapes of Wrath there are intercalary chapters. The purpose of these chapters are to give the readers insight and background on the setting, time, place and even history of the novel. They help blend the themes, symbols, motifs of the novel, such as the saving power of family and fellowship, man’s inhumanity to man, and even the multiplying effects of selfishness. These chapters show the social and economic crisis flooding the nation at the time, and the plight of the American farmer becoming difficult. The contrast between these chapters helps readers look at not just the storyline of the Joad family, but farmers during the time and also the condition of America during the Dust Bowl. Steinbeck uses these chapters to show that the story is not only limited to the Joad family,
The Grapes of Wrath uses animal-like behavior to illustrate the changes in the world and in society during the Great Depression. The Joad family, and many others that share the same situation, are described as minor, unimportant beings who are forced on a quest for a dream they may never obtain. Along their journey, however, the family gradually evolves beyond their animalistic nature that they represented so strongly in the beginning of the novel. Through their experiences along their seemingly relentless voyage to the Promised Land, the Joads realize that there is something much larger and more important to attend to than themselves: the collective good of all mankind.
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
The exposition establishes the loss of identity, as the Dust Bowl forcibly removes the Joads from their homestead. An established family of farmers, the Joad men take their identity from their relationship to the earth, and the consequent benefits they may reap from it. But when this relationship is severed by the drought and their land is lost to the banks, the men lose their identity for “if [the men own] a little property, that property is him, it’s part of him, and it’s like him”. Land, once representing plenty and abundance now represents desolation and destruction; this juxtaposition shows that the Joads can no longer define their identity by the land, their connection with their home, with what is familiar. Losing the land means the Joad men lose an essential facet of what defines them – their masculine position in the household. Being the sole providers, as the only working members of the family, the men held a significant amount of power within their households; the men were the ones with full financial control, and the only ones able to keep the family from sliding into poverty. Pa Joad is aware that the pressure to provide is on him, thus, his family’s success and survival is dependent upon him. The drought restricts his ability to provide, thus he must redefine an essential component of his identity. As such, Steinbeck conveys the idea that identity is
drop their life and move to a different state. When they arrived in California they were not
The first aspect of the novel that must be looked at when screening its symbolic content, is that of the characters created by Steinbeck and how even the smallest facets of their personalities lead to a much larger implication for the reader. The first goal Steinbeck had in mind was to appeal to the common Midwesterner of that era. The best way to go about doing this was to use religion and hardship, two categories equally entrenched in the mores of that time. He creates a story about the journey of a specific family, the Joad's, and mirrors it to that of biblical events. Each family group throughout the nov...
John Steinbeck published The Grapes of Wrath in response to the Great Depression. Steinbeck's intentions were to publicize the movements of a fictional family affected by the Dust Bowl that was forced to move from their homestead. Also a purpose of Steinbeck's was to criticize the hard realities of a dichotomized American society.
The tale of The Grapes of Wrath has many levels of profound themes and meanings to allow us as the reader to discover the true nature of human existence. The author's main theme and doctrine of this story is that of survival through unity. While seeming hopeful at times, this book is more severe, blunt, and cold in its portrayl of the human spirit. Steinbeck's unique style of writing forms timeless and classic themes that can be experienced on different fronts by unique peoples and cultures of all generations.
In today’s world, symbols, ideas, and even important events add to the importance of our everyday lives. Throughout literature, symbols and images are often used by the authors to add to the novel’s overall significance. The use of these devices is used to emphasize themes and even to provide significance to the greater idea. In John Steinbeck’s novel Grapes of Wrath, the scene towards the end of the novel emphasizes the development of Rose of Sharon’s character from the beginning of the novel to the end of the novel. Additionally, the closing scene of this twentieth century novel serves and represents the idea of a solid family surviving through a tough time.
In literature as in life, people often find that they must make difficult choices in order to survive. The reasons behind their decisions and the results of their subsequent actions affect our opinion of them. In the Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, the author portrayed situations where two main characters became involved. The nature of their choices, the reasons behind their decisions, and the results that followed affected them greatly. However, the choices that they made were surmounted successfully. Ma Joad and Tom Joad are two strong characters who overcame laborious predicaments. Their powerful characteristics helped to encourage those that were struggling.
The Grapes of Wrath is a novel that can be read on many levels. The concept of a journey is evident at every level of interpretation, from its most simple, the journey of the poor Joads travelling from Oklahoma to California, to a complex one where it is a spiritual journey .........
to find poverty and despair. As a result of a crisis, Ma Joad emerges as a