The Grapes of Wrath :: essays research papers

This marking period I read a realistic fiction novel called The Grapes of Wrath. This novel takes place in the late 1930’s, when a farming family, the Joads, have to migrate from their farm in Oklahoma to California in order to find work. They move from camp to camp in search for work and survival. The main character, Tom Joad, gets into trouble after killing a cop who murdered his friend, Jim Casy. He goes into hiding for a while and then departs from the rest of the family. Meanwhile, Rose of Sharon, his sister, gives birth to a stillborn and then saves a man by allowing him to have her breast milk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tom Joad is the main character of this novel. He is a kind and nice, short-tempered and fiercely independent. Tom is a man that is more into the present than anything else. He tends to worry less about what will happen next and more on what is happening now. After being released from prison, he heads home. He meets up with a Jim Casy, a preacher. Jim ends up staying with Tom through out most of the novel until he dies. Tom learns a lot about humanity through Jim and his own development in the novel and in the end becomes a man of the people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jim Casy is another significant character. His beliefs are significant to the stories theme and concepts. He has a significant effect on Jim with these beliefs he expresses to him. He believes that life is holy no matter what, and that organized religion isn’t the only way to be sinless and holy. Jim organizes migrant workers to stand up for themselves and against the bosses, who are beginning to lower wages and making life more difficult for them. His purpose in the novel was to help Tom develop into a social activist.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A third significant character is Ma Joad. She is not much different than any other mother. She is caring, loving, and protects her family. She is the backbone of the family. At the story progresses she is capable of keeping her family and herself together. She becomes more of a provider than Pa Joad. She is a strong person and has a strong composure, that she able to keep up. Ma Joad represent the true meaning of togetherness or she is the reason the Joad family survives and remains together as best as possible.