Grapes Of Wrath Optimism Essay

“Grapes of Wrath” and American Optimism In the 1940 film, “Grapes of Wrath”, Director John Ford turns a classic novel by John Steinbeck into a movie that expresses American optimism. The story takes place during the Great Depression and a time when a major drought struck the Midwest. The plot follows the Joad family from their Oklahoma farm through the West. The family is in search of a job in California after being forced out of their home. While the overarching theme touches on American hope during a miserable time, there are many other sub-themes hidden beneath it. The movie depicts many scenes in which people help people. In other words, Americans did their best to help their fellow citizens who were struggling. This is clearly evident …show more content…
This time period brought tension to families, as portrayed when Rosasharn’s husband, Connie, abandons the family and his pregnant wife. He left in hopes of finding better things for himself, knowing that one man could get further than a family of twelve. Despite this, the family stick together through “thick and thin”, so to speak. During the trip, Granpa Joad dies of a stroke, followed by his wife. As they cross through the desert, Ma Joad is holding Granma and repeatedly telling her how important it is for the family to get to California together. This shows how even in tough and harsh places it is important for the family to stick together and make it to their “promised land” of California. In this sense, the movie can still be applied to today’s society. When we are struggling to make ends meet or to push away the past, we must stick together, as one family, and reach the land of opportunity together. For many more years, the “Grapes of Wrath” film will be viewed as not only a display of a dark time for the American people but as a reminder of the importance of banding together to face a

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