When the family finally reaches Hooverville Ma takes over the position of authority. It is not final however, until she and Pa have an argument and she shoos him away with a frying pan. This confrontation seems funny at first, but when it is explored deeper it is revealed as the breaking of Pa Joad. Since the family left the farm Pa has faced failure after failure while Ma has displayed time and time again her ability to remain strong in the face of adversity.
When the family is confronted by the police at the Hooverville it is Ma, not Pa, that tells the family they are going to be leaving. Pa is generally upset by this, but Ma tells him that he's not doing his job and she needs to step up.
This incident turns the typical family structure on its head and really symbolizes the changes that the Joads have been through. The man, who is typically at the top of the commanding food chain, has fallen below the woman, who is normally on bottom. So much has changed for the Joads, many of the family members mature and grow into different people. The change in the individual characters is enhanced by the change in the traditional family structure.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Grandma's Death & Ma's Strength
Grandma's death serves as the final unraveling of the Joad family. Bit by bit their party has diminished and now, they loose another life. The chapters surrounding Grandma's death are extremely significant in defining the true loss accompanying her death. These chapters explain that while migrant workers face great adversity on their journeys they are able to maintain and survive through banding together and sharing a unified goal and desire.
Despite the ominous symbol of Grandma's death Ma comes of the the tragedy maintaining incredible strength. When the family enters California their car is inspected and Ma begs the police officer to let them continue on their journey because Grandma was in need of medical assistance. The family continues to travel through the night across desert in order to get to the orchards they've been searching for. When they finally arrive Ma admits that Grandma had been dead since before the inspection, she simply did not want the family to fall short of their goal when they had come so far.
This event marks the beginning of a shift in power. Ma starts to assert herself as an authority figure, and Pa starts to back away from the spot light.
Despite the ominous symbol of Grandma's death Ma comes of the the tragedy maintaining incredible strength. When the family enters California their car is inspected and Ma begs the police officer to let them continue on their journey because Grandma was in need of medical assistance. The family continues to travel through the night across desert in order to get to the orchards they've been searching for. When they finally arrive Ma admits that Grandma had been dead since before the inspection, she simply did not want the family to fall short of their goal when they had come so far.
This event marks the beginning of a shift in power. Ma starts to assert herself as an authority figure, and Pa starts to back away from the spot light.
Group Blog: The Wilson's and Noah's Departure
One of the Joad family's driving strengths has been their unity and ability to work as a cohesive unit against the adversity they face on their journey. When the Wilsons are forced to stay behind and Noah runs off to live by himself the family takes a very serious blow.
The character most effected by the loss of the Wilsons and Noah is Ma Joad. She works as an anchor for the entire family and struggles to keep the family together. The loss of three more members of the original party is hard for her and she stresses about the family "falling apart."
The character most effected by the loss of the Wilsons and Noah is Ma Joad. She works as an anchor for the entire family and struggles to keep the family together. The loss of three more members of the original party is hard for her and she stresses about the family "falling apart."
Group Blog: Gas Station
The gas station on route 66 offers a few important moments. The first moment being the death of the Joad's dog. This even is foreshadowing for the journey to come.
The second is the conversation the family has with the gas station attendant after he accuses the Joad family of not having enough money to pay for gas. After insulting the family the attendant explains that migrant workers stop at his station often to beg for gas but his business is failing thanks to the corporate gas stations that moved in and he cannot give charity gas to travelers. In an attempt to bring in more paying business the attendant painted the gas station yellow to match the corporate gas station but he had very little luck with the painting ploy.
This discussion works to point at capitalism as the root of all the issues in these peoples lives. Capitalism forced the attendant into a situation where he is only slightly better off than the Joads, and in return he became bitter and insulted the Joad family, who has suffered quite a bit already. It is a snowball effect that starts with the greed of capitalism.
The second is the conversation the family has with the gas station attendant after he accuses the Joad family of not having enough money to pay for gas. After insulting the family the attendant explains that migrant workers stop at his station often to beg for gas but his business is failing thanks to the corporate gas stations that moved in and he cannot give charity gas to travelers. In an attempt to bring in more paying business the attendant painted the gas station yellow to match the corporate gas station but he had very little luck with the painting ploy.
This discussion works to point at capitalism as the root of all the issues in these peoples lives. Capitalism forced the attendant into a situation where he is only slightly better off than the Joads, and in return he became bitter and insulted the Joad family, who has suffered quite a bit already. It is a snowball effect that starts with the greed of capitalism.
Group Blog: Grampa's Death
Grampa's death works as a major defining event in the Joad's trip west. Grampa had been the most enthusiastic about going west from the very beginning, and his death has a huge impact on the family morale. His death stands as a symbol of the effects of the migration on the migrant workers.
When the workers leave their land behind a part of them dies. They are being forced to leave the land they love and work. Each farmer has a special connection to his land, and having to leave it tares him apart. The farmers and their families leave all familiarities, comfort, friends and even some family and pursue an entirely new life. Their journey is not an easy one either, they are faced with constant criticism and hatred. In the case of the Joad family the entirety of Grampa dies because he has "left his soul" in Oklahoma. He embodies the suffering the farmers feel.
When the workers leave their land behind a part of them dies. They are being forced to leave the land they love and work. Each farmer has a special connection to his land, and having to leave it tares him apart. The farmers and their families leave all familiarities, comfort, friends and even some family and pursue an entirely new life. Their journey is not an easy one either, they are faced with constant criticism and hatred. In the case of the Joad family the entirety of Grampa dies because he has "left his soul" in Oklahoma. He embodies the suffering the farmers feel.
Group Blog: Themes in Ch 7-9
These three chapters work together in a similar way as the first three chapters to enforce the theme of man's inhumanity to man. Chapter seven is narrated from the point of view of a used car sales man telling his workers how to effectively rip off the migrant workers. The workers need to get out of Oklahoma so they will pay any price necessary.
The ninth chapter takes the perspective of the migrant workers. They need get out of Oklahoma and find their way to California. With only one truck available to move their entire family as well as all of their belongings the farmers are forced to sell most of their material items. However, even this does not prove to be profitable. Farmers are faced with brokers who offer very little for the goods.
As before chapter eight is from the perspective of Tom Joad. He meets up with his family at his Uncle John's, after finding his farm vacant. Upon finding his family he discovers that they are leaving Oklahoma and heading west. They've purchased a car, which Al inspected before buying as to avoid being swindled out of a good car. Again the Joad's find themselves in the middle of this theme of man's inhumanity to man. On one side they need a car and are swindled into paying an outrageous price and on the other they are selling all their goods for little to no profit. They are being exploited by other men who thrive off of their desperate situation.
The ninth chapter takes the perspective of the migrant workers. They need get out of Oklahoma and find their way to California. With only one truck available to move their entire family as well as all of their belongings the farmers are forced to sell most of their material items. However, even this does not prove to be profitable. Farmers are faced with brokers who offer very little for the goods.
As before chapter eight is from the perspective of Tom Joad. He meets up with his family at his Uncle John's, after finding his farm vacant. Upon finding his family he discovers that they are leaving Oklahoma and heading west. They've purchased a car, which Al inspected before buying as to avoid being swindled out of a good car. Again the Joad's find themselves in the middle of this theme of man's inhumanity to man. On one side they need a car and are swindled into paying an outrageous price and on the other they are selling all their goods for little to no profit. They are being exploited by other men who thrive off of their desperate situation.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Group Blog: Themes in Ch 1-3
The imagery in chapter one and chapter three play a large role in setting up the themes of the novel. Chapter one focuses on the plight of the dust bowl and the condition of the land. Steinbeck writes, "the surface of the earth crusted, a thin hard crust, and as the sky became pale, so the earth became pale, pink in the red country and white in the gray country." The description of the land sets a tone and paints a picture of the condition of Oklahoma.
The imagery in the first chapter coincides with the symbolism in the third. The third chapter is about a turtle walking down the street, a woman in a car sees him and swerves out of his way, a man in different car also sees him but swerves towards the turtle, knocking it on its back. The turtle is a symbol for the migrant workers and the struggle they face. However, even in the face of adversity,no matter how many people knock them on their backs, the migrant workers get back on their feet and keep going.
The second chapter is all about Tom Joad and his being released from prison. It is not coincidence that his chapter falls between these two. It strategically places him in the middle of the conflict. On one side the land he has worked has turned to dust and produces little to nothing, so he must leave his home. One the other side however, he is faced with serious adversity and people who are out to run him over.
These three chapters work to set up the theme of man's inhumanity to man. The acts against the turtle act as foreshadowing for what is about to come.
The imagery in the first chapter coincides with the symbolism in the third. The third chapter is about a turtle walking down the street, a woman in a car sees him and swerves out of his way, a man in different car also sees him but swerves towards the turtle, knocking it on its back. The turtle is a symbol for the migrant workers and the struggle they face. However, even in the face of adversity,no matter how many people knock them on their backs, the migrant workers get back on their feet and keep going.
The second chapter is all about Tom Joad and his being released from prison. It is not coincidence that his chapter falls between these two. It strategically places him in the middle of the conflict. On one side the land he has worked has turned to dust and produces little to nothing, so he must leave his home. One the other side however, he is faced with serious adversity and people who are out to run him over.
These three chapters work to set up the theme of man's inhumanity to man. The acts against the turtle act as foreshadowing for what is about to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)