The Grapes of Wrath

Major Themes: 

Man's inhumanity to Man- The migrants torture, and rough travel isn't caused by the bad weather, and harmful conditions, but instead their fellow travelers. The landowners fear the migrants, which causes them to treat them as if they were animals. There is a clear divide between the rich and the poor, the landowners and the migrants. 

The Saving Power of Family and Fellowship- The bond between the Joads only becomes stronger as they continue there journey west. Although they are most of the time homeless, and pushed through harsh conditions they still remain a strong unit. Which is what most likely makes them last so long on there journey. Also families traveling west soon begin to unite, the word "family" extends to those who remain together and continue west as a strong unbreakable unit. 

The Dignity of Wrath- Steinbeck makes a connection between dignity and rage, because as long as these families contain a sense of anger, they will be able to keep moving. There anger towards the people that left them, and there anger towards the way they are being treated is what causes them to push towards something more, something better. This Anger will cause them to never lose their dignity. 

The Effects of Selfishness and Altruism- Selfishness is the main reason for the great move to the West. The selfishness of the businessman, and the landowners who tell the migrants of the new jobs. And with the move the migrants begin to become selfish themselves. They all want the same things, which means they are going to fight for it. Whether it is a spot to sleep on the side of the road, or food to eat, or a job to take. They are all racing to get to the same place and they don't care what happens in order for them to get there. 

Major Lit Devices: 

Symbols- 

• Rose of Sharon's Pregnancy 
• The death of the Joads dog 

Motifs- 

• Improvised Leadership Structure

Major Characters: 

Tom Joad 

Ma Joad

Pa Joad 

Jim Casy 

Rose of Sharon 

Grandpa Joad

Granma Joad 

Al Joad

Ivy and Sarah Wilson

Connie

Noah Joad 

Uncle John 

Ruthie Joad

Winfield Joad

Floyd Knowles 

Muley Graves 

Agnes Wainright 

Summary:

The Grapes of Wrath is a specific story about the Joad family who is migrating west during the Great Depression. It illustrates the hardships that the migrant workers had to go through while journeying west in order to find jobs that had been promised to them. It explains the bank system, and the high payed landowners as the "Monster" which with much selfishness lures the southern farmers west and treats them as if they are not people but instead animals. The Joad family experiences death, life without a home, abandonment, and several other things that only make them stronger and help them survive in the end. When Tom Joad returns home with his Old preacher, the family begins their journey to California, which does not go as smoothly as they plan. They begin to group up with other families such as the Wilsons which only makes their unit stronger. In the end after several have either left them or died, the family finds hope after a storm that almost kills them.