The Grapes Of Wrath: Chapter Analysis

When you think of the word end you think of the end of a book or movie when the true definition is “a final part of something, esp. a period of time, an activity, or a story” or “

John Steinbeck, in the novel, The Grapes of Wrath, constructs the Dust Bowl setting so that it acts as a functioning character within the novel. Steinbeck supports this characterization of the setting through his use of personification, irony, and symbolism to show that the nature of the Dust Bowl functions as a major antagonist against the plight of the migrant workers. The author’s purpose is to foster an understanding of the unique struggles that faced the migrant workers so that the devastation of the Dust Bowl can be fully realized. Steinbeck writes in a colloquial tone for those seeking to understand the role of nature in historical events.

The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, is considered by many to be the hallmark of American literature. It covers the journey of the Joad family as they stick together through one of the harshest eras in American history, the Great Depression. The structure of the Joad’s narrative is interspersed by smaller, highly descriptive interchapters, which sets the novel apart from other classics in its ability to make the reader understand and relate to the Joads and everything they went through. The detailed, impactful vignettes foreshadow problems the Joads have to overcome and the overview descriptions in the vignettes contrast with the specificities of the Joad’s story. They contain Biblical allusions, colorful descriptions, and objects that can interact with the main characters later in the narrative. Through the use of imagery and diction, the vignettes make Steinbeck’s message more impactful and meaningful.

“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.

The Grapes of Wrath introduces new characters in chapter four. The characters can easily be related to every day lives, including our own. The character that can be connected most with myself is the turtle. Constantly, I feel I am never noticed and I am just kicked around by people every day. Some people notice me, but only get out of my way instead of offering their help. Some people target me as a way to prove they are larger than me. They swerve towards me to injure me or scare me. Steinbeck's ultimate goal is to make the reader sympathize with the turtle. The turtle is a helpless creature who is abandoned on the road, and the most care he gets from any passing drive is just an attempt to not hit the turtle. Tom Joad comes along

As I started to read chapter one I was thinking “This is going to be so boring” but I just kinda had to get more into. And as I was in the middle of chapter one I was expecting Jody to come home from school and everything was going to be all happy and joyful, of course that wasn’t going to happen it’s too easy. So when Gabilan died, I think Jody over reacted, I mean, yeah I get it he’s sad and everything but he didn’t need to kill other animals. And I was kinda shocked when the chapter ended like that. I was hoping that something else would happen.

The cold, soaked earth, which was a source of life not too long ago, abducts a young child while the mother can only watch hopelessly as the husband shovels mounds of dirt. This event is not too different than most that citizens living during the Dust Bowl had to deal with. The self-destructive nature caused the American people to keep expanding and shaping the land as they saw fit. Because of this they overworked the land which, combined with drought, caused the Dust Bowl. The big corporations soon bought out most of the land in the Mid-West and many families were soon forced to make their living by other means. The shift of these families out west to a limited number of jobs

1-1. “Before me and Neeka started asking D about her life, we were erasers too—she got to step into our world, with all the trees and mamas calling from windows and kids playing on the block, and forget.” (18)

“… Dick saw a man, who was his own age- twenty- eight or thirty. He could have been ‘a gambler or lawyer or maybe a gangster from Chicago.’ Whatever he was he looked as though he knew the glories of money and power… All that belonged to him, Dick, but he would never have it. Why should that sonofabitch have everything, while he had nothing? … With a knife in his hand, he, Dick, had the power. Big shots… like that better be careful or he might ‘open them up and let their luck spill on the floor’” (201).

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls are the stories of two families who endure seemingly insurmountable odds to stay together. Just a few of the many hardships they face include financial instability and homelessness. The Walls and the Joads have a lot of qualities that help them stay together, but their saving qualities are their ambition and the leadership skills in the women.

The Grapes of Wrath is set in the horrible stage of our American history, the Depression. Economic, social, and historical surroundings separate the common man of America into basically the rich and poor. A basic theme is that man turns against one another in a selfish pride to only protect themselves. For example, the landowners create a system in which migrants are treated like animals and pushed along from one roadside camp to the next. They are denied decent wages and forced to turn against their fellow scramblers to simply survive.

Meals in works of literature have always had a special connotation, they can be used by the author to relay information about the plot, the characters, or even the setting. John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath for example, The Joad family eats with other families affected by the Dust Bowl. Despite the families not knowing each other very well there is still that sense of communion because they are all suffering through the same thing, and they are doing it together. Even if the families are barely surviving themselves, they are still able to help out anyone that needs it, even if it means sacrificing a lot themselves. All of the "Okies" stick together despite the hardships.

Robert was another friend that Ben had made while working for General Motors. Ben discussed how he and Robert had many things in common. For instance, Ben stated “His forefathers, like mine, had drifted into this moron dragnet lookin’ for steady work and a pocketful of beer change.” (Hamper pg. 53). This is important because, again Ben is showing that they have bonded over personal information rather than how well they do their jobs. Once again, this is away of showing that they respect each other’s individuality by sharing information about each other. When you share information about yourself to someone else you are telling them more about you as a person, not a worker. Ben also goes on to discuss different parts of Robert’s life. For example,

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

The Dust Bowl, a series of severe dust storms in the 1930’s, left the southern plains of the United States as a wasteland. The storms occurred due to the lack of use of dryland farming techniques to prevent wind erosion. Powerful winds would pick up loose soil and carry the sediment around the countryside. Called “black blizzard” or “black rollers”, these storms had the potential to black out the sky completely. Due to the inability to grow and sell crops, banks evicted families and foreclosed their properties, leaving them homeless and without an income. The author of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck, wrote his American realist novel to allow readers to understand the experiences of the migrants from the Dust Bowl era. Not many