The Grapes of Wrath is a novel by John Steinbeck that exposes the desperate conditions under which
the migratory farm families of America during the 1930's live under. The novel tells of one famil
ies migration west to California through the great economic depression of the 1930's. The Joad fami
ly had to abandon their home and their livelihoods. They had to uproot and set adrift because tract
ors were rapidly industrializing their farms. The bank took possession of their land because the ow
ners could not pay off their loan. The novel shows how the Joad family deals with moving to Califor
nia. How they survive the cruelty of the land owners that take advantage of them, their poverty and
willingness to work.
The Grapes of Wrath combines Steinbeck adoration of the land, his
simple hatred of corruption resulting from materialism (money) and his abiding faith in the common
people to overcome the hostile environment. The novel opens with a retaining picture of nature on r
ampage. The novel shows the men and women that are unbroken by nature. The theme is one of man ver
ses a hostile environment. His body destroyed but his spirit is not broken. The method used to dev
elop the theme of the novel is through the use of symbolism. There are several uses of symbols in th
e novel from the turtle at the beginning to the rain at the end. As each symbol is presented throu
gh the novel they show examples of the good and the bad things that exist within the novel.
The opening chapter paints a vivid picture of the situation facing the drought-stricken farmer
s of Oklahoma. Dust is described a covering everything, smothering the life out of anything that wan
ts to grow. The dust is symbolic of the erosion of the lives of the people. The dust is synonymous
with 'deadness'. The land is ruined ^way of life (farming) gone, people ^uprooted and forced to lea
ve. Secondly, the dust stands for ^profiteering banks in the background that squeeze the life out t
he land by forcing the people off the land. The soil, the people (farmers) have been drained of life
and are exploited:
The last rain fell on the red and gray country of Oklahoma in earl
y May. The weeds became a dark green to protect themselves from the sun's unyielding rays....The wi
nd grew stronger, uprooting the weakened corn, and the air became so filled with dust that the stars
were not visible at night. (Chp 1)
As the chapter continues a turtle, which appears a
nd reappears several times early in the novel, can be seen to stand for survival, a driving life for
ce in all of mankind that cannot be beaten by nature or man. The turtle represents a hope that the
trip to the west is survivable by the farmer migrants (Joad family). The turtle further represents
the migrants struggles against nature/man by overcoming every obstacle he encounters: the red ant in
his path, the truck driver who tries to run over him, being captured in Tom Joad's jacket: And now
a light truck approached, and as it came near, the driver saw the turtle and swerved to hit it. The
driver of the truck works for a large company, who try to stop the migrants from going west, when t
he driver attempts to hit the turtle it is another example of the big powerful guy trying to flatten
or kill the little guy. Everything the turtle encounters trys its best to stop the turtle from maki
ng its westerly journey. Steadily the turtle advances on, ironically to the southwest, the directio
n of the mirgration of people. The turtle is described as being lasting, ancient, old and wise: hor
ny head, yellowed toenails, indestructible high dome of a shell, humorous old eyes. (Chp 1) The dri
ver of the truck, red ant and Tom Joad's jacket are all symbolic of nature and man the try to stop t
he turtle from continuing his journey westward to the promise land. The turtle helps to develop the
theme by showing its struggle against life/ comparing it with the Joad struggle against man.
The grapes seem to symbolize both bitterness and copiousness. Grandpa the oldest member of
the Joad family talks of the grapes as symbols of plenty; all his descriptions of what he is going t
o do with the grapes in California suggest contentment, freedom, the goal for which the Joad family
strive for: I'm gonna let the juice run down ma face, bath in the dammed grapes (Chp 4) The grape
s that are talked about by Grandpa help to elaborate the theme by showing that no matter how nice ev
erything seems in California the truth is that their beauty is only skin deep, in their souls they a
re rotten. The rotten core verses the beautiful appearance.
The willow tree that is l
ocated on the Joad's farm represents the Joad family. The willow is described as being unmovable an
d never bending to the wind or dust. The Joad family does not want to move, they prefer to stay on
the land they grew up on, much the same as the willow does. The willow contributes to the theme by
showing the unwillingness of the people to be removed from their land by the banks. The latter repre
sents the force making them leave their homes. Both of these symbols help contribute to the theme by
showing a struggle between each other. The tree struggles against nature in much the same way that
the Joad family struggles against the Bank and large companies.
The rai
ns that comes at the end of the novel symbolize several things. Rain in which is excessive, in a cer
tain way fulfills a cycle of the dust which is also excessive. In a way nature has restored a balan
ce and has initiated a new growth cycle. This ties in with other examples of the rebirth idea in th
e ending, much in the way the Joad family will grow again. The rain contributes to the theme by sho
wing the cycle of nature that give a conclusion to the novel by showing that life is a pattern of bi
rth and death. The rain is another example of nature against man, the rain comes and floods the liv
ing quarters of the Joads. The Joads try to stop the flood of their home by yet again are forced ba
ck when nature drops a tree causing a flood of water to ruin their home forcing them to move. In op
posite way rain can helpful to give life to plants that need it to live. Depending on which extreme
the rain is in, it can be harmful or helpful. This is true for man, man can become both extremes ba
d or good depending on his choosing.
Throughout the novel there are several symbols us
ed to develop the theme man verses a hostile environment. Each symbol used in the novel show examp
les of both extremes. Some represent man, that struggles against the environment, others paint a cl
ear picture of the feelings of the migrants. As each symbol is presented chronologically through th
e novel, they come together at the end to paint a clear picture of the conditions, treatment and fee
lings the people (migrants) as they make there journey through the novel to the West.grapes wrath no
vel john steinbeck that exposes desperate conditions under which migratory farm families america dur
ing live under novel tells families migration west california through great economic depression joad
family abandon their home their livelihoods they uproot adrift because tractors were rapidly indust
rializing their farms bank took possession land because owners could loan novel shows joad family de
als with moving california they survive cruelty land owners that take advantage them poverty willing
ness work grapes wrath combines steinbeck adoration land simple hatred corruption resulting from mat
erialism money abiding faith common people overcome hostile environment opens with retaining picture
nature rampage shows women that unbroken nature theme verses hostile environment body destroyed spi
rit broken method used develop theme through symbolism there several uses symbols from turtle beginn
ing rain each symbol presented through they show examples good things exist within opening chapter p
aints vivid picture situation facing drought stricken farmers oklahoma dust described covering every
thing smothering life anything wants grow dust symbolic erosion lives people dust synonymous with de
adness ruined life farming gone people uprooted forced leave secondly stands profiteering banks back
ground squeeze life forcing soil farmers have been drained exploited last rain fell gray country okl
ahoma early weeds became dark green protect themselves from unyielding rays wind grew stronger uproo
ting weakened corn became filled stars were visible night chapter continues turtle which appears rea
ppears several times early seen stand survival driving force mankind cannot beaten nature turtle rep
resents hope trip west survivable farmer migrants joad family further represents migrants struggles
against overcoming every obstacle encounters path truck driver tries over being captured jacket ligh
t truck approached came near driver swerved driver truck works large company stop migrants going wes
t when attempts another example powerful trying flatten kill little everything encounters trys best
stop making westerly journey steadily advances ironically southwest direction mirgration described b
eing lasting ancient wise horny head yellowed toenails indestructible high dome shell humorous eyes
jacket symbolic stop continuing journey westward promise helps develop theme showing struggle agains
t comparing struggle against grapes seem symbolize both bitterness copiousness grandpa oldest member
talks symbols plenty descriptions what going california suggest contentment freedom goal which stri
ve gonna juice down face bath dammed talked about grandpa help elaborate showing matter nice everyth
ing seems truth beauty only skin deep souls rotten rotten core verses beautiful appearance willow tr
ee located farm represents willow described being unmovable never bending wind does want move prefer
stay grew much same willow does contributes showing unwillingness removed banks latter force making
them leave homes both these symbols help contribute struggle between each other tree struggles much
same struggles bank large companies rains comes symbolize several things rain excessive certain ful
fills cycle also excessive restored balance initiated growth cycle this ties other examples rebirth
idea ending much will grow again contributes cycle give conclusion pattern birth death another examp
le comes floods living quarters joads joads flood home again forced back when drops tree causing flo
od water ruin home forcing them move opposite helpful give plants need live depending extreme harmfu
l helpful this true become both extremes good depending choosing throughout there used develop verse
s hostile environment each symbol used show examples extremes some represent others paint clear pict
ure feelings symbol presented chronologically come together paint clear conditions treatment feeling
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