Grapes of Wrath Essay

Journeys come in many shapes and forms. Whether it is a physical journey, or a metaphorical journey of one’s life, they help one reach their destination. Along the way, the travelers often grow, learn, or experience new things and opportunities which they were not faced with in the past. This is no different in The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinback. In the novel, the journey adds meaning to the work as a whole by uniting the Joad family, giving them hope, and by allowing them to face new struggles together.

During their long journey from Oklahoma to California, the Joad family begins to lean on each other and unite, not just as a family, but with the families around them as well. They begin to learn that they need to support and encourage one another as they face the same obstacles. As Steinback states about families uniting, “In the evening a strange thing happened: the twenty families became one family, the children were the children of all. The loss of home became one loss, and the golden time in the West was one dream.” The families all have one thing in common: they are starting a new life and searching for work out west. This seems to unite them together. Another example of families uniting is when the Joads and Wilsons caravan together to California. They almost become one family unit they are so close. When the Wilson’s car was having trouble, Mr. Wilson told the Joad family to move along, saying that they do not want to “put them out.” Pa Joad responds, however, “We ain’t a-gonna do it. We got almost a kin bond. Grampa, he died in your tent.” Pa Joad feels like they are practically family because of all the struggles they have overcome together. At every campsite, it seems like the Joads meet a new family and share a bond with them. In California, Ma Joad lets some neighbors’ kids lick her leftover stew. The families begin to care for each other and help one another because of the journey they share. These are just a few of the examples in which the...