Directed by John Ford and based off of John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath (1940) stars Henry Fonda as Tom Joad who migrates to California with his family during the Great Depression. Recently released from prison. Tom Joad hitchhikes to his hometown in Oklahoma and meets up with Reverend Casy who has ideological beliefs that inspire Tom. After Tom reunites with his family, he learns that the Joads were evicted and plan to migrate to California where supposedly there are good wages, jobs, and land. Everyone optimistically gets into an shabby car for the journey to CA, but along the way, Grandpa and Grandma died. The family arrives at a shantytown and meets other desperate travellers who warn that CA is not as bounteous as newspapers say. The men’s advice was correct because upon arriving at a migrant worker camp in CA, the Joads learn that there are jobs or food available. A scuffle breaks out, so the Joads hastily drive to …show more content…
The film covers a time span of a few months. The main settings were the Joads’ home in Oklahoma, the highway, a shantytown, and migrant camps. All of these settings were realistically depicted because most showed a bleak future for anyone who stayed there, which was true for Okies. Migrant workers constantly migrated in search of jobs and better living conditions. A prop that was well represented was the actors’ clothing. The migrant workers wore jeans and overalls which was affordable and durable in agricultural work. The police and plantation owners all wore appropriate clothing for their profession—uniforms and suits. Another well represented prop was the shabby car that carried everyone to California and the migrant camps. The car needed to be portrayed carefully because it was the vehicle that the poor family depended on in order to live and work. Without its shabby appearance, the plight of the Joads would not have been as easily
When times get tough, many people turn away from everyone and everything. It must be part of human nature to adopt an independent attitude when faced with troubles. It is understandable because most people do not want to trouble their loved ones when they are going through problems, so it is easier to turn away than stick together. Maybe their family is going through a rough patch and they reason they would be better off on their own. This path of independence and solitude may not always be the best option for them or their family, though. Often times it is more beneficial for everyone to work through the problem together. It is not always the easiest or most desirable option, but most times it is the most efficient and it will get results in the long run. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck makes this point very clear through several characters. Many characters throughout
The opening scene’s setting gives a premise to the overall gloomy and dusty lifestyles of the Okies. The whole time period is already gloomy from the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, but the description of the bland Oklahoma landscape is sad. Steinbeck even wrote about dust like it was an ominous homewrecker. Dust and the wind and the elements in general are given all of the power in this chapter and in future chapters. Such dominant influence of nature suggests the family structure of the Joads and other Okies to be unstable. The environment governs the family, making them move, causing them to seek jobs due to poor land and subsequent lack of work.
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,
"Winfield was breathless in his telling. 'So then they fit, an' that big girl hit Ruthie a good one, an' Ruthie said her brother'd kill that big girl's brother. An' then- an' then, Ruthie said our brother already kil't two fellas. An'- an' that big girl said, 'Oh yeah! You're jus' a litlle smarty liar.' An' Ruthie said, 'Oh yeah? Well, our brother's a- hiding right now from killin' a fella, an' he can kill that big girl's brother too" (456).
The American Dream presents the idea that all American citizens should have equal opportunities in regards to their hard work, persistence, and tenacity; however, Steinbeck displays the flaws in the American Dream due to the biased and prejudiced views of high-class citizens within the novel, and how people in lower classes will never receive equal opportunity. Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, the narrator vividly illustrates the harsh circumstances that the Joad family, alongside other Okies, face along the expedition to California. Correspondingly, the privileged landowners prove guilty for the death of the American Dream elucidated in the novel.
This need to turn framing into a business like scenario came from the introduction of tractor and machine powered equipment that could do the work much faster than the ordinary man could, thus meaning increased production if the business owned and worked the land as compared to the family farmer. It is during this time period that one of America's most famous books is set in, The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck (1902-1968). The book quickly became popular and in 1940 the book became a movie. The movie was a wonderful recreation of the book and brought some of the books most famous characters into reality. Hidden within the book are a multitude of different characters as the plot of the story follows a family living in Oklahoma during the 1930’s. The oldest son Tom Joad has just been released from prison on account of murder, and upon returning home finds his family home deserted. He quickly learns his family was forced off their land by a company and a bank. The family moved in with Tom’s, Uncle John’s home. Upon arrival he realizes the Family is leaving the California where work is promised according to flyers, and is where the rest of the farmers have already gone. The story then follows the family's journey to
The novel begins in the Depression era Oklahoma when Tom Joad is released from McAlester state after serving four years for a manslaughter conviction. On Tom’s way back to his family’s
Tom Joad experiences many struggles in The Grapes of Wrath. Due to his struggles, he undergoes an immense change that causes him from being unconcerned and impassive to being contemplative and expressive. The journey with Casy and his family affects how he achieves success to become a true, strong character. With his responsibility of taking care of the family, he carries great burden and doubtful decisions of leading them to California. Throughout the journey, he faces trials and sufferings that lead him to have an inner conflict with himself in order for his family to have the golden opportunity to live prosperously in the scarce but hopeful land. His moments of feeling helplessness and vulnerability in the position of a deterred migrant,
The Dust Bowl of Oklahoma devastated thousands of families living in Oklahoma during the 1930’s. The drought, destruction of crops, and ultimately failing economies drove these families out of their home in search of work. The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, follows the journey of the Joad family as they venture away from a dry and dusty Oklahoma, in search of the luscious, orange filled California. Through his diction and use of perspective, John Steinbeck conveys to his audience the value of strength and perseverance, and is able to compose and unseemingly connection between the reader and the Joad family.
In Tom’s case, he is particularly concerned with the present. He is determined to make choices that will benefit himself, but he doesn’t consider the long-lasting effects. In an altercation with a deputy who tries to unjustly arrest Tom’s friend, Tom acts on impulse and trips the officer. At the time, Tom is intent on vengeance. Because Tom is on parole, however, Jim Casy feels compelled to unselfishly accept the blame. Tom learns from his experiences to implement forward thinking in his day-to-day life. He instills hope in his family members, reminding them of how he coped with imprisonment: “You got to think about that day, an’ then the nex’ day, about the ballgame Sat’dy” (Steinbeck 91). He utilizes his optimistic attitude throughout the journey, keeping his eyes set on their destination and on the promise of success in California. Whenever someone tries to discourage the Joads from persisting, he is the force that keeps everyone moving. Families claim that there was no food, no jobs, and no chance of wealth in California; nevertheless, Tom will not let their negative outcomes dictate his willingness to try. Despite his tendency to focus on what is right in front of him, Tom eventually reaches his peak as he becomes visionary and confident of the result of their
In The Grapes of Wrath the chapters go off from vignettes to regular chapters. The vignettes describe how the dust bowl and the workers migrating to California affect other people and surroundings. They also foreshadow the events of the Joads and migrant workers on their journey. In chapter 3, Steinbeck describes a turtle crossing a road and getting hit by a car. “And over the grass at the roadside a land turtle crawled…at last he started to climb the embankment…the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it,” (Steinbeck, 20-22). In later chapters, Steinbeck describes the turtle as he gets picked up by Tom Joad and tries to sneakily crawl away. The turtle represents the migrant workers and their journey to California through determination, hardships, and feeling out of place.
Approaching the start of the Joad’s migration to a survive in California, Tom Joad’s Brother, Al, bought a Hudson Super Six that would become a meeting place, a home, and a transit. With interchangeable parts and Al, keep the truck able to be driven, even after being tampered with by car dealers, and held less or equal to thirteen members of the Joad family, and holding what is left of their belongs after being sold.This was their Only way to California and helped to its extent, even with being repaired by the men in the Joad
Grapes of Wrath is the true American novel about the migration of the people in the Midwest during the dust bowl. It is full of hope that is built up by the characters, the Joades, and how they deal with the problems they dealt with on their travels to California. Throughout the novel there are multiple scenes that show that people like the Joades can make it through almost any situation. The book is full of scenes that bring a sense of hope, however, the conclusion scene of the book takes all of this hope away. Steinbeck’s chose for the conclusion of his novel has been criticized numerous times. It was even excluded from the film, but that was partially because Rose of Sharon allowed a stranger to drink from her breast. Three criticisms of the ending of Grapes of Wrath are as following, the idea of Rose of Sharon’s baby being born as a stillborn, the rising floodwaters, and the image of the breastfeeding being the end of the novel.
Connie left, probably because he was sick of Rose. Uncle John almost died while making the dam, but he was helped by Grandpa. In what ways were the migrant workers exploited? How does Jim Casey fight against the exploitation of the migrant workers? How successful is he?
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.