Themes Of Unity In The Grapes Essay - 1489 Words

John Steinbecks novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a moving account of the social plight of Dustbowl farmers and is widely considered an American classic. The novel takes place during the depression of the 1930s in Oklahoma and all points west to California. Steinbeck uses the Joad family as a specific example of the general plight of the poor farmers. The Joads are forced off of their farm in Oklahoma by the banks and drought, and they, like many other families of the time, head out for the promised land of California. They endure much hardship along the way, and they finally make it to California only to find that work is scarce and human labor and life are cheap. Tom Joad, the eldest son in the family, starts the book freshly out of jail†¦show more content†¦Tom retaliates in rage, killing a deputy, and forcing him into hiding. Alone all day long for weeks, he begins to think about the plight of the migrant workers and about what Jim was constantly babbling about. One thing t hat Jim Casy said close to his death, which Tom broads upon, has to do with a revelation that came to the preacher while he was in jail. He tells a group of followers amp;#8230;one day they give us some beans that was sour. One fella started yellin, an nothin happenedamp;#8230; then we all got to yellinamp;#8230; By God! Then something happened! They come a-runnin, and they give us other stuff to eat; (522). This was a telling example to Tom about the power of the group over one man. Tom reveals his thought evolution in the final meeting with his mother, before he leaves to continue the work of Jim Casy. He says, But I know now a fella aint no good alone,; and Two are better than one, becauseamp;#8230; if they fall, the one will lif his fellow, but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up; (570). Peter Lisca, an extensive critic of Steinbecks work, explains amp;#8230;in is last meeting with his mother, in which he asserts his spiritual unity w ith all men, it is evident that he has moved from material and personal resentment to ethical indignation, from particulars to principles; (Lisca 98). Tom clearly changesShow MoreRelatedThemes of Unity in the Grapes1599 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Steinbeck#8217;s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a moving account of the social plight of Dustbowl farmers and is widely considered an American classic. The novel takes place during the depression of the 1930s in Oklahoma and all points west to California. Steinbeck uses the Joad family as a specific example of the general plight of the poor farmers. The Joads are forced off of their farm in Oklahoma by the banks and drought, and they, like many other families of the time, head out for theRead More Grapes of Wrath Essay: Theme of Strength Through Unity987 Words   |  4 Pages Theme of Strength Through Unity in The Grapes of Wrathnbsp;nbsp; The traditional human family represents a necessary transition between self and community. In the difficult era of the 1930s, the familys role shifted to guard against a hostile outside world rather than to provide a link with it. With the drought in the Dust Bowl and other tragedies of the Great Depression, many were forced to look beyond the traditional family unit and embrace their kinship with others of similar necessityRead MoreScott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath1720 Words   |  7 PagesGreat Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath In the novels The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, the authors present similar ideas, but use different methods to portray them. Similarities in themes can be made between the two texts; these include the pursuit of the American Dream and the use and misuse of wealth. Other themes are also central to each novel, the strength in unity and the influence of female charactersRead More Grapes of Wrath Essay: Steinbecks Communist Manifesto1071 Words   |  5 PagesThe Grapes of Wrath as a Communist Manifesto  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Steinbecks political views are quite evident within The Grapes of Wrath. The subject of much controversy, The Grapes of Wrath serves as a social protest and commentary. Steinbecks views as expressed through the novel tie directly into the Marxist ideals on communism.    Perhaps the first thing Steinbeck does in The Grapes of Wrath is establish the status quo. He sets up the farmers and the banks as the two main opposing forcesRead MoreBiblical Allusions to The Grapes of Wrath Essay example1457 Words   |  6 PagesBiblical Allusions to The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902. He studied marine biology at Stanford University and then traveled east on a freighter through the Panama Canal. Steinbeck went to New York to work as a newspaper reporter but soon returned to California and held a variety of jobs while he wrote. Steinbeck published Tortilla Flat in 1935, Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Red Pony in 1937, which established his reputation as a forcefulRead MoreRole Of Robert Steinbeck s The Grapes Of Wrath 1286 Words   |  6 PagesRobby LaRoy APLang 2 º Ms. Lehman 9/13/14 The Role of Unity in Survival During the great depression in the plains of Oklahoma, workers were forced out of their homes as their crops withered away to nothing and dust took over. The general feeling of these migrant workers during the late 20’s and early 30’s can be summarized by the struggle for survival showcased in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. In the novel, a family called the Joads makes their way westward in hopes of a better life forRead MoreThe Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck1967 Words   |  8 PagesThe Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is the story which takes place in a time where opportunity is nil and desperation has overtaken American en masse. The story is told several viewpoints with majority of them being witnessed from Tom Joad and his family while others are from minor characters who share a similar circumstance or actively benefiting from the misfortunes of others. Larger businesses are overtaking others and placing profits above people. The care and welfare for other human becomesRead MoreSymbolism Of The Steinbeck s The Grapes Of Wrath 2259 Words   |  10 Pages Symbols In The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family experiences many hardships on the journey to and in California, ranging from dying family members to a lack of sufficient food. In the third chapter of the novel, author John Steinbeck introduces a determined turtle who attempts to make its journey across a highway. The turtle is apparently nearly run over multiple times, and is actually hit by a car. This causes the turtle to be flipped on its shell, until it catches its footing and â€Å"littleRead More The Grapes of Wrath as Communist Propaganda Essay example1199 Words   |  5 Pages The Grapes of Wrath as Communist Propaganda nbsp; The Grapes of Wrath may be read as a direct indictment of the U.S. capitalist system of the early and mid twentieth century. Although the book on the surface level can fairly easily be read as anti-capitalist book, it goes further than that. The book both implicitly and explicitly advocates structural changes in the economic institutions of our country. Thus, it may be argued that the Grapes of Wrath is communist propaganda. Propaganda, accordingRead More Grapes Of Wrath Biblical Allusions Essay889 Words   |  4 Pages John Steinbeck carefully molded his story The Grapes of Wrath to encompass many themes and ideas. He included several Biblical allusions to enforce his message of the migrating families coming together to form a community. Steinbeck alludes to Biblical characters through Jim Casy and Rose of Sharon, events like the family’s journey to California and the flood at the end of the novel, and teachings throughout the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Biblical allusions represented by the characters in the novel