The Struggle in The Grapes of Wrath

The Struggle in The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is a story about life in the great depression. Steinbeck tells the story through the Joad family and how they struggle to survive. Also he has short chapters about the background and what was going on outside of the Joads.

In the beginning of the book Tom, the second eldest son, is hitch hiking back home from McAlester, the prison. He was just paroled from a murder sentence after spending about four years in jail. When he gets off of the truck he runs into the preacher, Casy. The only thing different is that Casy is no longer a preacher and has not been around for a long time either. He left because of conflicts he had with his belief in God. After they sit and talk for quite a while they decide to walk to the Joads house together. Although Tom's parents have no idea that he has been paroled. But as they reach the house the two of them notice that it is unusually banged up and empty. When they step inside, the house is vacant except for a couple of things that were left behind. Some of them were important to the family.

Then they see a person coming towards them. It turns out to be Muley Graves, an old friend. The three of them start to talk for a long time about what is going on in the area. The banks and land companies had driven many of the farmers, including the Joads and Muleys family, of the land, and that tractors now plowed the earth instead of men. Then Muley tells Tom that his family is staying with his Uncle John. The next morning Tom and the preacher set out to Uncle John's house. When they get there Tom surprises his dad and whole family with his sudden arrival. Soon after Tom learns that the entire family is going to go west, to California. After little debate they decide to go the next day and bring Tom and the preacher. Also coming were grandpa and grandma, pa and ma, Toms older brother Noah, Toms younger siblings Al, Rose of Sharon (who is pregnant) and her husband Connie, Ruthie and Windfield, as well as Uncle Tom.

Early the next morning they started for California, their spirits extremely high.