Grampa In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

As the book progresses, the changes within the family are characterized differently in each character. Mrs. Joad's primary concern is keeping the family unit together as they begin their journey. Soon, however, members of the family begin to leave. Noah cannot handle the changes and goes off on his own while Grandpa and Grandma leave through death. Connie abandons his wife and does not return. Al becomes engaged and goes with his fiancée's family. Even Young Tom leaves after he has accidentally killed another man and has to go into hiding. Mrs. Joad deals with each of these losses and appears to be stronger as the story continues, even making the decision for Tom to leave as it becomes necessary.

The novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a story that describes the journey of the Joad family through the brutal migration from Oklahoma 's destroying Dust Bowl to California corrupt promised land. Through the depiction of events and portrayal of characters, the bible takes part in the novel as one whole allusion. The story of struggle for survival in the fallen state of Oklahoma and in the “promised land” of California, reveals the same ideas shown as we explore in the bible. In The Grapes of Wrath, author John Steinbeck integrates the allegory of biblical references and values to create the image of a family’s journey to California during the Dust Bowl of the early 1900s.

Steinbeck exploits a disturbing and melancholy tone in The Grapes of Wrath in order to describe the desolation and destitution of California, once the Joad family arrives. A majority of the novel supports Steinbeck’s disturbing tone, especially with the novel set during the Great Depression; moreover, the setting of the novel proves parallel with Steinbeck’s disturbing tone. Many families traveled to California in attempts to begin a better life; however, many of the migrants discovered that California’s lifestyle did not meet any of the expectation many of the families had. The poverty, low wages, and unemployment that the Okies faced in California proved disappointing, and Steinbeck continually illustrates the struggles the Okies face to

John Steinbeck inserts accurate facts into The Grapes of Wrath to demonstrate the narrative events of this book actually occurred in real migrant’s lives. Steinbeck uses the names of actual towns and cities in California so his readers can obtain deeper meaning in his work. “Well why don ' we go to Marysville? Ma demanded… Ma said “We’re a-goin to Marysville. I don’t care what the pay is, were a-goin” (451) “Sallisaw to Gore is 21 miles and Hudson was.. from Gore to Warner 13 miles; Warner to Checotah 14 mile; Checotah a long jump to Henrietta,- 34 miles” (157) Each of the towns mentioned are actual places that migrants traveled through. Steinbeck demonstrates the reality of migrants situations by using authentic information about migrant’s journeys. Steinbeck’s application of historically accurate facts creates a more realistic story. “Bing Crosby, Benny Goodman. At one end of the counter, a covered case; candy cough drops, caffeine sulphate called Sleepless; No Doze; candy,

When Tom returns from his jail sentence, all of his family is living on John's farm- Ma and Pa, Grampa and Granma, Al and Noah, Ruthie and Winifred. Rose of Sharon has married and brought Connie into the family unit, but marriage was long accepted to be a way of adding people to one's family. However, this unity isn't to last long. Grampa was too connected to the old place and died in spirit the minute they took him off of it (199). His physical body died soon after, and Granma was only a few days behind. In addition to the death of the eldest generation, the Joads also lost family members when Noah and Connie ran off, despite Ma's addimence for keeping the family together. And finally, at the end of the book, Tom himself leaves to protect the family.

Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family, a few friends and their migration west on Route 66, heading to California in search of work and prosperity, only to find poverty and

Grandpa Joad, an irrepressible symbol, in The Grapes of Wrath is a very emotionally connected character through his resilience with the land. While the family truck is returning to Sallisaw, a quote describing the family and the grandpa’s bitterness, “And now they were weary and frightened because they had gone against a system they did not understand and it had beaten them” (Steinbeck 97). As the family attempts to follow in the path that all migrants must take to make their lives in California, the effort comes with extreme ramifications. The Grandpa however stays to his old nature and begins to die as he is taken away from the land that was keeping his spirit alive. Grandpa is stuck in the idea that the way that life was is now the way life

When the devastation of Dustbowl hit the families in Okalahoma, chaos erupted. In the book The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck prevails a story of tragedy and struggle, but also the conquering of triumph. Each character in this novel individually matures, however Ma Joad’s development is the most significant. She is the threshold of the family’s well being. Through all the obstacles the Joad family faced, Ma grew in strength and drive as well as maintaining the family’s faith and hope for future success.

In the Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family traveled from Sallisaw, Oklahoma to California in need of a job. Since jobs were scarce in Oklahoma, the Joad family hope to find better jobs in California. Once they got to California, jobs were very hard to find, and living condition were horrible. Although there were many obstacles for the Joad's, Ma was the backbone of the family. Throughout the novel, Ma demonstrates her distinct personality, toughness.

Tom, though, is a very complicated individual who turns out to be a tremendous asset and burden to the family. His parole causes the family an unneeded worry, but does get work that helps the family. He is the main protagonist for his family and the main follower of Jim Casy's philosophy on human nature. Jim is much more of a talker and idealist, and he actually puts what he preached into action. Jim Casy is frequently compared with Jesus Christ and his lifestyle of preaching and leading people. As well as sacrificing himself for Tom and the Joad family which upholds his common held belief. Tom carries Jim’s message after his death and aids others with it. The Joad family, along with Jim Casy, shows the benefit of people uniting in order to accomplish goals and this is a lesson that the reader can take away from this novel.

The family has to deal with the native Californians who fear that these newcomers will take their jobs and their lands. These Californians try to keep the migrants out, and some even use violence to do so. In addition, the "[f]amily's fallin' apart" (294). Granma and Grampa died, and Noah and Connie leave the family. Although Ma tries to keep the family together, some of them leave unexpectedly through death and some leave willingly. The departure of family members stresses the Joads even more. Despite these difficulties, the journey is necessary because it is a quest that will allow the family to develop. In How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster, the author explains that every trip is a quest. Following his structure for "quest," the Joads are the quester who has a stated reason to go to California, which is to find jobs. During the trip, the Joads face multiple obstacles: finance, deaths, transportation issues, and brutal policemen. These difficulties, however, bond the family. They work together to overcome these obstacles: "When the cars pulled into the camping places, each member had his duty and went to it without instruction" (267). Ma realizes the importance of family and tries to keep the family together. Tom also later realizes the power of people, and he expresses his anger toward the companies, "Well, s'pose them people got together an' says, 'Let em rot.' Wouldn' be long 'fore the price went up, by God" (336). If the people work together and not just one family but every family work together, people will have the power to fight against the companies and banks. So, learning the power of people and working together is the real reason for the

     The book, Grapes of Wrath, follows the life of the Joad family, who live in Oklahoma during the Depression. The story begins with the return of Tom Joad from prison, where he has spent the last few years. He killed a boy in a bar fight and is now on parole. He is taken by surprise when he returns to Oklahoma only to find that his house is in ruins and his family is not there. He doesn’t know that, while he was gone, the banks forced his family and thousands of others off their land. Tom is accompanied by a former priest, Casey, who searches with Tom for his family. Tom and Casey find the Joad family at Tom’s uncle’s house. The family is preparing to move west to California in hopes that they

“Somebody got to take the blame. I got no kids. They’ll jus’ put me in jail, an’ I ain’t doin’ nothin’ but set aroun’” (Steinbeck 363). He had risked his life multiple times for the Joad family, including the time when Tom had injured a deputy, Casy covered for him and went to jail. Despite the fact that he was an ex preacher, he managed to always give people inspiration through his words. “Try an’ tell ‘em, Tom. They’ll get two an’ a half, jus’ the minute we’re gone” (Steinbeck 523). When Jim Casy encountered Tom Joad near the peach picking ranch, he was a “leader” of a red group protesting the pay received by the same peach camp the Joads were at. Casy tried to warn Tom of the pay cut the family would receive and encouraged Tom to move somewhere

In the novel, Tom Joad and his family have no choice but to abandon their farm because it was during the time of the “Dust Bowl”. They started their journey and made their way over to California. Along the way thousands of other families were on the go looking for jobs, land, and hope for a happier more brighter future. In both of the two novels families share a lot of interpersonal love among themselves, making their relationship strong, deep, and united. Both The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath show their successful times and the failures the characters faced. Through the course of the characters’ paths they face obstacles but they learn how to overcome them. They also grow they interpersonal love between their

In Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, he describes the struggle of the small farmer and farmworker. The principal characters define quiet dignity and courage in their struggle to survive and in the caring for their loved ones. Through this novel, Steinbeck displays his respect for all the poor and oppressed of our world.