ipl-logo

Strong Women In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

156 Words1 Pages
Strong women are a dominant theme in Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Ma Joad in particular, shows the power that women gain throughout the novel. She is the cornerstone of the family and the reason the family remained in-tact throughout the many challenges of the Depression. Ma Joad is the “Rock of Gibraltar” for the Joad family with her quiet strength, determined and hardworking nature she leads her family with resiliency without requiring acknowledgement for her actions. Ma Joad like many women became leaders within their families in order to keep them together and making sure they had the necessities for survival while the men were looking for work. Ma Joad with her pure heart feels bad for having the slightest bit of food when other
Show More
Related
555 Words | 3 Pages

Immigrants in the 1930s all across America struggled with their journeys to hope and redemption. The main purpose for chapter three, which depicted a turtle struggling to cross a highway, was to outline the struggle that the immigrants faced as they took their journey to a new destination where they would spend the rest of their lives, as well as sticking with those who could help them through this long, enduring excursion. Hopefully, when they reached those endpoints, they would have a new job and a life worth living. The Joad family, a family of farmers and the family depicted in The Grapes of Wrath, repeatedly have to go through events that could potentially throw them off course far enough to have no hope for returning to their former glory.

Read More
498 Words | 2 Pages

In between each narrative chapter of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck wrote intercalary chapters to add to the narrative. These sixteen chapters were a very effective way for Steinbeck to make his points, and progress the theme of the novel. The intercalary chapters were a wise way to summarize the entire struggle of the suffering people during the dust bowl. They showed how Joad family was one example of the millions of families who migrated to California during the dust bowl, and the general rage and resistance felt in the innocent farmers, brought on by rich privileged men who gain their power from the unstoppable big banks. These chapters strengthen my knowledge of the struggles of the time, and give me more information of what is not seen from the Joad’s struggles alone.

Read More
766 Words | 4 Pages

It’s difficult to get kicked out of a land you have lived in for so long and end up having nowhere to go. In this novel, Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, shows Tom Joad’s journey with his family to a new place where they've never been. They travel from Oklahoma to California and encounter a lot of hardship. Tom Joad is the main character in the story and is portrayed in the beginning as someone who can’t control their anger. He shows development in managing his anger issues as a result of his family’s unwavering emotional support.

Read More
736 Words | 3 Pages

A supporting protagonist of the novel, Ma Joad is the mother of the protagonist and is described as a character who “seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook” (89). Ma, throughout the story,

Read More
904 Words | 4 Pages

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

Read More
550 Words | 3 Pages

In “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck makes Ma Joad the leader of the family to convey she is one main heroes of the novel. Ma Joad is a Catalyst Hero because she would sacrifice herself for any of the other family members. Throughout the novel, Ma does not change that much. She is always trying to keep the family from doing any foolish actions.

Read More
961 Words | 4 Pages

(Steinbeck 144) Ma Joad displays the similarity between her and Virgin Mary through her strength and selflessness. At the time the Joads were crossing into California, she keeps quiet about Grandmas death and rides along with her dead body the whole night. This actions suggests that Ma thinks of the family as an unit that must always stick together, her sense of honesty since she tells Grandma directly that she can’t be helped, and her own appreciation of beauty, especially seen in her remarks about burying

Read More
588 Words | 3 Pages

The Grapes of Wrath is a protest novel by John Steinbeck. The theme of unity is foreshadowed in the story of the development of characters. Ma Joad displays unity because she tries to keep the family together, but eventually she helps anyone who needs it. Ma in the beginning of the story cares only about her family and nothing else. In the beginning, we are introduced to Ma, “She seemed to know, to accept, to welcome her position, the citadel...”

Read More
1880 Words | 8 Pages

Intercalary Chapter Literary Analysis During the Great Depression, the nation as a whole was stripped of financial security and forced into a survivalist way of living. This changed the ways that people interacted with one another and the overall mentality of society. In the Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family is torn from their land and find themselves with nothing, a common story for migrant farmers of that time, derogatorily called “Okies” by Californians. But this is not the only group that is struggling, the entire county was in a state of panic and bruteness, no matter how “well off” they seemed to be.

Read More
168 Words | 1 Pages

In The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck follows the Joad family as they suffer the hardships caused by the Dust Bowl in the 1930’s. The most important lesson people can learn from the novel is the value of a human life. Although the 1930’s was a low point in American society, the ill-treatment of human beings is still relevant today. Just like Jim Casy’s philosophy, it is important to fight for the rights of the people and their dignity. There are several examples of oppression in The Grapes of wrath.

Read More
1206 Words | 5 Pages

In the novel “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck, the author discusses socio-economic issues in society. The story is centered around the Joad family, who have been kicked off of their land and must move to California to survive. Throughout their journey, the Joad’s encounter problems with their vehicle, authority, and housing conditions as well as losing family members along this journey. The novel depicts common issues that arise from living in a capitalistic society. Steinbeck does an impeccable job of exploring whether being confrontational is a virtue or a flaw in the main character, Tom Joad.

Read More
500 Words | 2 Pages

In The Grapes of Wrath, Ma Joad, like the woman in the painting, does do domestic “chores” she cooks, and follows Pa around and let him lead the family. But she isn’t weak, she still is a strong woman who will fight back. In chapter 8, Steinbeck describes Ma Joad as “heavy, but not fat; thick with childbearing and work” (Steinbeck 74). That’s just like how the woman above looks, thick with work and childbearing. Also in chapter 26, “Ma put the clean dripping tin dish out on a box.

Read More
735 Words | 3 Pages

Violence isn't the way to achieve ones goals. Almost everyone has someone of something that stands in the way of their ultimate goal. Many people come to a point where they feel that the only way to achieve that goal is at the expensive of another. This isn't necessarily the case. Rather then inflicting violence on one another we must use the intelligence we were blessed with.

Read More
589 Words | 3 Pages

Prompt #6 The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck, is a story of the Joad family and their travels west. The setting of Steinbeck 's novel is the Great Depression in Oklahoma. During this time, a long period of drought and high winds affected large parts of the Midwest, including much of Oklahoma, creating what was called the Dust Bowl. Steinbeck uses different elements and narrative styles to endow his novel with a powerful sense of realism and authenticity.

Read More
487 Words | 2 Pages

Through John Steinbeck's plot in The Grapes of Wrath,  the struggle of the typical American dreamer is depicted in the Joad’s attempt to move to California for a better life. While attempting this dream, the Joad family had to make multiple sacrifices. The first sacrifice occurs early on in their journey, the abandoning of their property (Steinbeck 59). This was extremely difficult for the Joads because they had lived on this land for a long time and they had many memories that had been created there.

Read More

More about Strong Women In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

Related Topics

Open Document