Familial Relations In The Grapes Of Wrath

The importance of the precious existence of unity within familial relations in any given society is the reason for the integration and conveyance of the value of secured bonds between family members in both John Steinbeck’s and Geraldine Brooks’ novels. In their literary works, inspiration came from historical events and certain situations in their lives. The influence of the conditions of migrant labours during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression led to the creation of John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath. The work questions the value of familial relations in a third-person perspective as families such as the Joad’s face difficulties and obstacles throughout the years. On the other hand, the village of Eyam during the 1665-1666

Despite their different perspectives, both novels present a similar underlying meaning of unity within familial relations being essential and of importance during moments of suffering. The exploration of conflicts and disparities within the characters’ calamitous societies, therefore, reinforces the value of unity in familial relations. (185)

The betrayal of higher statuses is a representation of the evident confrontation on the issue of social disparity throughout the years where the value of unity in familial relations is strengthened. In The Grapes of Wrath, the sustained use of the metaphor of the bank as a monster in the quote "We can't depend on it. The bank- the monster- has to have profits all the time." is a portrayal of the bank as a force that people cannot oppose nor retaliate against which depicts the inequalities present in every farming family’s lives during the Dust Bowl. The judgement upon a person’s worth in comparison to others is shown in the quote through a description of a disproportionate social hierarchy. It allows for inanimate objects like amount of money for profit to take precedent over families and their lives. As such, families are left to fend for themselves

In Grapes of Wrath, the turmoil arises from the bereavement of family members which causes the other family members to bond over this unfortunate event. Throughout the novel, Steinbeck incorporates the use of animals as symbolism, one such instance is the death of the Joad’s dog. With the drought and the bank leaving the Joad family homeless and without a job, they venture forth to California from Oklahoma, however, before they reach the border, their dog dies by being run over. (how this effects/impacts familial relations) This foreshadows the hardships and death that follow the Joad family henceforth. ] (more explanation) The novels both show death as the main emotional conflict where the characters’ actions in response to the event showcased their remorse and longing for their deceased family members. This is inextricably linked to the quote in Year of Wonders “the only sound…would be the phantom echoes of my own boys’ infant cries” where Anna, the main character, is experiencing paracusia as a result of the overwhelming grief from the unbearable loss of both of her children. The auditory imagery in the quote evokes a rather sentimental feeling positioning the reader in a situation where they are able to experience the presence and sound of the character’s deceased sons. Her hallucination could be said to be a