Grapes of Wrath The Grapes of Wrath There's an old saying, "Blood is thicker than water." Well, nothing proves truer than the families in The Grapes of Wrath. When faced with hardships, people leaned on their kin for support and love, and in the worst of times would even turn their backs on those they had known for years to protect and provide for their families: ...Can't think of that. Got to think of my own kids. Three dollars a day, and it comes every day. Times are changing, mister, don't you know? Can't make a living on the land unless you've got two, five, ten thousand acres and a tractor. Crop land isn't for little guys like us any more. You don't kick up a fowl because you can't make Fords, or because you're not the telephone company. Nothing to do about it. You try to get three dollars a day someplace. That's the only way. (50) The Joad family is no exception. Their trials, tribulations, and broken dreams while suffering through the harsh realities of a fallen America only bring them closer together and remind the reader of true family values. When the reader is first introduced to the Joads, as a full family, one can sense the love immediately. "[Ma] moved towards [Tom] lithely, soundlessly...And her joy was almost like sorrow (101)." Even though she hasn't seen him for quite some time, and that may be the initial reason for her wonderment, she truely loves Tom and Steinbeck does an excellent job of portraying the emotions involved. Even when Granma and Granpa come into the house, the same emotions are evident, although the actions are quite opposite. Granma repeatedly "pu-raise[s] Gawd," while Granpa "walk[s] up and slap[s] Tom, [with] his eyes grinn[ing] with affection and pride." The reader knows the Joads can hold love for a person no matter how long he's been gone, or where he's been (and in this case, prison). Former Reverend Jim Casy is even accepted as one of their own when he arrives with Tom at Uncle John's house. Ma makes sure there is room on the truck for him and Tom calls him over as if he were one of the men in the family. "[Casy] knew the government of families, and he knew he had been taken
In the Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck uses intercalary chapters to provide background for the various themes of the novel, as well to set the tone of the novel".
Love, partnership and commitment have been the subjects of a multitude of novels, plays poems, movies and great works of art. Throughout these works, the image of love and commitment in love have taken many different forms. Today, we easily recognize symbols of commitment in love to be items such as hearts, wedding bands, roses, etc. However, in literature, especially, more abstract and creative symbols of commitment to a loved one are often present. Additionally, the symbols of devotion that exist in literature do not always involve romantic love as opposed to many movies, painting and sculptures. For example, in the short story, “Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, symbols of loyalty to a loved one manifest between two sisters. In opposition to symbols of loyalty existing in a platonic manner as it does in “Saving Sourdi,” Peter Meinke’s “The Cranes,” provides symbols of commitment in an amorous relationship.
California in search for a brighter, economic future. The name Joad and the exodus to
Grapes of Wrath and It's a Wonderful Life Following the relatively prosperous era nicknamed the "Roaring Twenties" came the Great Depression. Unemployment skyrocketed and good times were hard to find. In the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" we see the transformation from stability to utter chaos. With World War I freshly over, there was joy and celebration to welcome American 'boys' back home.
Grapes of Wrath. In the beginning of the novel The Grapes of Wrath, the Joads are faced with the challenge of traveling Route 66 all the way to California. This is their solution to being tractored off their land and having no way to support the large family. This challenge is similar to the depression of 1929, when many people lost their jobs, homes, and their whole lives.
over him and he talks to each member of the family in the order they
The tale of The Grapes of Wrath has many levels of profound themes and meanings to allow us as the reader to discover the true nature of human existence. The author's main theme and doctrine of this story is that of survival through unity. While seeming hopeful at times, this book is more severe, blunt, and cold in its portrayl of the human spirit. Steinbeck's unique style of writing forms timeless and classic themes that can be experienced on different fronts by unique peoples and cultures of all generations.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is considered a classic novel by many in the literary field. The trials and tribulations of the Joad family and other migrants is told throughout this novel. In order to gain a perspective into the lives of "Oakies", Steinbeck uses themes and language of the troubling times of the Great Depression. Some of these aspects are critiqued because of their vulgarity and adult nature. In some places, The Grapes of Wrath has been edited or banned. These challenges undermine Steinbeck's attempts to add reality to the novel and are unjustified.
...t home and tells his wife that he nearly crashed the car again (Miller 8).
Because of the devastating disaster of the dust bowl, the Joad family was forced to leave their long-time home and find work and a new life elsewhere. They, like many other families, moved to California. "The land of milk and honey". The people in the dust bowl imagined California as a haven of jobs where they would have a nice little white house and as much fruit as they could eat. This dream was far from the reality the migrant farmers faced once in California. The dreams, hopes, and expectations the Joads had of California were crushed by the reality of the actual situation in this land of hate and prejudice.
Love and affection is an indispensable part of human life. In different culture love may appear differently. In the poem “My god my lotus” lovers responded to each other differently than in the poem “Fishhawk”. Likewise, the presentation of female sexuality, gender disparity and presentation of love were shown inversely in these two poems. Some may argue that love in the past was not as same as love in present. However, we can still find some lovers who are staying with their partners just to maintain the relationship. We may also find some lovers having relationship only because of self-interest. However, a love relationship should always be out of self-interest and must be based on mutual interest. A love usually obtains its perfectness when it develops from both partners equally and with same affection.
This is when Amanda starts to questions Tom’s routine, drinking, out late, and the movies. He stands up for himself and says that he is the one tha...
This passage marks the first of several types of love, and gives us an intuitive
There exists no power as inexplicable as that of love. Love cannot be described in a traditional fashion; it is something that must be experienced in order for one to truly grasp its full enormity. It is the one emotion that can lead human beings to perform acts they are not usually capable of and to make sacrifices with no thought of the outcome or repercussions. Though love is full of unanswered questions and indescribable emotions, one of the most mystifying aspects of love is its timeless nature. Love is the one emotion, unlike superficial sentiments such as lust or jealousy, which can survive for years, or even generations. In the novel The Gargoyle, the author, Andrew Davidson, explores the idea of eternal love between two people, a union that spans over centuries spent both together and apart. Davidson, through the use of flashbacks, intricate plot development and foreshadowing, and dynamic characterization, creates a story that challenges the reader’s preconceived notions regarding whether eternal love can survive even when time’s inevitable grasp separates the individuals in question.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a story of a young black man convicted of assault by a girl that he helped and her father who are white in Southern America. At that time racial prejudice was accepted in the modern society and no one opposed it. The story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama where Scout Finch and her brother Jem overcome many troublesome events and experience improbable situations. The children are exposed to the reality outside of their childhood, and they discovered the truth about their community and the lies that they tell the children. By brainwashing them with diabolical disinformation about black people and how they should be treated. They also witnessed how the community segregated and confined people like Boo Radley and Tom Robinson because of their colour and how they acted. It portrays that once people had an idea or a belief about a certain thing, they wouldn't second guess it and question if it's right or not.In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee develops the idea that prejudice is contagion, and that leads to more people following and believing in that an idea whether if it's true or not.