Transition In John Steinbeck's The Grapes Of Wrath

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Life is a road of transitions. Part of transitioning is evolving as human being for better or for worse. In John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath tells the journey of the Joads family to California and the struggles that come their ways. The story takes place during the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma when many farm laborers like Joads family have to forcibly banned their home to travel to a new place in search for a new job, new home and a new life. As the Joads’ expedition proceeds some characters mature, some stay the same, and some lose their identity. The first example that develops though this journey is Tom Joad who generally is a good person and proceeds to become selfless by helping others. The second example that a character develops is Ma Joad, who becomes more of a head of the household though this journey. The third example that a character develops is Rose of Sharon Rivers, who will mature as the story proceeds. Finally for …show more content…
Before the journey, Pa displays authorities and holds his position as the head of the household. The reasons that Pa is able to show much more confidence in decisions and his role because of the farm that enable him to provide for the family; his part self was the farm. However, as the bank takes away the farm, it also takes away Pa’s identity he has created his whole life. Although Pa actively looks for a job and is not a lazy person, without his role as the family provider he becomes little by little bemused about a situation and seek Ma for guidance. An example of his changes in personality is during the heavy raining on the cotton camp as Pa weakly protests from not leaving the boxcar, but meekly follows Ma decision and leaves with the family (Steinbeck, 613). This demonstrates that Pa’s role, as the head of household is switch to Ma to take charge and lets Ma in control whereas before he would get angered and gets his way when Ma disagrees with his
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When people lose their identities and struggle with hardship, they persevere and reach unification. In John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath because of the dust bowl, the Joad family, as well as other migrants, are forced off their land, losing their identity. On their journey to California, the Joads face hardship such as starvation and death ultimately leading the Joads as well as other dust bowl survivors to unity. When the Joads are forced off their land that they have been living on for generations…

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