The Grapes of Wrath: The End

The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck has three major themes that continue throughout the book, depression, hatred, and the power of family and friendship. Depression is seen in the migrant families' suffering, but also the Joad family's suffering. They have been kicked out of their home, pushed around by mean people, suffered the loss of their family members and friends, and dealt with the terror of starvation and money loss. In chapter thirty, many of the families suffer from the idea that they will not have work for a while. The loss of money and dignity from stealing and begging takes its toll on the families. "The family ate the steaming boiled potatoes with their fingers. And when this last food was gone, they stared at the gray water; and in the night they did not lie down for a long time."

The next major theme throughout the book is hatred. The family experiences hatred throughout their entire journey. They feel hatred for the people who kick them out of their homes and off the land they work on. On their trip to California, they meet many people that have hatred for them and for the reason they are coming to California. Once they reach California, they are hated by the people of California, and they hate their suffering there.

However, in their suffering, depression, and hatred, they stay together and help each other and other friends in their time of need. Their great connection to one another and their wills to protect and support the family keep them going during their stay in California. The Wainwright's and the Joad's support each other and the camp. They try to build a moat to keep the water out, but it fails; Ma, Rose of Sharon, Pa, Winfield, and Ruthie go to find higher ground and come across a barn. There they meet a scared child and his starving father. Rose of Sharon comforts the child; "Her hand moved behind his head and supported it. Her fingers moved gently in his hair. She looked up and across the barn, and her lips came together and smiled mysteriously." Even though they were faced with injustice, cruelty, starvation, money loss, and death, the family stayed loyal to each other, protecting one another, and making each other stronger against the world.

 

Bibliography

Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York, New York: Penguin Group, 2002. Print.