Examples Of Miscarriage In The Grapes Of Wrath

Anika Thapar

Mr. Brown

American Classics, Period 6

21 April 2023

The Moxie of Miscarriage

Traumatic events are difficult to process; it is likely that an individual will give up rather than go through it. Many question what good comes out of facing a burdensome situation. In The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck provides reasoning as to why humans persevere through adversity: we emerge stronger than before. In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck tells the narrative of the Joad family, traveling West in hopes of finding work. During their journey Rose of Sharon, one of the family members, has a miscarriage. Before her miscarriage, Rose of Sharon lacks responsibility and empathy; after her miscarriage, she possesses both. Through Rose of Sharon’s story

When the family decides whether they should leave their current location“Rose of Sharon whispered to Ma. Ma nodded her head. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s time for it.’” (450). Ma, regarded as the leader of the family, decides what actions the family will take. In this instance, Ma not only listens to Rose of Sharon but follows through with Rose of Sharon’s requests. By going through with her statements, Ma gives Rose of Sharon the power to make sensible family decisions. The juxtaposition of Ma listening to Rose of Sharon rather than Rose of Sharon blindly following Ma exemplifies the decision-making skills Rose of Sharon gains after going through a miscarriage. This is an example of how Steinbeck uses Rose of Sharon’s miscarriage to show how a traumatic experience can push a person to become pragmatic. Not only does Rose of Sharon take on a responsible role within the Joad family, but she takes on the responsibility of a stranger. When the Joad family finds a barn to hide from the flood, they encounter a man dying of starvation. Rather than ignore the man, like she likely would have previously done, Rose of Sharon breastfeeds him. Steinbeck depicts the interaction between them in a caring tone: “Her hand moved behind his head and supported it. Her fingers moved gently in his hair” (455). In this scene, Rose of Sharon acts compassionately and responsibly. Placing the needs of this stranger above her own emphasizes her newfound empathy; acting quickly to provide milk illustrates her pragmatism. Steinbeck writes that she held the man’s head, indicating Rose of Sharon holds responsibility for the stranger. She also “gently” interacts with the stranger, exemplifying her compassionate nature. Rather than expecting milk, Rose of Sharon looks after the man by giving him hers. The death of her child allows her to give life. Rose of Sharon acts both compassionately—by treating the