Ruthie and Winfield as Periphery Characters

A periphery character is exactly what is sounds like - a character who is on the periphery, on the side, and never the center of a story's focus. Think about how often we watch movies or television shows that focus on a character or select few characters, such as a protagonist and antagonist. Now think about how these films incorporate periphery characters in the storyline. For instance, we often see a protagonist's funny but not-all-that-interesting co-worker. Another example is an antagonist's side-kick, who mostly just exists to do the bidding of the antagonist, and as such, we rarely or see them functioning outside of the main character's storyline. However, each periphery character typically functions to add another layer to a narrative or story.

When it comes to Steinbeck's creation of Ruthie and Winfield Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, it's helpful to think of them as we might think of periphery characters in a film. So, if periphery characters aren't that important, why write them in at all? In this lesson, we'll look at some reasons that Ruthie and Winfield work in The Grapes of Wrath.

Historical Accuracy

Given that Ruthie and Winfield aren't especially exciting characters, and considering that there are other, more complex periphery characters to support the protagonist in the novel, why did Steinbeck bother to write them at all? A good way to start answering this question is to step back and remember that Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath based on the historical era of The Great Depression. As we know, children often suffered the worst during this period as they, like the elderly, are most susceptible to illness and the effects of malnutrition. Had Steinbeck not included children in The Grapes of Wrath, he would have sacrificed historical accuracy.

One such example of how children suffered during the Great Depression is exemplified in the following quote from Chapter 26:

''The door burst open and banged against a wall. Ruthie rushed in. 'Ma!' she cried. 'Ma. Winfiel' got a fit!' 'Where? Tell me!' Ruthie panted, 'Got white an' fell down. Et so many peaches he skittered hisself all day. Jus fell down. White!'... Ma felt his head. 'He ain't fevered. But he's white and draws out.' Tom came near and held the lantern down. 'I know,' he said. 'He's hungered. Got no strength.' '' Although all of the Joads suffer hunger throughout the novel, Winfield's body is depicted, more than once, as struggling against the symptoms of malnutrition.

A few of the Oklahoma Migrant Children who Steinbeck represents through the characters of Ruthie and Winfield

Curiosity and Adventure

Ruthie, who is twelve years old, and Winfield, who is ten years old, are the youngest children of Ma Joad. Ruthie and Winfield have very little agency in the novel. That is, even though all the Joads are effected by the drought, homelessness, and hunger, they younger Joads have less recourse to fight it, as they are dependent on others for their care. We also know that these two children, despite the dire circumstances they find themselves in, often maintain their child's curiosity for the world and seek out adventure wherever the family ends up. For instance, Steinbeck often depicts Ruthie and Winfield as playing or exploring a camp or a place where the family has stopped during their travels. This shows the strong spirit of children. Although Ruthie and Winfield understand the family has come upon difficult times, they do not fully grasp the severity of it. As such, their childish traits of seeking adventure, breaking the rules, and having curiosity for things they don't yet understand has not been quashed.

Even at the end of the novel after the family has faced hardship after hardship, Ruthie and Winfield lean into their sense of adventure. Consider the following quote from Chapter 30, where we find Ruthie and Winfield plotting to see Rose of Sharon's child be born after Ma tells them to go away: ''Ruthie and Winfield stood behind the brush pile and peered over. 'Gonna have a baby, an' we're a-gonna see,' Ruthie said softly. 'Don't you make noise now. Ma won't let us watch. If she looks this-a-way, you scrunch down behin' the brush. Then we'll see.' 'There ain't many kids seen it,' Winfield said. 'There ain't no kids seen it,' Ruthie insisted.'' Here we see Ruthie and Winfield excitedly disobeying Ma. Here, their curiosity to see something forbidden and their sense of adventure in being the first kids to see it takes priority over Ma's command. In a way, Ruthie and Winfield maintain hope throughout the novel, no matter their situation.

Lesson Summary

In this lesson, we learn that Ruthie and Winfield are pre-teen periphery characters in The Grapes of Wrath. While this means they are not a focus in the novel, Steinbeck created them to show how children also suffered during the Great Depression. This suffering is exemplified when we see Winfield succumb to symptoms of malnutrition. We also learn that, despite the hardships the Joad family experiences throughout the novel, Ruthie and Winfield never lose their child like curiosity and sense for adventure. This adds a sense of hope and magic to even the toughest scenarios.