Ark In The Grapes Of Wrath

In the intercalary chapter with the tenacious turtle, bounteous obstacles of nature and man impeded the turtle’s lengthy journey southwest, but the turtle persevered in the end. For example, when the turtle first appears, he soon saw “the hill, which was the highway embankment, reared up ahead of him” (Steinbeck 14). He thrust with his back legs and pulled with his front legs until he conquered the slope. Secondly, “A red ant ran into the shell, into the soft skin inside the shell” (Steinbeck 15), agitating the turtle’s sensitive inner skin. To remedy this irritation, the turtle yanked in his extremities, effectively crushing the red ant. An instance of humanity harming the tough turtle occurred when a truck driver swerved out of his way in an attempt to hit the turtle, directly after a woman almost

Throughout the late 20’s and early 30’s, people suffered in some of the worst ways America has ever faced. John Steinbeck noticed how people, in some ways, were treated much worse than they should have been when he considered what these people faced. Many people felt harsh treatment in car dealerships specifically, as they purchased cars to help them travel across the country towards California. Through the use of tone and diction, John Steinbeck characterizes the car salesmen as ruthless towards those who are suffering.

In addition, Steinbeck utilizes symbolism to help reveal his message to the audience. In this chapter, the putrefying crops that resulted from the system’s agricultural mismanagement represent the landowner’s greed, and how it is responsible for not only the

Grapes of Wrath Author, John Steinbeck, in his novel, Grapes of Wrath, narrates the life of people in Oklahoma during the time of the Dust Bowl, when no one has everything, but everyone has nothing. Steinbeck’s purpose with this novel is to show different people’s point of view and way of life during this time; what people had to do to for themselves and their families to survive. He adopts a narrative, everyday tone; therefore causing the reader to feel like they are there with the usage of imagery and the vernacular familiar to the region during this time period. In Chapter 1 of Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck uses of imagery to show the reader what the Dust Bowl was like, not only in general, but with everyone else in the story.

Imagery paints a picture in the reader’s head of how a landscape appears, or how a character feels, and Beah’s imagery illustrates the fearful violence of the war. When commentating on the funeral of Saidu, Beah “began to weep quietly. [Beah] let [his] tears drip on the earth and the summer dust absorb them” (Beah 86). During the death of his friend, Beah felt disbelief, but grieving could only ‘absorb the summer dust’. The war broke Beah into feeling numbness in everything, including his own emotion. Beah also presents imagery when his family is close in reach, but assumably dies, exclaiming that he “screamed at the top of [his] lungs and began to cry loudly as [he] could, punching and kicking with all of [his] might into the weak walls that

Steinbeck utilizes the novel as a form of social protest by enunciating the brutal and inhumane way the wealthier class treat the migrant workers. For instance, in order to not loose any profit from the fields, the affluent bankers decide to forcefully drive the families off the fields using tractors to “bite into the house corner, crumble the wall, wrench the little houses from its foundation”(39). However, the working class does not have the opportunity to refuse this decision because of the desperate

There the “family” face the obstacle of achieving their own interpretation of the American Dream of owning their own land to support themselves instead of living day by day, barely scraping by. Steinbeck uses this setting to exemplify the dehumanization of women, African Americans, and the mentally disabled during that era. Steinbeck makes light of the role of women as objects

Also, Atwell stated, “A reading of these particular things they want to overcome, suggests that Steinbeck...is...making a very…pointed critique of certain aspects of what it is like for many people to live in California, and by extension, American society… Of Mice and Men is a critique of the plight of… the landless, poor, and agricultural workers”(3). George and Lennie relate to this group of Americans the most because they like to dream for a better life to escape from the cold bitter

Intercalary chapters are frequently seen in the novel The Grapes of Wrath. They are inserted between the ongoing narratives of the Joad family to bring major themes and ideas of the novel together. These intercalary chapters give insight on what is happening in society in Oklahoma, the drought, the Dust Bowl and the migrant farmers. Steinbeck’s choice of using intercalary chapters may distract the reader from the main points of the story; however, they have a deeper and more meaningful purpose. They intertwine the outer themes and symbols regarding man’s inhumanity to man and dignity of wrath with the Joad family and their migration journey to California. Steinbeck’s decision to insert these intercalary chapters impacts the power of the novel and amplifies its message. Each of these chapters provide specific details that contribute to the overall story of the Joad’s and gives the reader a better understanding, making it more powerful. It also accomplishes his goal of defining the American dream and the Great Depression era.

As well as these two themes, there are also a handful of leitmotifs used throughout Raiders of the Lost Ark, one of the most important being the Ark leitmotif. This motif is created with low rumbling noises from the cello and low brass, mixing with trumpets and higher trilling strings. This creates a majestic and mysterious sound that also sends shivers down your back to insinuate the amazing power that God has put into The Ark of the Covenant. This Ark motif is first introduced when Indiana Jones presents a picture of the Ark to government officials when speaking to them about the quest for the Ark. Like “Marion’s Theme”, the Ark leitmotif gradually grows, adding more instruments and lengthening the piece every time it is introduced, but still keeping the same basic concept.

Symbolism is also quite prevalent throughout both Steinbeck’s and Sinclair’s novel. Symbolism is used in representation of something else, such as a theme or idea. Steinbeck describes a turtle crossing the road very deeply and very detail. The turtle gets flipped over on his back, but gets back up. This could be representative of the Joad family. Despite any setbacks, they continue on just as the turtle does and eventually makes it across the road. The truck that the Joads use to travel to California is very old and experiences many problems and malfunctions. This could also represent the Joad family and the fact that they persevere to make it to better life. Sinclair uses metaphors to describe capitalism. He uses the idea of capitalism as being represented by a huge machine and all the poor workers, such as those working in the disgusting conditions of

“Steinbeck speaks to the interdependence of land and human”(Cape 20). This interdependence is important to the story because it demonstrates just how much change and upheaval to their lives that these families had to deal with in order to

The 1930s were a time of hardship for many across the United States. Not only was the Great Depression making it difficult for families to eat every day, but the Dust Bowl swept through the plains states making it nearly impossible to farm the land in which they relied. John Steinbeck saw how the Dust Bowl affected farmers, primarily the tenant farmers, and journeyed to California after droves of families. These families were dispossessed from the farms they had worked for years, if not generations (Mills 388). Steinbeck was guided by Tom Collins, the real-life model for the Weedpatch camp’s manager Jim Rawley, through one of the federal migrant worker camps. He was able to see for himself,

Throughout “The Grapes of Wrath” the Joads receive the most brutal of treatment from those with the most ability to help them: the more fortunate. It becomes repeatedly apparent, that profits are more important to the wealthy than the welfare of men. Whereas, it is the destitute people that go out of their way to help fellow humans, regardless of the little that they have for themselves. This therefore shows the theme of financial status determining the human capacity for both kindness and arbitrary cruelty.

John Steinbeck convinces his audience that something in America needs to change. The first way the author shows the reader that there is a problem in America is how he portrays the landowners greed. “We can’t depend on it. The bank-the monster-has to have profits all the time. It can’t wait.