How Did The Grapes Of Wrath Change Throughout The Novel

At the onset of the book, Young Tom has just been released from prison and is interested in making up for lost time and enjoying himself. He is a strong family support during the journey but is among the first to begin reaching out to a larger family. At the end he has focused on the plight and abuse of all the homeless farmers and recognizes that they must

Likewise, Tom Joad is another character from The Grapes of Wrath, by Steinbeck, who shows his dignity throughout the book through his actions, but also his past life. In Tom’s past life, he was arrested, having killed a man. However, Tom was stabbed, and was merely performing an act of self defense. He really had nothing against the man who attacked him, and thought of him to be a “nice fella” (Grapes 73). Many of the people Tom meets that find out that he has committed murder, assume that he isn’t an innocent man, and isn’t worth respecting. However, it is known by the reader that he had a legitimate purpose, and he doesn’t try to stress this fact. Due to this, his dignity shows, because he is allowing people to think what they want, even though he knows that he was only doing the last resort of things. Also, at the end of the book, Tom decides to live up to Jim Casy, a preacher who travelled with the Joad’s until his arrest and eventually his death, and spread the ideas that Casy was spreading throughout the entire book. “‘Tom,’ Ma repeated, ‘what you gonna do?’ ‘What Casy done,’ he said… ‘He wasn’ doing nothin’

First, Tom has changed throughout the book. At the beginning of the book Tom was always telling some sort of lie. He lied about whitewashing the fence, his toe hurting, memorizing bible verses, taking the pills and much more. Towards the end of the book Tom is starting to realize he needs to be truthful. On the day of the murder trial Tom is asked to take the stand. He was as scared as a mouse getting chased by a cat. After a few minutes of talking and thinking Tom confesses the truth about the murder. Injun Joe was the one who killed Dr. Robinson! Another example of how Tom changed in the book is his kindness. After Tom brought up his old crush Amy, Becky was as mad as your mom when you don't clean your room. Tom tried to get her back but she didn't care. After awhile he didn't really care what she did. When Tom and Becky were stuck in the cave he confronted her and told her they would get out. He also took the blame for the ripped

Tom Joad lives his life with the “one foot before the other” type of attitude. The future does not concern him in the beginning of the novel. He does not think about the next day until the next day is there. He does this because he does not want to worry himself. He is afraid that if he becomes worried about his future, then he will become obsessed with it and will eventually be driven to insanity. As the novel went on, Tom realized that it was he that held his family together and provided the determination and support to keep going on. He possesses the skills and knowledge to make money on his own, but he decides to stay with his family and help them move along. The Joad family encounters many dilemmas where Tom has to make crucial decisions. Tom starts to realize what is best for his family’s future.

Tom continues his disloyal acts throughout the novel. Tom admits his own disloyalty when he confesses “Once in

As the novel progresses, Tom transforms from this selfish nature to become a caring person. Several examples of this transformation are seen throughout various chapters. When the Joads are traveling west to California with the Wilson’s, Tom offers to help them when their car breaks down. “Tom said nervously, ‘Look Al. I done my time, an’ now it’s done… Let’s jus’ try an’ get a con-rod an’ the hell with the res’ of it.’” Tom is showing a little more care for other people’s problems, however, he still has a selfish side because he still does not regret killing a man. He knew he had to pay for it by going to prison, but he still believes he did nothing wrong by taking a man’s life. By offering to help out with the Wilson’s’ car, he is on his way to becoming a less selfish person. As the book draws to a close, Tom stumbles upon Jim Casy again, who is murdered in front of his own eyes. As a result, he is thrown into a silent rage and kills another man which causes him to hide in the forest. He realizes that he is a danger to his family, so he sacrifices his safety in order for his family to be safe. ‘“Ya can’t do that, Ma. I tell you I’m jus’ a danger to ya,”’ (391). There is a clear transition from Tom acting selfish at the beginning of the book to him acting completely selfless at the end. This selflessness also contributed to him being a figure committed to bettering the

“At the heart of every immigrant’s experience is a dream- a vision of hope that is embodied in his or her destination” (Gladstein 685). In the novel, The Grapes of Wrath the migrants imagined the absolute aspects of living care free to the west. However, everything changed once they traveled to the west, realizing the simple concept turned into hazardous problems. John Steinback emphasized the American dream of economic stability and truculent situations towards the Joads family's point of view. Throughout the immigration, the Joads family goes through constant and unpredictable changes in employment, and their eventual failure to find success in California. The novel has been called by critics "a celebration of the human spirit", in several ways it is true due to the aspects of human nature. Despite the hazardous actions people can do, it is important to realize everything around us.

As the novel begins, Tom has a completely independent outlook on life; concerned only with returning home from prison to indulge his own comforts and wants. It is only later after he has endured the hardships of the journey, in Jim Casy’s death, and his own exile, that he has time to think and realizes that it is united we stand, and divided we fall. He thus sacrifices his personal concerns and safety and leaves the family to go out into the larger community and help his people. He will go out and work to complete what Jim Casy had started. Whereas Jim Casy was too much of an idealist, Tom will try and put his plan into action: “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, I’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy, I’ll be there.” (537)

Over centuries, mankind’s intention has always been to make change or evolve. As in The Grapes of Wrath written by John Steinbeck, an emphasization of the capability of humans to create change and to progress has been demonstrated throughout the novel. Despite many challenges, the main characters, the Joad family faces, it has been highlighted that man obtains the ability to adapt to changes of circumstances and has the power of cooperating together and unifies together, as well, to execute change. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck capsizes religious symbols to roll out the boldness of the human spirit. Steinbeck also displays the powers of mankind to create change and feuds that the human experience should be the physical foundation of one's moral code, rather than being dependent upon religious principle.

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 Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck uses numerous literary techniques to advocate for change in the social and political attitudes of the Dust Bowl era. Simile, personification, and imagery are among the many devices that add to the novel’s ability to influence the audience’s views. Moreover, through his use of detail, Steinbeck is able to develop a strong bond between the reader and the Joad clan. This bond that is created evokes empathy from the audience towards the Joads as they face numerous challenges along their journey. The chapters go between the Joad’s story and a broad perspective of the Dust Bowl’s effect on the lives of Mid-western farmers in which Steinbeck illustrates dust storms devastating the land, banks evicting tenant

Tom Joad from the beginning of the novel can be seen as a very introverted character who seems to only be worried about his family and himself. In the second chapter we see Tom for the first time

Tom becomes more trustworthy as he goes on more of his adventures, and becomes more mature. He learns to become more responsible for his actions, which shows that he is finally beginning to grow up. During all of his adventures, he grows up more and more, and also learns how to become honest. Many people can learn a very good, positive life lesson from reading this novel.

Tom is definitely maturing throughout the chapters, slowly but steadily. Tom senses the seriousness of Aunt Polly’s grief when she takes him aside after breakfast on the morning after Dr. Robinson’s murder. When he realizes that Aunt Polly is extremely disappointed in him, Tom feels that her disappointment in him “[is] worse than a thousand whippings, and “[his] heart [is] sorer… than his body” (105). The evidence of hurting others depresses Tom for the first time, revealing that he has grown up a little. In addition, as he falls asleep on their first night in Jackson’s Island, Tom realizes that taking food from home is “plain, simple stealing” not just “ ‘hooking’ ”, and prays out of fear(131). This is the first time in the novel that Tom

Because I could identify with this song, I found myself wondering: Who was this character Tom Joad? Was he flesh as I? Was he even a man, or was he just a ghost after all? I was clueless and perplexed. Consequently, I took it upon my teenage self to venture out in order to discover just who he was. Though I was prepared to comb through every article necessary, a simple Google search was all the elbow grease it took to unearth the mystery: Tom Joad is the main character of a novel written by John Steinbeck, titled “The Grapes of Wrath.” I bought the book, and it was then that I branched out from raging sound waves into the quiet and meticulous world of written words.