The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck's 'The Grapes of Wrath: A Tale of Hardship and Hope

 

I am so excited to write this blog because I have been eagerly waiting to share my thoughts on The Grapes of Wrath. In my previous blog, I discussed the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. To fully understand this blog, I suggest you read that post first, as it outlines some factors that influenced the novel. America is one of the most dominant countries in the world, but its rise to power was fraught with disasters. The path to achieving this power was not easy for America. In The Grapes of Wrath, we witness the adventure and hope of the Joad family. John Steinbeck depicts the Joads as an ordinary American family facing extraordinary hardships. Through their story, we experience the struggles and troubles that many poor families in America endured on their journey to a better life. Sometimes, we will find ourselves in a dilemma, and sometimes, even when we wish otherwise, we will have to do things we do not prefer. The author provides us with a different perspective, and I hope you will gain new insights when reading this novel.

The Grapes of Wrath was written by John Steinbeck, and was set during the period of the Great Depression in the United States. In this novel, we will focus on the Joad family who represent families experiencing the Great Depression. Through the Joads, Steinbeck provides us with a clearer perspective to comprehend the effects of the Great Depression fully. Our protagonist, Tom got out of prison and returned to his family moving into his uncle John’s house. Other members of the family are Granma, Grampa, Pa Joad, Ma Joad, Noah Joad, Al Joad, daughter Rose of Sharon and her husband Connie; and two youngest children Ruthie and Winfield. Furthermore, Jim Casy, a former priest, joins them. The family is forced to leave their home because of the landowners. Consequently, they decide to move to find jobs and a better life for the family. The Joads set out for California in hopes of living under better conditions. The setting is one of the main themes in the novel, emphasizing the importance of the land. Steinbeck illustrates the significance of the land itself for the people and the profound effects of leaving their homeland. During this time, the condition of the land is crucial for the survival of the people living on it and for their crops. 

Our voyage is starting…

During their journey to California, all the members of the Joad family undergo a range of emotions, However, one member in particular, Grampa Joad, begins to act out of character. Back when they were still in their homeland, he was a fierce, hardworking, and somewhat angry man. Grampa wants to stay on his land, like Muley (Muley was a neighboır of the Joad family and when all the families, including his own, left to find a better place, he did not.) After the family stops and encounters another family who allows them to put Grampa in their tent, Grampa falls ill with a fever. He becomes paralyzed and ultimately passes away. The family buries his body, and then they gather around a fire, eating dinner and discussing Grampa’s death. No matter what happens, they have to continue on the road. Steinbeck masterfully depicts the desperation of the people experiencing the Great Depression. Grampa Joad experienced significant distress after being compelled to leave his homeland due to circumstances beyond his control. This suffering ultimately leads to his death.  Granma will be the second family member of the Joad family, who dies on the road. Another significant setting is the highway, the road that the family travels on to California. On one hand, the highway represents a path to something new, a fresh start that the family believes will improve their lives. However, it is also a place where unfortunate events occur, events that would never have happened if they were able to remain at home.

As Rick Marshall argues in his work called Steinbeck's Cognitive Landscapes in "The Grapes of Wrath": The Highway as Commentary on 1930s Industrialization (2011), the highway was a way to escape for the migrants, however, the highway does not mean freedom for them because it represents the fact that they lost their homes. As mentioned earlier, the highway is where both of the eldest family members, Grampa and Granma, pass away. They were both fierce, strong, and respected members of the family. Despite their age, they did not require assistance or care. Another unfortunate event that occurs on the highway is Noah's departure from the family. Noah, the eldest son of Ma and Pa, decides to stay behind when the family stops by a stream in Arizona, near the California border. He believes that people do not genuinely care for him and only tolerate his presence because he is a family member. While the highway may initially appear to be a path to a better life for the family by leading them to California, it is also a place where they experience significant losses, losing several members along the way. The final significant setting in the story is California, the promised land that lies at the end of the highway. The Joad family anticipates a fresh start in California, hoping for good jobs, a comfortable home, and a better life. The family's decision to move to California is largely based on an advertisement, which sets their expectations high.

As the conditions of the road are harder, people have to help each other to survive. In the novel, Steinbeck shows that no matter who you are when you work together as a group, you will achieve great results. For instance, as the family sets out, each member of the family is aware of what needs to be done to prepare and what items to bring along for the journey. Whether it's cleaning, preparing food, organizing the car, or deciding what to take, everyone in the family knows their role. Interestingly, they don't need to discuss or assign tasks—whether due to their familial bond or not, they function as a cohesive unit, each understanding their responsibility. This early example showcases the Joad family's ability to work together seamlessly, without the need for verbal communication. Throughout the story, they demonstrate that this unity extends beyond their family, proving the benefits of collaboration with others. Now, we just observe that the family works excellently as a unit. In the following parts, it will be demonstrated how strangers from various parts of the country can collaborate effectively, focusing particularly on women. This unity is evident when the Joad family finally arrives in California, specifically at the Weedpatch camp. The Weedpatch camp is comprised of people from diverse regions, beliefs, and backgrounds. Nevertheless, they all cooperate seamlessly as one unified community within the camp. Following their time at the Weedpatch camp, the family secures a job picking peaches at Hooper's Ranch. However, this employment doesn't endure for long, prompting them to move on. Later, they encounter boxcars with signs indicating the need for cotton pickers. Opting to seize this opportunity, the family decides to stay and work, with the added benefit of being able to live in one of the boxcars. The Joads' new job brings improvement to their circumstances. With regular income, they are able to afford dinner every night and purchase new clothes. 

When The Joads are on their way with Wilsons to California, they have to cross the desert. However, the conditions of the desert are tough for the old family members of both families. Wilsons prefer to stay, yet the Joads decide to cross the desert. In particular, Ma is very decisive, even if she knows that crossing the desert has a cost to her family. This cost would be the death of Ma. Steinback leaves us in an ethical dilemma in this context:

Are you on the side of the Wilsons, who consider their family and take a break on the road, or the Joads, who want to see the end of the road no matter what?

On the other hand, when the Wilsons encounter car trouble with their broken-down vehicle, Al Joad's automotive skills come in handy. In a mutual gesture, the Joads help the Wilsons repair their car. This embodies the importance of helping others in need, as one never knows when they may require assistance themselves. The mutual helping extended by these two families, who serendipitously cross paths on the road, highlights the selflessness and compassion inherent in human nature. 

Despite the Joad family having barely enough food for themselves, Ma Joad shows admirably good character. After Granma’s death, the family stops at the closest camp near Bakersfield. Several other migrant families are already camping there. After settling down, Ma starts cooking dinner. Several other migrant families are already camping there. After settling down, Ma begins to prepare dinner. After a while, the fifteen children stand silently and watch. They feel embarrassed to be there, but they remain nonetheless. Ma learns from the children that some of them hadn't even had breakfast. Ma shares the food among the Joad family but ensures there's enough left to share with the children. Even though this means each of her own family members will receive a little less food than usual, Ma still chooses to do it. As a mother herself, she cannot bear to see starving children. Furthermore, her strong morals compel her to ensure that the children do not go hungry.

At the end of the story, a profoundly significant act of morality and strength occurs. Rose of Sharon, the eldest daughter of the family, gives birth to a stillborn baby during a flood while the family is living in boxcars and picking cotton. The flood compels the family to leave, and they come across an old barn where they find a little boy with his sick and starving father. Despite their own hardships, the Joads choose to stay and help the boy and his father. The boy expresses concern about his father starving to death and implores the Joads for help. In a moment of shared silence and understanding between Ma and Rose of Sharon, they grasp what needs to be done. Despite Rose of Sharon mourning her dead baby, she selflessly offers her breast milk to the dying old man so he can survive. This act of compassion is extraordinary, especially considering Rose of Sharon's young age and the discomfort she may feel in offering her breast milk to an older man. However, she recognizes that it is a moral thing to do and acts accordingly.

The following chapter will examine how the higher class, the powerful individuals, are depicted in the novel, and how they exert their control over the lower or working class. The powerless individuals are subject to the control of the higher class and lack agency over their own lives, even during a national crisis like the Great Depression. However, throughout the novel, there are instances where the lower-class people begin to realize that they have the potential to wield power over the higher class. Initially, an analysis will provide examples from the novel illustrating how the powerful higher class or institutions are portrayed in the story.

Some properties are owned by companies or banks, and the owners men blame them as though the bank or company were a monstrous entity, capable of thought and feeling, ensnaring them. The banks are depicted as "machines and masters," while the owners are portrayed as their "slaves." The banks, described as monsters, are portrayed as needing profits constantly to survive, unable to wait or they will perish. They are one part of the powerful upper class. The owner men, though slightly less powerful than the banks or companies, still exert control over the tenants, effectively enslaving them. The banks compel people to do jobs they would not normally be morally capable of, exploiting the desperation of hard times. People are encouraged by these entities to harm other families for higher pay, with the implication that they are willing to do so for the sake of their own families. The bank's influence drives people to act inhumanely, demonstrating the extent of the upper class's power over the lower class.

In conclusion, the communication between the powerful and the working class is often reprehensible. There is a clear lack of equality in their interactions, particularly evident when powerful entities, such as banks or companies, are involved in taking away homes or exerting control over the working class. Additionally, other powerful groups may feel the need to assert their superiority by belittling the intelligence of the working class during communication. This pattern of communication underscores the hierarchical power dynamics at play, where the powerful seek to maintain their dominance and control over the working class.