FREE ESSAY ON GRAPES OF WRATH

GRAPES OF WRATH

Grapes of Wrath
The Grapes of Wrath is an epic story of the Joads, though it is full of desert and
drought, water is the purifier in this novel. It starts with Tom getting out of state
prison on parole. When he meets Jim Casy on his way home the plot starts rolling. When
they reach Tom's farm they find out that banks and large companies have closed their
farms and that everyone is leaving to California in hopes of work. This is the first
conflict. The poor against the rich, or the weak against the strong. The Joad's sell all
of their property and begin their journey to California.
On the way there they lose two lives, Grandma and Grandpa, because they have no money
they cannot give an appropriate funeral to their loved ones. Instead of feeling remorse,
they proceed on their trip. The Joad's stop at many camps, the peach orchard held most of
the conflicts for Tom. Tom went to talk to Casy , during their discussion men looking for
Casy kill him. Tom becomes very volatile and kills one of the men which sends Tom into
hiding. Tom's sister instigated a fight and threatened to get her brother because he
killed a man. When ma found out that Tom could be in jeopardy she suggested him to leave.
Tom left and continued on in Casy's work.
This family travels from desert to Land of plenty. Yet no will help them. People are
willing to kill each other for jobs. Those who are hired to pick food are not allowed to
eat it. Family members drop off like flies through heat and starvation. Soon the land
dries and the harvest is gone. Yet only when hope is gone can healing begin. Rose a
Sharon's baby is stillborn and one wonders if it is not better off rather than entering
the Joad's pitiful world. Then the rain comes along with the climax of the story. The
water is rising and the family must move to a drier place. As the rain digresses, the
family move to a dry barn down the highway. There they meet a father and son. The father
is dying of starvation. Roseasharon, at this pivotal point, eagerly appeases his hunger
by feeding him from her breast. Roseasharon gave life to a dying man. There is the
realization of the need of each individual to help each another regardless of who he is.
Wary looks once given to strangers are now replaced with a stubborn love for life.