Theme Of The Grapes Of Wrath By John Steinbeck - 723 Words

The Grapes of Wrath Analysis The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, is a novel which demonstrates the lives of families during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and the struggles they faced on their route to California. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck applies his writing style in order to convey the theme and general plot of the novel. To begin, Steinbeck incorporated an informal use of language in this novel. This can be seen through the colloquialism and slang used in the dialogue among characters. Because of this, some portion of the words utilized might be unfamiliar to the reader. This makes words such as ‘cat’, ‘stinko’, and ‘hoyden’ appropriate for the novel due to the plot taking place in the western United†¦show more content†¦Casey is a idiosyncratic character due to his philosophy on the human race. As Casey states,†Maybe all men got one big soul ever’body’s a part of.† This belief that a ll men are a part of one large soul contradicts the theme of man’s inhumanity to man and is one of the many ironic happenings in the novel since, in reality, it seems as though it’s every man for himself. Casey is a principal character also because of how greatly his death influenced Tom Joad. After Casey died, Tom wants to make a change in the lives of others rather than just his own. One could consider Jim Casey as a character who changed Tom Joad’s character. The characters who are superfluous to the plot are the Wilsons. The Wilsons did not impact the plot greatly. If Steinbeck were to remove this couple, the only component that might be different within the plot would be the Joads having a bit more money and food. As an example of good writing, the passage about the turtle is especially effective. This passage, which can be found in chapter 3 of the novel, describes the journey of a turtle trying to cross a highway road and was purposely almost run over by one man. This passage is effective particularly because of its use of literary devices. Steinbeck represents symbolism and foreshadowing simultaneously through the turtle and his journey. The turtle symbolizes the families who are traveling to California and the turtle’s struggle to cross theShow MoreRelatedAlienation, A Theme in John Steinbeck ´s The Grapes of Wrath625 Words   |  3 Pages Grapes of Wrath: Alienation In Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck reveals the assumptions and moral values of Californian society in the 1930s by narrating the tale through the eyes of Tom Joad. Tom and his family are evicted from their homes by the bank because the drought had diminished the profitability of the land. They join numerous other migrants on Route 66, hoping for a better life in California. Both the rich Californian landowners and the Californian workers alienate the migrant familiesRead MoreComparing The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck and To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee1327 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is a failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath† (Steinbeck 349). John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the migrant’s resentment of the California land owners and their way of life and illustrat es that the vagrants from Oklahoma are yearning for labor, provisions, and human decency. Similarly in To Kill a MockingbirdRead More Humanitys Journey in Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath Essay1150 Words   |  5 PagesHumanitys Journey in Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath As a major literary figure since the 1930s, Steinbeck displays in his writing a characteristic respect for the poor and oppressed. In many of his novels, his characters show signs of a quiet dignity and courage for which Steinbeck has a great admiration. For instance, in The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck describes the unrelenting struggle of the people who depend on the soil for their livelihood. One element helping give this novel an addedRead MoreThematic Message: Good vs. Evil1546 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is a failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath† (Steinbeck 349). John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the migrant’s resentment of the California land owners and their way of life and illustrates that the vagrants from Oklahoma are yearning for labor, provisions, and human decency. Similarly in To Kill a MockingbirdRead MoreThe Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck and To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee1413 Words   |  6 Pagesbeing killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is a failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath† (Steinbeck 349). John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the migrant’s resentment of the California land owners and their way of life and illustrates that the vagrants from Oklahoma are yearning for labor, provisions, and human decency. Similarly in To Kill a MockingbirdRead MoreBiblical Allusions to The Grapes of Wrath Essay example1457 Words   |  6 PagesBiblical Allusions to The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902. He studied marine biology at Stanford University and then traveled east on a freighter through the Panama Canal. Steinbeck went to New York to work as a newspaper reporter but soon returned to California and held a variety of jobs while he wrote. Steinbeck published Tortilla Flat in 1935, Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Red Pony in 1937, which established his reputation as a forcefulRead MoreScott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath1720 Words   |  7 PagesScott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath In the novels The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, the authors present similar ideas, but use different methods to portray them. Similarities in themes can be made between the two texts; these include the pursuit of the American Dream and the use and misuse of wealth. Other themes are also central to each novel, the strength in unity and the influenceRead MoreGrapes of Wrath essay820 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Grapes of Wrath Book and Film Comparison John Steinbeck was an American author of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books, and numerous short stories. Steinbeck is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men. Born in Salinas, California in 1902, Steinbeck spent most of his life in Monterey County, the setting of much of his fiction such as the novel Cannery Row, a novel depicting the canning CoRead MoreEssay on John Steinbeck and Upton Sinclair: a Comparison1138 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Steinbeck and Upton Sinclair: A Comparison â€Å"The Grapes of Wrath†, written by John Steinbeck and â€Å"The Jungle†, written by Upton Sinclair are two books that have and will forever be impactful on American history and literature. They are both considered very powerful novels. Although these books seem very different, they are much more similar than they seem. Steinbeck tells the story of a family making their way to California amidst the Great Depression and era of the Dust Bowl, while SinclairRead MoreThe Grapes Of Independence By John Steinbeck1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe Grapes of Independence An image or a thousand words, which is more impacting? For decades now enthusiasts have participated in endless debates over films and novels. Whether it be a novel that is adapted into a film or a film that is converted into a novel, neither of the works will be an exact image of the other. Often the first piece will obtain mass amounts of popularity, thus influencing the production of itself in the opposing format; however, the mass majority of these occurrences end