Strengths In John Steinbecks The Grapes Of Wrath - 743 Words

Do the needs of an individual family or group supersede the needs of the many? In The Grapes of Wrath written by the John Steinbeck, the readers see the strength that is needed to be a mother when outside forces rip a family apart. Ma Joad is the living representation of strength given her unique role in the family. Ma took an almost patriarchal role in the family and demonstrated that she was unique among other characters due to her strength, love, and family power. One of Ma Joads most defining features is her overall mental strength. Throughout the story, her strength is shown time and time again as she tries to reach California with her family. An example of her strength is seen when the family looked in â€Å"terror at her strength†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦show more content†¦Not only does this show Ma’s love for Tom but it also shows the courage that it gives her. All in all, Ma used her love for her family to fuel her resolve to stick together as a family regardless of the cost. Many characters stood out during the story yet none ever broke the established family hierarchy except for Ma Joad. Ma did not completely break the family structure instead it was more akin to a momentary shift of power. The first time Ma demonstrates any form of power is during a meeting to see whether Jim Casy can go with the Joads to California. During said meeting, although Ma had no real power her â€Å"tone† was able to make Pa â€Å"ashamed† (Steinbeck 130). This on its did not show power instead it showed Ma’s influence on Pa when dealing with family affairs since her opinion was just as important. Later on in the story, Ma would take a more active role in family affairs. Not only did Ma become more active in order to keep the family together but she also took Pa’s power when she said: â€Å"I ain’t a-gonna go† which left Pa â€Å"amazed at the revolt† (Steinbeck 185). During this incident, Ma for the first time disobeyed not j ust Pa but the whole family and took command in order to keep the family from separating even a little. From this point forward Ma is essentially the Patriarch of the family taking over her husbands role as the head of the family. Thus itShow MoreRelated Comparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath968 Words   |  4 PagesComparing and Contrasting the Novel and Movie Version of The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck wrote the The Grapes of Wrath in 1939 to rouse its readers against those who were responsible for keeping the American people in poverty. The Grapes of Wrath tells the story of the Joad family, migrant farmers from Oklahoma traveling to California in search of an illusion of prosperity. 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John Steinbeck did not write about what he had previously read, he instead wrote what he experienced through his travels with the migrant workers. â€Å"His methodRead MoreAnalysis Of John Steinbeck s The Crucible 1074 Words   |  5 Pages Dylon Morrison Mr. Briggs 5 December 2014 Word Count: 978 John Steinbeck John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, California. John decided to be a writer at the very young age of fourteen. â€Å"John used to lock himself in his bedroom and to be alone and write stories and poem†(John Steinbeck Biography). John was the first in his family to have a striving desire to become a writer, his father did everything he could to keep food on the table and his mother was a former schoolRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Grapes Of Wrath 2169 Words   |  9 Pages Reoccurrence of a life Lurking underneath Steinbeck’s vivacious verbs and vivid adjectives, the reader can see his vivid, and often, complex characters. Steinbeck does not write specifically about the stories of his life, yet incorporates his own innate feelings into his characters. He institutes archaic animations in his characters that flow through each of his own stories. John Steinbeck s works, include little pieces of himself hidden in the heavy plots. This is also known becauseRead MoreGrapes of Wrath838 Words   |  4 PagesHow does John Steinbeck portray Jim Casey as a Christ figure in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath? In his novel, The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck brings a variety of diverse characters to the reader. The majority of these characters individuality lies within whom they symbolize. What Im trying to say is that the character in the novel represents another being outside of the novel. For example, the former preacher Jim Casey who is also a good friend of the Joads may to some readers representRead More James Stills River of Earth: A Neglected American Masterpiece811 Words   |  4 Pagesof their region. However great it may be at depicting Appalachias mountain people and culture, though, Stills novel has remained mostly invisible compared to other novels of the period which depict poor white southern life, such as John Steinbecks Grapes of Wrath and Erskine Caldwells Gods Little Acre (Olson 87). As scholar Ted Olson notes, there are several reasons for this neglect. First of all, Stills novel has been labeled as regional and therefore not as universal in its concernsRead MoreScott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath1720 Words   |  7 PagesFitzgeralds 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 influence of female Read MorePoetry In John Steinbecks The Grapes Of Wrath1463 Words   |  6 Pageshave. The words are fighting each other to get out (Steinbeck, John. phantascene.com/2014/0 2/john-steinbeck-what-he-taughtwriters.Web.7Oct.2013). The lyrical style of The Grapes of Wrath keeps the readers spell-bound from beginning to the end and lets the readers feel the vicinity of the have-nots. Steinbeck has a suitably elastic form and elevated style to express the far-reaching tragedy of the migrant drama. In The Grapes of Wrath he devised a contrapuntal structure, which alternates short lyrical