The Role Of The Joad Family In The Grapes Of Wrath

In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck uses the Joad family to show the struggle of the migrant farmers during the dust bowl. He shows the hardships trials and failure of the family while using intercalary chapters to show the perspective of the people as whole from the average migrant farmer to owners of the business that hires these people. John Steinbeck conveys the quality of the family's persistence to endure hardships by moving from their home, to the separation of their family, and through the death of Rose of Sharon's baby.
When Tom arrived home from prison, he had not realized that his family was forcefully moved out of their home, and they were living with his Uncle John. The family was very happy to see Tom even his mom almost

broke into tears once seeing him. This happiness was short lived because they had to leave the house the next day. The Joad's ability to leave the land they have lived their whole life on was not an easy decision, and to leave for a land that they never been to was a huge leap of faith. The family count on each other to make this journey, but not everyone wanted to leave. Granmpa refused to go, but made him come against his own will. As Uncle John said after Granmpa died, " I think he knowed it. An' Grampa didn't die tonight. He died the minute you took 'im off the place" (Steinbeck 199). Grampa's death showed the death of their way of life, and not everyone can take that type of change especially the people like Grampa who haven't experienced anywhere different. For the rest of the Joad family to be able to leave their home because they hope that California will be better for their lives shows their ability to accept change for the better. Most people cannot do that, but the Joad family relied on each other to push through their hard times. This family can only stay as strong as their weakest link.
Once the Joad's start traveling, they start to realize not everyone is capable of dealing with this journey. Noah is disabled because accident at birth that Pa caused. He said," You know how the folks are nice to me.But they don't really care for me... I'm sad, but I can't help it. I got to go" (Steinbeck 284). He feels like he is a burden to the family and figures the best way to help is to leave and survive on his own. Noah is a symbolic of Noah from the Bible since they both leave on water,but are opposites Noah who left on the ark left because starting of a new world. Noah Joad left because he was not useful to the family at all. Steinbeck uses this event so he does ," ...not romanticize the Joads, he humanizes them" (Anderson). He uses the actions of real peoples emotions instead of making them seem fake. Noah is the first person to leave the family besides Granmpa' death, and his departure really hurts the family, and their out look on this journey begin to change. As their family started to separate they had to find another way to push through, and they found it through other people. As the Joad's started to run out of resources they would seek the help from other people. Ma said," If you're in trouble or hurt or need go to poor people... Only ones that'll help- the only ones" (Steinbeck 514). Ma has realized from them leaving Weed patch that in order for their family to survive they need the assistance of other people like Wilsons, the committees at Weedpatch, and the poor employees to give a little extra to help out their family. She also expects the same out of her own family to help as much as they can because that's the right thing to do. The family finds the power to push through from her and what she stands for. She was able to tell her own child, Tom,to leave because it was the best for the family. Tom agreed with no argument because he knew it was the right thing to do. It nearly broke her heart to do that, but she is willing to do what needs to be done. Her strength and character exemplifies through her family ability to help others through rough times like she does for her own. Her children show this by doing what is right.
Rose of Sharon is starting to go into labor.

She is having her baby finally, but the babies is already died. This breaks her heart and if she wasn't in a deep depression then she is now. This baby was her only hope, and she lost it. The death of her baby is more symbolic then it is sad. As Uncle John said," Go down an' tell'em... That's the way you can talk" (Steinbeck 609). The baby died from all the hardships of the migrants. The starvation and lack of money to be able to take care of a pregnant lady. She decides on her own the only way to move on is to save this starving man. Ditsky states that ," right use of the body's intimate reproductive faculties to promote Life itself"( Ditsky). She drops all of self comfort and allows this old man who gave everything to his son so he can survive the use of her own breast milk. She does this on her own. She only looks Ma in the eyes before telling everyone else to leave. She truly does enjoy saving that mans because she finally gets to use a motherly touch to nurture a life. She truly learned to endure pain, and still do what is right for people. Ma couldn't be more proud of her daughter after these great act of

humanity.
The Joad family pain and suffering allowed them to survive at first through family and faith, and by the end they are force to rely on all humanity to help them survive such a difficult situation.

The Joad's found their strength to move within the family and took a leap of faith to move to a new state, but they lost over half of their family as they went on. The journey itself would cause the average person to give up and quit. This family found the strength to move on, and still help people while others became angry and bitter. They would think of themselves before others. Steinbeck shows that through ever hardship they went through they were still willing to help people for the greater good. They show " ...the indomitable human spirit of brotherhood" (Anderson). In the last act exemplifies this idea with Rose of Sharon deciding to help a complete stranger, and allow him to use her breast milk is the ultimate sacrifice to help save a life. John Steinbeck allows the family to endure these rough times through the help of their family and the help of his fellow

man.