Grapes Of Wrath Term paper

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The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck exists as one of the greatest novels ever

written during the Great Depression. Steinbeck uses life experiences as a tool for gaining

knowledge on how migrants from the middle of the United States suffered during these

difficult times. For example, the author actually lived with a migrant family for a while

during the 1930’s, and ultimately the family decided to move to California in hopes for a

more suitable life (class notes, 10/18). These life experiences are what spurred Steinbeck

to write this prominent novel. The main chararcters of The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad

family along with Jim Casey, suffer through various hardships during their journey to

California. During the journey the Joads come across several individuals and groups, in

which some obstruct the Joad’s goal of living an improved life in California while others

give the Joads strong assistance.

To start with, small businesses definitely greet the Joads with respect and support

throughout their journey to California. One example exists in chapter fifteen when

Steinbeck talks of the many hamburger stands that line Route 66. One small business is

owned by Al, who seems silent and really does not talk to the customers, and Mae, who

comes in contact with the customers. A man and his two young children arrive at Al and

Mae’s diner and begin to beg Mae for some bread, claiming that they only have ten cents.

While Mae refuses at first, Al screams to just give the family some bread. Mae also gives

the boys two peppermint candies for a penny, knowing that it normally sells for five cents

a piece. During this whole situation, two truckers watch the whole thing; knowing that Al

and Mae generously helped the poor family, they perform a good deed and leave the diner

some extra money to help pay for the costs of giving the bread away. Symbolism appears

throughtout this chapter and the whole book. Al and Mae surely are not rich; they

actually barely get by each day with the money they make from the diner. This chapter

symbolizes a group, the small businesses, helping out other people in need. Mae, at first,

does not realize that individual survival is impossible. Helping out another human by

acting with respect and kindness must happen in order to survive the Great Depression.

Chapter fifteen explains, in great detail, how small businesses help the migrating people

survive the long journey to California, and throughout the novel the Joads receive the

same sort of treatment from other small businesses.

While small businesses help the Joads on their journey to California, larger

businesses along with the local authorities seem as nothing but trouble for the Joads and

other migrating families. Unlike small businesses who would sometimes discount food or

other various supplies, larger businesses treat the migrants with disrespect, almost like

they act as nuisances. As generous and loving as some small owners can appear, the

larger business owners behave the opposite. Steinbeck tells of stories in this novel of large

gas station owners who would not let some migrant families receive gasoline at a

discounted price, knowing that these people are extremely poor and cannot afford to pay

the extrememly high prices for gas. Small gas station owners, for example a local store

instead of an Amoco or Exxon, seem more sympathetic towards the poor migrant families.

In other words, larger scaled businesses do not understand that people must work

together when times look difficult.

In addition, the Joads encounter a discourteous camp proprietor on their way to

California in chapter sixteen. After Tom and Jim Casey fix the broken connecting rod on

the car, they meet back up with the rest of the family at a camp site. Tom refuses to stay

at the camp due to the fifty cent fee to spend the night, so he sleeps outside on the road....

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