The Roaring Twenties and the Stock Market Crash of 1929 


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The Roaring Twenties and the Stock Market Crash of 1929



Why He Wrote It

The 1940 Pulitzer Prize winner, The Grapes of Wrath, could be described as a story that transcends the pages of a book. Set during the period of the Great Depression, it chronicles one family's quest to leave heartbreak behind and search for a better life.

The historical context of the time, as well as the author's own efforts to personally understand the story he was telling, were driving forces in the creation of this literary realism novel. Through his personal, firsthand experiences, and the very real conditions being endured during the Great Depression, we discover how the history and the author himself lend to the meaning of the novel's story. Let's take a look at both in the context of the book's subject matter.

Historical Context

The time period depicted in the book spans what is known in history as The Great Depression, which began shortly after the stock market crash in 1929 and continued until the start of World War II, when industry saw an uptick. The 10 or so years that the United States experienced a deep economic downturn brought about:

  • Decreased consumer spending
  • Fewer investments
  • Decreased manufacturing and industrial work
  • Increased rates of unemployment

Mid-way through the period of the Depression, up to 15 million Americans had lost jobs, and nearly half of the United States' banking industry had failed. The Grapes of Wrath, for many, humanized the experiences being felt across the country, in a story that spanned job loss, hardship and the pursuit of the American dream.

Depicted in the novel is the plight of American migrant workers, mirroring the problems of real Americans at the time. Not only did the Great Depression bring economic loss, but also agricultural. When the drought came, crops died and the dirt rose up into dust storms that blew across a portion of the country dubbed the 'Dust Bowl.' Like in the book, when the out-of-work farmers headed west to California, they found only farm country overcome with migrant workers. With work and food scarce, and migrants poorly treated by their new California neighbors, the farmers and their families lived - and died - in migrant camps named after President Herbert Hoover. 'Hoovervilles' bore the name of the 31st President who shouldered much of the blame for the start of the Great Depression. Unfortunately, many people in the migrants camps failed to find work and many died of starvation.

Steinbeck's writing fully encompasses the struggles of the migrant worker population at the time and also speaks critically of the politics (and politicians) many believed created the problems to begin with. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck repeatedly points to the poor physical and economic conditions endured by the migrants, as well as social and political issues such as a class system dividing the 'haves' from the 'have nots.' He also addresses both the banking and labor industries as 'monsters' that can't be controlled.

The Author's Experiences

The work of The Grapes of Wrath is one Steinbeck took seriously, and personally. His desire to get readers to experience the lives of migrants through the pages of his novel shines through loud and clear. That is likely due, in part, to Steinbeck's firsthand experiences while crafting the book.

Preparing for the book took Steinbeck on the physical and emotional journey of traveling with an Oklahoma family moving westward. He reviewed and sourced official reports from California's Arvin Migrant Camp director to expound on his story and provide realistic details of the conditions at the time. He experienced the devastation of migrant camps firsthand, which enraged him and spurred his desire to write.

Throughout his career, Steinbeck himself worked as a manual laborer to help support his writing even prior to The Grapes of Wrath. Many believe that Steinbeck's time among California's working class lent to his ability to accurately depict the lives of migrant workers in this novel - and several others. A series of articles he wrote about migrant farm communities for the San Francisco Chronicle also serves as a predecessor and motivator for telling the migrant story in The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck talked of being filled with anger at the perceived injustices done to migrant workers, and wrote about it in the newspaper and, later, this novel.

At the time of its publication and since, contradictory feelings about Steinbeck's personal opinions on government and economics have created much conversation. Many people have both lauded and criticized the work for its views on capitalism and socialism and for the disparity between small government and a government big enough to offers various programs. The conflicts portrayed in The Grapes of Wrath, though fictionalized, were also very real. The book started conversations on worker camp conditions and labor laws, the plight of man versus man and even man versus the system.

Lesson Summary

The Grapes of Wrath presents a fictionalized account of real conditions experienced by workers during the Great Depression. Steinbeck's personal experiences interacting with migrant workers, as well as the political and historical conditions at the time, colored the context and the content of his well-known novel. Another author once said of Steinbeck's work that you could read about the history in a textbook, but Steinbeck's account allows you to live and breathe it.

 

John Steinbeck's classic novel 'The Grapes of Wrath' gave a voice to the tens of thousands of Americans affected by the Dust Bowl tragedy in Midwestern farming states. The novel and the subsequent 1940 film version have remained a part of American consciousness over the ensuing decades.

Steinbeck's Novel

In 1939, celebrated realist author John Steinbeck determined to write a novel that personalized in narrative the real plight of thousands of families journeying west in hope of making a better life for themselves and their families. Displaced by drought, poverty, exploitation, and lack of options, former farm families from Oklahoma and surrounding states headed toward California in the 1930s. Steinbeck raised awareness through his classic tale of the Joad family by giving names and voices to the many faces of the Great Depression.

The Depression began as an economic event when the stock market crashed in October of 1929. Investors soon backed away from further investment, which led to a huge slowdown in industry and commerce. The ultimate outcome was widespread unemployment, homelessness, and hunger across the United States.

The Midwestern Dust Bowl

The title of Steinbeck's novel alludes to lyrics from the song ''The Battle Hymn of the Republic'', which itself is a reference to a biblical passage pleading for help for the suffering and justice delivered from God at the final judgement. A further connection is the image of grapes growing in the promised land of California, to which many migrants turned as their last hopeful dream.

Unfortunately, California, though in some ways better than the devastated land and foreclosed homes these people left behind, was far from a promised land. Most of the workers were exploited by the farm owners, who in turn suffered at the hands of large corporations. One issue Steinbeck's novel helped bring to light is the flawed system of growing and distribution present in 1930s America. The poverty and hunger of men and their families forced many to work for pennies on an empty stomach just to survive.

Steinbeck stated that he wrote the novel with the express intention of shaming those in power responsible for the misery of the Great Depression. He notoriously said, ''I've done my damndest to rip a reader's nerves to rags.'' And, indeed, Steinbeck's novel did raise awareness of the extent of the damage to farmlands on which the country depended for food, and the people who lost them.

Political, activist movements focusing on the plight of migrant workers arose from this increased awareness.

Film Version

In 1940, Hollywood gave American audiences a visual counterpart to the Joad family's journey to nowhere in the film version starring Henry Fonda.

The Joad Family in the Movie Version

In spite of the enduring popularity of both the novel and the film, no other film version has appeared in the ensuing decades.

Recognition and Awards

The New York Times promoted Steinbeck's novel as the best-selling book of 1939. Yet not all critical reception was positive. The truth and value of the novel was debated on radio programs; ultimately the book was publicly banned and even burned by some factions. The most volatile criticism, not surprisingly, came from the Associated Farmers of California, who claimed that Steinbeck's novel was totally untrue in describing the situation in California.

In spite of some negative reactions, the novel won a National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. In 1962, when Steinbeck was awarded a Nobel Prize, The Grapes of Wrath was soundly praised for its quality and lasting effect on American culture.

John Steinbeck

Enduring Legacy

Because the novel documents so closely an important time period in American history, The Grapes of Wrath continues to be read and studied in high school classrooms all over the United States. The detailed picture of family life and hardship during the Great Depression makes this novel an effective learning tool.

Well-Known Photograph by Dorothea Lange

The situations in Steinbeck's novel and its characters have also been featured in folk and country music, most famously by Woody Guthrie. An opera version has been produced, as well as a stage version which played on the Broadway stage in 1990 starring Gary Sinise as Tom Joad.

Lesson Summary

John Steinbeck's classic novel The Grapes of Wrath was intended to personalize the injustice dealt to many migrants on the road during the Great Depression. Steinbeck succeeded in raising awareness, which became the impetus for political activist movements. Though the novel had mixed reception when it was first published, The Grapes of Wrath has become a classic still taught in many high schools. Both the novel and the film version have continued to be experienced by decades of readers and viewers, having a lasting effect on our understanding of this time period.

 

 

The classic novel The Grapes of Wrath is set during the Great Depression of the 1930s. In this lesson, we will highlight the key themes, developments, and characteristics of the Great Depression, allowing us to better understand this important work.

The Grapes of Wrath and Its Historical Context

John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, describes a dark time in American history with its story of the Joad family and their journey from Oklahoma to California. The historical context for The Grapes of Wrath is the Great Depression, which raged throughout the 1930s. The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in American history. Unemployment skyrocketed to more than 25%, with almost a third of American workers unemployed in 1933. Millions of Americans were left virtually penniless; their savings had been wiped out overnight. Unable to find work, many families were forced to relocate. Soup kitchens became a common sight as men stood in line for hours just to get food.

During the Great Depression it was not uncommon to see unemployed men lined up at soup kitchens.

Let's learn more about the Great Depression and the historical context in which The Grapes of Wrath was written.

Lesson Summary

Now when you study Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, you should have a solid understanding of the historical context. Let's review our key terms and concepts.

  • The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in American history. It lasted throughout the 1930s. During the Depression, more than a quarter of American workers found themselves unemployed.
  • Prior to the Great Depression, the 1920s had been a very prosperous decade. Because of this, it is commonly called the ''Roaring Twenties.''
  • The Stock Market Crash of 1929 is one of the events which marked the beginning of the Great Depression. On Black Tuesday, October 29, 1929, the market completely collapsed.
  • The Dust Bowl was a phenomenon in which severe dust storms plagued the Great Plains region during the mid-1930s, specifically Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Colorado and Nebraska. These storms destroyed homes and killed livestock, causing many people to move away.
  • During the Dust Bowl many people chose to move to California, which was typically presented as an area that could offer new opportunities. Many families packed up their automobiles with their belongings and moved west.

In this lesson we will learn about the historical context of the famous John Steinbeck novel, The Grapes of Wrath. Specifically, we will look at the Dust Bowl -- what it was, how it started, and the ways in which it impacted American families.

What Was the Dust Bowl?

Imagine that you are unable to start your car because it's clogged with dust. Imagine sitting down to eat dinner and tasting dust in your food. Imagine having the sun blotted out for days by giant black clouds of dust overhead. This might sound like something from a science fiction movie, but it was reality for many families living in the American Midwest during the 1930s. During the second half of the 1930s, severe dust storms plagued the Midwest, killing off crops and livestock, burying homes, and wreaking havoc on the agriculture industry. This phenomenon is called the Dust Bowl.

The Dust Bowl whipped up severe dust storms that wreaked havoc on farms throughout the Great Plains region.

It's important to note the context in which the term is commonly used. In addition to describing a natural phenomenon, the term is also used to describe both a geographical location (centered in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, and other states) and a time-frame. For example, when people talk about the Progressive Era, they are referring to the early 1900s. Sometimes the Dust Bowl is actually used as a time-frame to refer to the second half of the 1930s. This period has also been called the '' Dirty Thirties. '' It is important to be aware of the different contexts in which the term Dust Bowl is used.

The Dust Bowl is the historical context for the classic John Steinbeck novel, The Grapes of Wrath. The book was published in 1939. It describes the suffering of an American family seeking to escape the Dust Bowl and the hardships of the Great Depression. In order to understand the book, we need to have a thorough grasp of its historical setting. Let's learn more about the Dust Bowl.

What Caused the Dust Bowl?

The Dust Bowl took place in three waves, more or less; it was particularly severe in 1934, 1936, and 1939-1940. But what caused it? There were many factors, but most experts agree that it probably could have been avoided by proper farming techniques. Severe drought played a major role, but in addition to that, in the years leading up to the Dust Bowl farmers of the Midwest abused the land. They turned over vast tracks of grassland into cropland, destroying trees and other plants that allowed the soil to be anchored to the earth. New farming methods, especially deep-mechanized plowing, turned over earth rapidly and left it exposed. When drought and winds came, the soil literally blew away, causing what we call the Dust Bowl.

Life During the Dust Bowl

What was it like to live through the Dust Bowl? More terrifying than you might think. The black dust was so fine that it literally blew through cracks into houses. Families would wake up in the morning covered in dust. It got into their food. People developed a lung condition called dust pneumonia from dust inhalation. Children were especially susceptible, and in some cases, this condition could be deadly. Dust killed off livestock and made farming impossible. With farms failing and families unable to pay their mortgage, banks commonly repossessed the land. Automobiles had difficulty running due to the amount of dust that blew into their parts -- and sometimes they were completely buried under it. A number of photographs exist showing automobiles covered in several feet of dust.

This Dust Bowl photographs shows an automobile halfway buried in dust.

In addition to being the setting for The Grapes of Wrath, the Dust Bowl is also where American photographer Dorothea Lange took several famous photographs. Lange's most well-known photograph, Migrant Mother, depicts a destitute woman and her two children suffering as a result of the Dust Bowl. Some of Lange's other work shows the hardships people endured during the Great Depression.

This well-known photograph taken by Dorothea Lange captures a migrant mother and her two children.

The Great Westward Exodus

The Dust Bowl prompted a massive exodus out of the Great Plains region. Many families packed up whatever belongings they could fit into their automobiles (often a Model A car or truck) and headed westward along Route 66 to California, where it was commonly believed that opportunities abounded. For many families fleeing the Dust Bowl, California was a sort of ''promised land'': a place where employment could be found, and where families could get a new start.

Of course, it did not always work out this way for everyone. Getting to California was difficult in and of itself. Weighed down with mattresses and other belongings, it was not uncommon for automobiles to break down, leaving families stranded in the desert. For some families, California was not everything they had hoped: Wages were not as high as they expected, and the hardships of the Great Depression could still be found, even in the promised land of California.

By the early 1940s the Dust Bowl had subsided. Government efforts to plant trees and teach better agricultural practices helped tame the dust. However, it would take years for the earth to fully recover. For many families, life would never be the same.

Lesson Summary

Let's review our key terms and concepts.

  • The Dust Bowl was a series of severe dust storms that plagued the Midwest throughout the second half of the 1930s, killing off crops and livestock, burying homes, and wreaking havoc on the agriculture industry.
  • The Dust Bowl, also called the '' Dirty Thirties,'' was the setting for John Steinbeck 's The Grapes of Wrath.
  • During the Dust Bowl people developed a lung condition called dust pneumonia from dust inhalation. Children were especially susceptible to it, and in some cases the condition could be deadly.
  • Dorothea Lange was a famous American photographer known for capturing images of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.
  • The Dust Bowl prompted a mass exodus away from the Great Plains. Many families packed up their belongings and moved westward to California, where they hoped to find better opportunities.

· In this lesson we learn how historical accuracy comes into play in 'The Grapes of Wrath' and how the intercalary chapters provide a larger context for the non intercalary chapters.

· Historical Accuracy in The Grapes of Wrath

· When considering the historical accuracy of The Grapes of Wrath, keep in mind that Steinbeck wrote a novel based on tenant farmers, the Dust Bowl, and the Great Depression--not a documentary work on these subjects. The Great Depression was a time of major economic crisis in the United States that lasted for a decade (1929-39). During this period, the Dust Bowl, a severe drought, plagued several mid and southwestern states. A novel, by its very nature, is an extended fictive work, and The Grapes of Wrath is not categorized as a historical novel but simply a novel. That said, it would be remiss to merely consider The Grapes of Wrath as a work of fiction with occasional references to the historical times in which it was written. Having seen tenant farmers' suffering firsthand, Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath with the intention of giving voice to thousands of real people who were homeless, hungry, and repeatedly taken advantage of by landowners and banks. Hence, the story of the Joads.

· The Joads

· Because the Joads are fictional characters who represent nameless thousands, the Grapes of Wrath is not a historical novel. Let's put this in perspective. Think of other historical novels of which you might have heard, for instance, The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. This is a historical novel because it's based on the actual historical figures of Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII, among others. Now that we grasp the difference between a historical novel and a novel based on historical events, it helps us understand that Steinbeck was well within his rights as a novelist to take creative license with The Grapes of Wrath. Given what we know about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, we can surmise that Steinbeck was dedicated to presenting a realistic and accurate depiction of what these two subjects meant for people like the Joads.

· The Dust Bowl Landscape

Dust Bowl Storm

· While the Joad chapters could form a novel on their own, the intercalary chapters, chapters that break away from the main narrative arc, could not. So we must ask ourselves, why do they matter? A reasoned answer tells us that Steinbeck uses intercalary chapters in The Grapes of Wrath to provide a larger context to the Joad narrative. Without these chapters we would not have so thorough a picture of tenant farmers, land owners, banks, and the economy during the Great Depression, all of which affect the Joads. Consider the following excerpt from Chapter 1: '' A gentle wind followed the rain clouds, driving them on northward, a wind that softly clashed the drying corn. A day went by and the wind increased, steady, unbroken by gusts. The dust from the roads fluffed up and spread out and fell on the weeds beside the fields, and fell into the fields a little way.'' As we can see, this quote draws an accurate depiction of a dust storm and its aftermath.

· Let's compare this quote with one from a Joad chapter, Chapter 8: ''And the sun flashed on the windows of the house. The weathered boards were bright. Two red chickens on the ground flamed with reflected light. ''Don't yell,'' said Tom. ''Let's creep up on 'em, like,'' and he walked so fast that the dust rose as high as his waist. And then he came to the edge of the cotton field. Now they were in the yard proper, earth beaten hard, shiny hard, and a few dusty crawling weeds on the ground. And Joad slowed as though he feared to go on.''

· If we pay close attention to the details of the land and the dust, we can see how the intercalary chapter, the more historical chapter, informs the Joad chapter. Because Steinbeck painstakingly describes dust storms in the intercalary chapters, we don't question why the sun-beaten landscape and the dust is so prevalent as Tom enters the Joad farm in the above quote. The historical accuracy regarding the dust storms and drought in the intercalary chapters helps readers understand the descriptions of the land in the Joad chapters.

· The Great Depression

Just a few of the many affected by the Great Depression

· The Great Depression affected millions of people, not just those in the Dust Bowl. Remember, the Dust Bowl lasted from 1934 to 1937 and mainly affected Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and parts of New Mexico and Colorado. The Great Depression affected every state in the U.S. and lasted from 1929 to 1939. Even though Steinbeck writes about the rise and fall of banks, changing economic practices, and the ways in which the Great Depression hurt the working class the most, his primary focus is on the tenant farmers migrating to California. While the novel doesn't go into great detail about the Great Depression, Steinbeck did strive to present an accurate representation of the struggling tenant farmers.

· Lesson Summary

· In this lesson we get a refresher on the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, intercalary chapters, and the meaning of the novel. We learn what qualifies a novel as historical and why The Grapes of Wrath isn't included in this category. We also learn how Steinbeck accurately depicts the landscape of the Dust Bowl in the intercalary chapters, which provides some context for the Joad chapters. Finally, we learn that while Steinbeck set The Grapes of Wrath during the time of the Great Depression, he was most focused on how it affected the tenant farmers in the Dust Bowl.

 

 

In this lesson, we examine John Steinbeck's use of animals and insects as symbols in ''The Grapes of Wrath''; a story about the Joad family facing obstacles as they move from Oklahoma to California.

Definition

Think about some of our nation's symbols. We have a flag, a song, and even a national bird. Symbols are things that represent bigger ideas. The American flag is more than just a piece of cloth; it symbolizes freedom, loyalty, and unity. The Grapes of Wrath contains many animal and insect symbols. Let's examine some animal symbolism from the novel.

The Bee and the Grasshopper

After getting out of prison, Tom Joad manages to get a ride from a trucker to his parents' home. When a bee flies into the cab of the truck, ''the driver put out his hand and carefully drove the bee into an air stream that blew it out of the window.'' The bee symbolizes the times we find ourselves in trouble and someone gives us a hand to lead the way out.

When a grasshopper flies into the cab, Tom has a different response. The narrator says, ''Joad reached forward and crushed its hard skull-like head with his fingers, and he let it into the wind stream out the window.'' The grasshopper symbolizes being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong person. Some people (the trucker) will offer you a hand, while other people (Tom) will crush you.

The Cat

When Tom gets home, he finds his family farm empty except for the cat. As he approaches the cat, it refuses to come near him. It is apparent that the cat has been fending for itself for quite some time. At Tom tries to put the pieces together, he says, ''No, it's more'n jus' this place. Whyn't that cat jus' move in with some neighbors-- with the Rances.''

Tom realizes that something big has happened because there aren't any neighbors. Everyone is gone. After a former neighbor arrives to explain that Tom's family has lost their property, the neighbor offers to share a couple of rabbits he caught for dinner. The narrator explains, ''The gray cat came out of the barn shed and trotted miaowing toward the fire, but, nearly there, it turned and went directly to one of the little piles of rabbit entrails on the ground.''

The Joad family cat symbolizes the their displacement. It lived happily as the family pet until the bank drove them off of the property. Now, it scavenges for its food and doesn't trust anyone. Just like the Joads, it goes to desperate measures to survive.

Joad Family Dog

When Tom catches up with his family, they are days away from loading the truck and driving to California. There is only enough room to take one of the dogs on top of the truck, so the other two are given to their former neighbor. After stopping to get gas, the Joads pull the dog off the roof so he can drink from a muddy puddle of water. He tried to cross the road when, ''A big swift car whisked near, tires squealed. The dog dodged helplessly, and with a shriek, cut off in the middle, went under the wheels. The big car slowed for a moment and faces looked back, and then it gathered greater speed and disappeared. And the dog, a blot of blood and tangled, burst intestines, kicked slowly in the road.''

After the gruesome death, Tom drags the dog's body to the side of the road. Pa said, ''I don' know how we was gonna feed 'im anyways. Just as well, maybe.'' The poor dog is the first of many casualties along the way. On the farm, walking in the road isn't that dangerous, but on the highway, it's deadly. The Joad family dog symbolizes the unknown hazards the Joads will face.

The Pigs

While Pa usually favored saving pigs until Christmas, moving to California changed the way things are usually done. They slaughtered their pigs and salted them to provide meat for the long trip. Ruthie, the 12 year old, excitedly whispers, ''Killin' pigs and goin' to California. Killin' pigs and goin'--all the same time.'' Winfield, the 10 year old, stuck his finger to his throat and pretended to be a bloody, slaughtered pig.

Pa, Noah, and Tom went to the pig sty to make their kill. Once again, the narrator describes it with excruciating detail: ''They slaughtered quickly and efficiently. Tom struck twice with the blunt head of the ax; and Noah, leaning over the felled pigs, found the great artery with his curving knife and released the pulsing streams of blood.''

While the Joads are the good guys in this novel, the blood thirst of even their youngest goes beyond merely providing sustenance to the family. The slaughter is a horrifyingly exciting family activity. The pig slaughter symbolizes how easily those in power can lose their humanity.

Lesson Summary

Symbols are things that represent bigger ideas. In The Grapes of Wrath, insects fly into the cab of the truck giving Tom a ride from prison to his family farm. The driver scoops a bee to safety while Tom crushes a grasshopper. These insects symbolize that sometimes people help us and sometimes they hurt us.

The Joad family cat is left behind when the Joads are driven off the farm. It symbolizes how even the tame become wild and untrusting under dire circumstances. The tragic death of the Joad family dog on the highway symbolizes the dangers lurking in unknown situations. The children's excitement for the vicious slaughter of the pigs symbolizes the powerful's tendency to oppress the weak.

 

John Steinbeck used a great deal of religious imagery in ''The Grapes of Wrath'', often in the form of references to Biblical figures and stories. This lesson discusses and analyzes some critical examples of this type of imagery.

Backdrop

The Joads and the other migrant families suffer greatly throughout The Grapes of Wrath. To underscore the often tragic nature of their struggles, Steinbeck often uses Biblical imagery, or descriptions that are intended to bring to mind people or events from the Bible.

Packing the Truck

As you read The Grapes of Wrath, you'll come across several descriptions of the Joads' truck. Since they, like other migrant families, can only take as much as they can carry with them, they have to get pretty creative in their packing and traveling. In Chapter 10, we read the following description of the packing process:

'Out in the dark yard, working in the lantern light, Pa and Al loaded the truck. Tools on the bottom, but handy to reach in case of a breakdown. Boxes of clothes next, and kitchen utensils in a gunny sack; cutlery and dishes in their box. Then the gallon bucket tied on behind. They made the bottom of the load as even as possible and filled the spaces between boxes with rolled blankets. Then over the top they laid the mattresses, filling the truck in level.'

On top of the mattresses, several of the family would ride along, sitting on the level mattresses.

Similarities to Noah's Ark

Descriptions like this can bring to mind Noah's Ark. Just like Noah had to gather all the animals who would be able to survive the flood, the Joads have to gather together everything they own that they want to survive the current upheaval in their world. While it is difficult to imagine this kind of traveling, in our modern world of seatbelt laws and car seats, the migrant families were essentially in the same position as Noah and his family: watching the destruction of their world and finding a way to travel to the next one.

Jim Casy as Jesus Christ

Traveling with the Joads on their make-shift Noah's Ark was another figure who brings to mind the Bible: Jim Casy, the stand-in for Jesus Christ in The Grapes of Wrath.

Jim's Sacrifices

As you have probably noticed in your reading, many times if a character has the initials J.C., it is not by coincidence. A good rule of thumb is that if you come across a character with these initials, you should probably begin looking for imagery to Christ. Jim Casy does not let us down on this front. As he travels with the Joads he has several opportunities to sacrifice himself for those close to him. His first major sacrifice is when he takes the blame for something Tom has done, and ends up in jail. His second and more significant sacrifice is when he leads some workers in striking for fair pay, and ends up being murdered by the men sent to break up the strike.

Jim's Words

Just in case these moments of self-sacrifice are not enough to convince you that you are dealing with a Christ figure, Jim also utters some familiar words just before he is murdered. Tom tells Ma in Chapter 26, 'Casy said 'You don' know what you're a-doin'.' Ma is startled to hear these words because they bring to mind what Jesus is reported to have said at his Crucifixion when He asks for forgiveness for his killers because 'they know not what they do.'

The Promised Land

Perhaps the most significant nod to the Bible is the promise of California, which signifies the promised land in the novel. The migrant families pin their hopes on California as a place where they will be able to get jobs and live in relative comfort. Throughout their difficult journey to California, the Joads frequently dream about what life will be like when they arrive in this place where food is plentiful. This theme is meant to bring to mind the land of Canaan, which is promised to the Israelites who are fleeing Egypt in the book of Exodus. The Joads and their fellow migrants, however, reach their promised land but are unable to partake of any of its bounty. In essence, they work the land and can admire its beauty, but they are not able to benefit from it.

Rose of Sharon's Baby

Near the end of The Grapes of Wrath, Rose of Sharon finally gives birth, but the baby is stillborn. Uncle John is given the task of burying the baby. However, in the end, he decides to put the baby in an apple box and send the body down the river and into the town, hoping that the baby will cause the townspeople to wake up to the reality that the migrant families have been living with. The image of a baby being sent down a river brings to mind Moses from the Old Testament, who was placed in a basket of reeds by a river in the hope of saving his life. Back then, the Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew children to be killed in an effort to keep the numbers of Israelites down. The sad conclusion to the story of Rose of Sharon's baby turns the Moses story on its head. The people of California fear the migrant families just as the Pharaoh feared the Israelites, but in the case of Rose of Sharon's baby, this fear indirectly brought about the baby's death because of the way Rose of Sharon was forced to live.

Lesson Summary

The Grapes of Wrath includes several instances of Biblical imagery, including Jim Casy as an allusion to Jesus Christ, Rose of Sharon's baby as an allusion to Moses, California as a 'promised land' like Canaan, and the Joads' truck as a more modern version of Noah's Ark. Generally speaking, the events in The Grapes of Wrath don't turn out as well as their Biblical counterparts, which reinforces the undercurrent of tragedy throughout the book.

 

In 'The Grapes of Wrath', Steinbeck uses war imagery to illustrate the difficult lives of the migrants as well as the conflict between the different classes during the Great Depression. This lesson looks at some examples of this imagery in context.

The Context of The Grapes of Wrath

Imagine if you and your family were suddenly told you had to leave the home where you'd lived for years. You would have to pack up what you could and hope to find a new life in an area you knew nothing about. Would this experience feel like evidence of economic adjustments to you? Or would you feel similar to a victim of war?

Although the Great Depression was not a war, this is surely what it must have felt like to its greatest victims. John Steinbeck uses war imagery to make this point throughout his work. Imagery is when writers use descriptive language to paint a picture that evokes certain emotions in their readers.

Tractors as Tanks

The Grapes of Wrath begins with descriptions of families being driven away from their homes and off their lands. The sharecroppers are no longer relevant in the new economy, which depends on machines working the lands more efficiently and for less cost. Although the families are not expelled with the kind of violence that is associated with war, Steinbeck makes the case that the effect of the expulsion is not much different.

In Chapter 14, he cleverly compares the tractors to tanks in order to make this point: 'But this tractor does two things - it turns the land and it turns us off the land. There is little difference between this tractor and a tank. The people are driven, intimidated, hurt by both.'

While most of us look at tractors as benign machines that do not pose a threat to people, it is likely that the families who lost their homes looked at them somewhat differently; they were forced to leave their homes by these machines, just as they might have been driven away by tanks.

 

Steinbeck compares tractor to tanks

 

The Positive Side of War

In Chapter 14, Steinbeck highlights the silver lining of difficult times in human history. He makes the case that mankind is constantly moving forward, but has occasional setbacks. These setbacks are merely a 'half a step' backwards, and will not hold humanity back for long before people take another step forward toward progress.

Steinbeck argues that mankind goes into battle because of the passions on both sides, and that the time to worry is when people no longer care enough to fight. He writes, 'If the step were not being taken, if the stumbling-forward ache were not alive, the bombs would not fall, the throats would not be cut. Fear the time when the bombs stop falling while the bombers live - for every bomb is proof that the spirit has not died.'

Migrants vs. Townspeople

Throughout The Grapes of Wrath, tension builds between the migrant families and the townspeople, who are coping with this new population living among them. Although your empathy probably tends to be with the migrants, it is still easy to understand why the townspeople are worried--they are suddenly surrounded by thousands of hungry, desperate people who must find a way to feed their children.

Chapter 29 looks at what happens when the migrants finally hit the peak of desperation: the rains have come, and they are out of work, homeless, and starving. The men go to the towns frequently to look for food and doctors, but find little help. They finally start stealing food, because their families need to eat to survive.

One of the scenes in this chapter reads as though it takes place in a war zone: 'At night, frantic men walked boldly to hen roosts and carried off the squawking chickens. If they were shot at, they did not run, but splashed sullenly away; and if they were hit, they sank tiredly in the mud.'

Battle Scene

This vignette of desperate men getting shot and dying in the mud reads much more like a scene in a battle than something that would occur in an economic downturn. This is powerful imagery, because many people think of times like the Great Depression as entailing poverty and suffering but might not be able to envision where extreme poverty may lead. Scenes like this make it clear that poverty brings about human suffering that is not so different from what war leads to.

Lesson Summary

Steinbeck's war imagery drives home the point that the poverty and suffering that the migrant families experience in The Grapes of Wrath is in many ways as traumatic as what is experienced in times of war. The migrants are driven from their homes, as though by a tank, and sometimes die in circumstances that are comparable to a wartime death in a foreign land. These scenes bring to life the unpleasant realities of the Great Depression.

 

 

If you area reading ''The Grapes of Wrath'', you might feel confused by all the different characters. Specifically, the Joad family tree can seem complicated. In this lesson we will take a look at who is in the Joad family and what their relationships are to each other.

Big Families

If you come from a large family, or know someone who does, you may find it hard to keep track of them all! It might be even harder to keep track of them if they only exist in a book, like the characters in The Grapes of Wrath. The story follows the Joad family as they make 1500 mile trek from Oklahoma to California.

Along the way we get to know the family members and what they mean to each other. Understanding the Joad family tree can help bring their relationships into focus.

Ma and Pa Joad

When Tom is released from prison, he travels back to his home to be with his family. Tom's parents are simply known as Ma Joad and Pa Joad. Ma and Pa Joad are the parents of Rose of Sharon, Tom, Noah, Ruthie, Winfield and Al.

Ma Joad is a strong woman who works hard and takes care of the family. Pa Joad is Tom's father who was once the leader of their little clan. As they get closer to California and away from the life that Pa knows, he starts to take a back seat to Ma Joad's decision making.

Tom Joad

Tom is that main character of the story. He is the son of Ma and Pa Joad who returns to their home after being released from prison. He interacts well with all the members of his family, especially his younger brother. He is blunt but respectful with his family. He also works hard to help them all make their journey to California.

Rose of Sharon

Rose of Sharon is the pregnant sister of Tom Joad. She is completely caught up in her future child's life and does not get very involved with the drama involving the rest of the family. Even when Grampa Joad dies, Rose of Sharon is more concerned about how it might it affect her pregnancy rather than the family's sadness.

The narrator describes Connie and Rose of Sharon's interactions with the family by saying, ''The world had drawn close around them, and they were in the center of it.'

Grampa and Granma Joad

Grampa and Granma Joad are Pa Joad's parents and the grandparents of Noah, Rose of Sharon, Tom, Ruthie, Winfield and Al.

  • Grampa Joad is pretty rude and aggressive with his family. He loves them, but he also likes to swear and uses the Lord's name in vain as much as possible despite having a very religious wife (Granma Joad).
  • Granma Joad's first words in the book are '''Pu-raise Gawd fur vittory'' while Grampa Joad's first words are ''Where is he? Goddamn it, Where is he?'' Clearly, neither are concerned about offending the other.

The narrator tells us that ''They fought over everything, and loved and needed the fighting.''

Al Joad

Al Joad is the child of Ma and Pa Joad and brother to Tom, Ruthie, Winfield and Rose of Sharon. Al contributes to his family by helping with the car and driving it most of the way to California. He looks up to his older brother Tom and when they see each other for the first time in years, Al subconsciously emulates him.

Noah Joad

Noah is Ma and Pa Joad's son, and therefore Tom's brother. He is older than Tom and was born at home. Pa Joad treats Noah a little kinder than he does the other children because he feels guilty about the circumstances of his birth. Pa Joad pulled Noah out of his mother and his head was deformed in the process.

Noah is a quiet character who mostly interacts with his family by making suggestions. After they arrive in California, Noah leaves his family and decides to live next to a river. He explains that while his family is kind to him, they don't ''really care'' for him.

Uncle John

Uncle John is Pa Joad's brother. He was once married, but his wife developed a stomach ache that John thought was nothing. Turns out, she had appendicitis and died from it. Since then, John behaves very kindly, especially with his family.

The narrator tells us ''He's all the time makin' it up to somebody--givin' kids stuff, droppin' a sack a meal on somebody's porch.' In other words, he interacts generously with the family as a way to make up for his guilt about his wife's death.

Ruthie and Winfield

Ruthie is Ma and Pa Joad's 12-year old daughter, and Winfield is their 10-year old Son. They are almost always together, and the phrase ''Ruthie and Winfield'' is repeated over 40 times in the book.

Ruthie and Winfield interact with their family as we would expect children to. They are not privy to all the information and secrets that the adults know, but they are aware when important things (like Granma's death) happen.

The Joad family tree covers three generations.

Lesson Summary

In The Grapes of Wrath the Joad family is central to the story line.

Granma and Grampa Joad are the grandparents of the Joad family.
Ma and Pa Joad are the parents of the Joad family.

From oldest to youngest: Noah, Tom, Rose of Sharon, Al, Ruthie, and Winfield are the children of the Joad family.
Uncle John is Pa Joad's brother.

 

 

''The Grapes of Wrath'' tells the story of migrant workers during the Great Depression. In this tale, we see the roles of protagonist and antagonist filled by central characters and institutions. In this lesson, you'll learn more about each role.

The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck's exploration of migrant workers struggling to chase the American Dream is played out in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath. The tale follows the Joad family as they face the harsh realities of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, and set out for California to make a better life. What they find in California is not exactly what they were hoping for.

As in most novels, several characters play important roles in helping readers understand the action. Two of the most important roles are protagonist and antagonist. The protagonist is the leading character and is often the hero or heroine; often this character is the leader of a cause that readers can support and identify with. On the other side of the aisle is the antagonist. The antagonist is who the reader likely perceives as the bad guy or the adversary of the hero: this is the person or entity that is opposed to, or struggles with, the protagonist of the book.

In the case of The Grapes of Wrath, there is an identifiable character that fits each role. Let's take a look at who fills the positions of protagonist and antagonist in Steinbeck's work.

The Protagonist

When we look for a protagonist in The Grapes of Wrath, we need look no further than Tom Joad. Joad is the main character of the novel and also the first character we're introduced to as the story unfolds. As the protagonist, Joad is the hero of this story.

Joad is the favorite son of Ma and Pa Joad and is characterized by his many layers of personality. On one hand, he is kind, good-natured, works hard for his family, and is a go-getter. On the other hand, he is hot-tempered and violent, having killed a man in a drunken fight and attacked a policeman in another incident.

As the novel progresses, Joad's perspective shifts from protecting and guiding his family in the here and now, to wanting to protect and guide the migrant workers in America now and into the future. At one point, he tells his mother he wants to help organize people and fight inequality. This process is termed an 'education of the heart', as he learns more about the situation he finds his family and others in, and works to change it.

Joad is viewed as a wise and morally just individual throughout the novel, despite some of his illegal activities. Joad's personal development throughout the novel helps him to shift his perspective from only his family to a new family that encompasses those he sees suffering around him. By the time the book ends, Joad has earned the respect of the workers and the continued respect of his family.

The Antagonist

The idea of an antagonist in The Grapes of Wrath is an interesting one because, depending on your outlook, it could be one of two forces - a physical one or a thematic one.

First, a potential antagonist in physical form is the banks, whose actions help to kick off the initial journey of the book. When the landowners are unable to afford their home and land payments, the banks repossess the property and evict the farmers, a move that precipitates the Joad family's move out west. Indeed, the banks are referred to as a 'monster' in the text of Steinbeck's book. No one individual is singled out as responsible, rather banks as a group are considered bad. They are the adversary to the farmers from the outset of the story. If the banks had not come down on the families, there would be no move to California nor any of the actions that followed.

Of course, rational thought would tell you that the banks are simply the institutional 'face' of the real antagonist, which is poverty. The conditions that prompted the banks to repossess the farmers' land were brought about by the Great Depression and the drought that led to the Dust Bowl. Both events presented economic and agricultural conditions beyond the control of either the individuals or the institutions (such as the banks) in the story. Many would argue that poverty is the true antagonist of the book.

Because of poverty, the individuals in the story are placed in dire circumstances, which lead to poor working and living conditions, starvation, and sometimes death. Without poverty, the banks would not act in the way they do, and the move to California would never happen.

Lesson Summary

The Grapes of Wrath presents several alternatives for the antagonist, but a single choice for the protagonist in the novel. Tom Joad is the novel's protagonist, fighting for his family and, ultimately, for the workers. He is a good man and seeks equality and justice as he transforms throughout the pages of the book. The notion of an antagonist in the novel is a little less straight-forward. One possible adversary could be the banks or, looking more deeply, poverty itself, which is the ultimate root of the problems in the story.

 

 

Faced with terrible conditions at home and persecuted in California, migrant workers had it tough. But in ~'The Grapes of Wrath~', their cause inspired Tom Joad, migrant worker and ex-con, to dedicate his life to making theirs better.

Purpose in Life

Have you ever found a cause that is so important to you that you would risk your life and freedom for it? Tom Joad, the protagonist of the novel The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, finds such a cause, and it changes his whole life.

Joad and his family had to migrate away from the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma

Tom Joad's Early Goals

At the beginning, Tom Joad is a kind man, but he gets angry quickly and is very selfish.

When we first meet Tom, he has just been released from prison after serving four years for manslaughter. He was imprisoned for killing a man with a shovel during a fight. Now, Tom has made an important decision about the way he lives his life. He will not worry too much about the future or regret the past. Tom's going to live in the present.

As you'll see, he cannot hold on to this early goal long.

Much of Tom's eventual turn to selflessness is learned from preacher Jim Casy. Casy is the first familiar face Tom meets when he's released from prison, even before he makes it back to his family. Casy tells Tom that he's no longer preaching, but he still has a lot to say about how people must work together to achieve greater good.

When Tom gets home, his family is overjoyed to see him, and Casy's words about universal good fade from his mind, overshadowed by the immediate dire situation his family is in.

Ending with a Mission

When the family finally reaches the Weedpatch camp, which is a nice place free of corruption, Tom learns about the Farmer's Association, and eventually finds a job to help his family. He also manages to stop a riot-in-progress at the camp, though the unrest isn't completely gone.

The family eventually leaves Weedpatch in search of steadier work, and Tom finds Jim Casy. Casy tells Tom that he is now working to unionize the migrant workers. In fact, he's started the strike happening now.

But Casy and Tom don't get to have a long conversation, as police arrive and call Casy a communist. Casy protests and a police officer kills him with a pick-ax. Tom, enraged, kills the officer who killed Casy and then, realizing what he has done, runs away.

When the time comes for Tom to leave the family, he does it for their benefit and not his own. He knows that he is now wanted for killing the police officer, and he promises that he'll leave so he doesn't endanger his family. But before he says his goodbyes, he vows to continue working for the benefit of the migrant workers.

Overall Transformation

Faced with the realities of the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and his family's suffering, Tom is unable to hold to his initial selfishness. Instead, he devotes himself to changing the future for others affected by the Depression and the horrible conditions on farms and in camps.

He explains his mission, ''Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there.''

In this way, we see that Tom has completed his change. From only caring for himself, he transitioned to caring for his own family, and finally to caring for all migrant workers and being willing to do anything to help them.

Many migrants traveled to California with everything they owned

Lesson Summary

Tom Joad has found something to believe in. Though he starts the novel as a somewhat selfish former convict, his family's hardship turns him into an altruistic hero. Tom is introduced to the idea of selflessness from the former preacher Jim Casy.

Then, the conditions of the migrant workers, including his own family, shock Tom into the realization that he needs to act.

When he sees Casy killed by a police officer, Tom kills that officer. He leaves the family for their benefit, but leaves believing that together, people can be stronger than the powers that control them.

 

The Grapes of Wrath' is the story of the Joad family and their struggles as they try to find work during the Great Depression. This lesson focuses on Ma Joad and her strength and example.

Patriarchy

During the 1930s, it was more usual for a family to have been run completely by the father or males of the family. The women would run the home, while the men were the breadwinners and reason for direction. Especially, since women were not known to work as much as the men, and this is emphasized by the Great Depression which had made jobs even more scarce.

In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck takes this standard role of women and shines a light on the strength that mothers have in not only holding their families together but keeping them moving forward. Since the Joad family is unemployed and without a farm all there is left is family, so Ma Joad ends up slowly taking control, until by the end of the novel, she behaves like the head of the family.

Woman of Steel

At the beginning of the story, we hear how the Joad's were pushed off their farm due to the inability to pay the bank what they owed. This meant all the men folk were without work, which had to be a huge struggle since that was the role they were used to. This also meant that everyone was now under the roof with Ma Joad and the other females: Grandma Joad, Rose of Sharon, and Ruthie. Ma Joad shows that she is strength personified as she manages to keep the family of 11 plus Connie together.

Although there would normally be direction from the men, Ma Joad evolves from being the backbone of the home, to being the foundation for the family in all things. She grows to have more control than her husband or her sons. The trip to California shapes her into an even stronger woman, where she is willing to stand up to police in hopes of protecting her family. She also displays great calm and composure when she realizes that Grandma Joad had died while they were on the road. Ma Joad noticed, but she said nothing. Instead, she went on pretending that Grandma was just sleeping and needed her rest so that the kids did not have to handle another person passing along the way.

The strength becomes necessary when Pa Joad starts to struggle in his role of leading the family. Ma does not become petulant in her new role. Instead, she becomes the leader the rest of the family needs. By the end of the novel, she is issuing and barking orders for the family to get out of the flood and get to safety. Although Pa Joad argues briefly, he capitulates quickly and follows her lead.

Love

Ma Joad is also an example of love and compassion. She loves her family immensely but also shows generosity and kindness to others. During their challenging journey to find work and a place to live in California, she constantly helps others on the road. She never asks Pa Joad for permission, just helps others, and lets him know later.

The narrator explains how Ma Joad realized that she had to be the example of calmness, love, and strength because she knew her family looked to her for these things. So even in light of Rose of Sharon's stillborn baby, Ma Joad just assures her daughter she can have another and she will be ok. She puts very little emphasis on it so that Rose of Sharon will take her lead and just move on, as they have all had to do time and again.

Lesson Summary



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